If you have an older air conditioning unit, it’s important to understand the EPA regulations in place that are directly impacting the price to maintain your equipment. 

In 1987 the Montreal Protocol, an international environmental agreement, established requirements that began the worldwide phase out of ozone-depleting CFCs. These requirements were later modified, leading to the phase out in 1996 of CFC production in all developed nations. In 1992 the Montreal Protocol was amended to establish a schedule for the phase out of HCFCs. HCFCs are less damaging to the ozone layer than CFCs, but still contain ozone-destroying chlorine. The Montreal Protocol as amended is carried out in the U.S. through Title VI of the Clean Air Act, which is implemented by EPA.

HCFC-22 (also known as R-22) had been the refrigerant of choice for residential heat pump and air-conditioning systems for more than four decades. As R-22 is phased out over the coming years as part of the agreement to end production of HCFCs, manufacturers of residential air conditioning systems are offering equipment that uses ozone-friendly refrigerants. Many homeowners may be misinformed about how much longer R-22 will be available to service their central A/C systems and heat pumps.

In 2012, U.S. government regulations began reducing production of the refrigerant known as R-22 by 45 percent. This reduction caused the price of R-22 to triple on Jan. 23, 2011. Since then the price of R-22 refrigerant has continued to spike and will be felt by consumers with older A/C systems needing repairs requiring adding refrigerant. The price of R-22 is only going to climb as we get closer to meeting the 99.5% phase out of R-22 by the year 2020. Every major air conditioner manufacturer in the United States has selected R-410A as its choice to replace R-22 in new equipment, and there are at least a dozen brands of R-410A air conditioners or heat pumps available today, with more coming soon.  R-22 prices will continue to rise as we close in on 2020.

*As of 2010, newly manufactured R-22 cannot be used in newly manufactured appliances, only servicing existing equipment.

If you have older equipment that still uses R-22, you will see service prices for adding R-22 to your unit rise steadily (if not sharply) year over year. We have seen prices of R-22 more than triple just since 2012!  Hollowood Heating Inc. feels it is responsible and necessary to share this information with our loyal customers so you can both understand and plan your budget for home repairs.