Freon® r-22 refrigerant

Freon repair for residential ac units is now becoming a large issue.  Based on the EPA guidelines for phasing out of r-22, no new production of r-22 (commonly known as Freon® 22) will be allowed after 2020.  After 2020 we will only have available recycled refrigerant.  Because of this the cost is soaring out of sight.  This makes a good Freon repair more important than ever.  You do not need a new ac unit, or some temporary (almost works) r-22 replacement.  You just need a good Freon repair that lasts and doesn’t leak.

Freon Repair

Most systems built before 2014 contain r-22 refrigerant.  This refrigerant is also known as Freon® 22 and is now very expensive.  If you system is low on r-22, it is very important to find and repair the leak properly so it doesn’t cost even more money in the near future.  To find a leak we look for oil spots left behind by the gas escaping.  We also use expensive leak detectors that sniff for chlorine (a key element in r-22).  Other ways we locate leaks are with common soap covering the welded joints to look for bubbles.

Cost for a Freon Repair

The cost for the repair usually isn’t the issue.  Finding and the repairing is generally from $125 to about $300.  The real cost comes from adding r-22 back into the system.  At current the price for r-22 runs about $100 to $125 per pound.  Some companies even charging per ounce!  The amount of refrigerant you need is usually marked on the name plate of your ac system.  This amount is close but you usually will need a bit more to cover the line set and indoor coil.  An average system holds about 6 pounds bring a simple Freon repair to about $800.  In some cases the indoor coil may be leaking and unable to be repaired.  In such cases we would need to replace the indoor coil and then charge the system back up.

Alternatives

The new indoor coils we install work both with r-22 and the new 410-a refrigerant.  There are also several “replacement” refrigerants available for use on r-22 systems however we have not had very good luck with any we have tried thus far and prefer to keep your system in its original form.  Call us for the best possible repair on your ac system.  We find the leak, we fix the leak and get you back to comfortable.

Green is the color of r-22