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R22 Prices
Posted on 5/13/23 at 2:34 pm
Posted on 5/13/23 at 2:34 pm
I have an older 4 ton AC system, installed ~1997 that runs on R22 coolant. It has been poorly cooling the last week or so, and I figured it was poor airflow from a dirty filter. Replaced my air filter and called a tech from One Hour Heating and Air. He cleaned the evaporator and condenser coils but said I was about 5-6 pounds low on my R22 coolant and had a leak somewhere. Buddy wanted > $2000 for 5 lbs of coolant installed. Some quick googling suggested that is way too much money, it should really be ~$1000.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a company that will refill my coolant and fix the leak for a more competitive price?
Does anyone have a recommendation for a company that will refill my coolant and fix the leak for a more competitive price?
4
Posted on 5/13/23 at 3:10 pm to FeeshTacos
That’s a significant loss of refrigerant for a 4 ton unit if he gave you a straight story and you still had a little cooling but older units do have more refrigerant capacity than modern units. But you are right, $200 per lb for R-22 has been the norm for the past few years at least when I required 1 to 2 lbs of R-22 annually for the past few years from a slow leak in the evaporator coil - I changed my 17 year old unit out this past Feb.
It’s going to be difficult to find a tech willing to try to find and repair a leak in a unit that old, assuming it’s possible to repair, and not try to sell you on a replacement unit. Average life of HVAC units in the Deep South is said to be 13-15 years so you got $$$ plus out of that unit. I wish I had a tech I could recommend that focuses on diagnostics and repair, and not just “gas and go”, but I don’t. Hope you can find one.
It’s going to be difficult to find a tech willing to try to find and repair a leak in a unit that old, assuming it’s possible to repair, and not try to sell you on a replacement unit. Average life of HVAC units in the Deep South is said to be 13-15 years so you got $$$ plus out of that unit. I wish I had a tech I could recommend that focuses on diagnostics and repair, and not just “gas and go”, but I don’t. Hope you can find one.
Posted on 5/13/23 at 3:44 pm to FeeshTacos
quote:
I have an older 4 ton AC system, installed ~1997 that runs on R22 coolant.
it makes no sense to do anything but replace the whole system.
1 - r22 is expensive as shite and the cost to refill your old unit with it is higher than a replacement system costs.
2 - the higher efficiency of a newer system will save you a ton of money and pay for itself in just a few years.
3 - that compressor in your old system is going to fail. its not a question, just a matter of when. do you want to spend $3000 get if fixed and then in 3-6 months you need to spend another $4000 to replace the compressor and replace more freon if it leaks or is contaminated by the failure.
its like you have an idea there is a cheap solution, but the reality is, all you are doing is putting off the inevitable, and in doing so, you are going to be setting fire to thousands of dollars, just to delay doing what you know you have to do.
just do it the right way, and replace the whole system. it will save you thousands of dollars that you didnt waste, trying to fix that old high energy cost guzzling unit.
PS - they are about to stop using the freon systems using now and are moving to a newer refrigerant, so the r22 system is going back to the freon they used 3 revisions ago for the new freon that is about to be in use today
This post was edited on 5/13/23 at 3:50 pm
Posted on 5/13/23 at 6:12 pm to keakar
Does anyone have experience testing an old R22 unit with R407c ?
It’s a total scam what the government is doing regarding Freon regulations/bans and the constantly moving target…
It’s a total scam what the government is doing regarding Freon regulations/bans and the constantly moving target…
Posted on 5/13/23 at 7:48 pm to ultralite
quote:
Does anyone have experience testing an old R22 unit with R407c ?
cant speak to R407c specifically but the different freons run at different pressures so there is usually no adaptable way to convert them. they use different wax in the system as well that is mixed into the oil and mixing freon types turns that wax/oil mixture into a jellified slime that ruins the whole system and cannot be cleaned out after it happens.
so it takes extreme measures to flush and clean out all the tubing of the old oil and wax and generally requires the indoor coils be replaced.
the exception to that was r12 and r134a were just close enough, that r12 systems could be converted to use r134a, after an elaborate system flush and replacing the metering devices, receiver drier systems, and sometimes even the compressors.
quote:
It’s a total scam what the government is doing regarding Freon regulations/bans and the constantly moving target…
its all about a money grab, just another way to force you to replace everything instead of repairing old systems to keep them working.
not a single ozone was saved by getting rid of r12 and r22 freon, but many people involved in the processing and regulating it got very rich doing it
This post was edited on 5/13/23 at 8:15 pm
Posted on 5/13/23 at 8:23 pm to ultralite
quote:
Does anyone have experience testing an old R22 unit with R407c ?
Though I don’t have experience with it, I’ve read extensively on it, followed comments on it by HVAC techs on their professional on-line forums, watched Y/T videos and I’ve not really seen much in the way of negative comments on it as an effective replacement for R-22.
What I do wonder however, with the evermore harsh Fed regulations on refrigerants, is whether or not it’s much cheaper today than R22.
I appears to me R410A which is the dominant refrigerant in residential systems is following the same path as R22, in terms of pricing, as the Feds are phasing it out, It will be supposedly available for years but pricing……….
“ However, the EPA has proposed banning the use of R410-A in new air conditioners and heat pumps by January 1, 2025. As R410-a production gets gradually reduced and phased out, the refrigerant will likely become harder to find and get more expensive.“. LINK
Posted on 5/13/23 at 9:08 pm to keakar
My friend is an HVAC tech and he’s been telling me the r2d2 refrigerant is where it’s all going to. Anyone have pros and cons on that vs r22?
Posted on 5/14/23 at 1:39 pm to FeeshTacos
As others have said, you’ve got your moneys worth out of your old unit. It’s time to replace the system and move on.
1 Hour Air is known for being expensive in my experience. I’ve used them a couple times before learning my lesson.
1 Hour Air is known for being expensive in my experience. I’ve used them a couple times before learning my lesson.
Posted on 5/14/23 at 5:02 pm to FeeshTacos
He can charge what he wants. You need to upgrade
Posted on 5/14/23 at 9:40 pm to 4WHLN
If One Hour Air is one of the more expensive places, can you give any guidance on some of the better-priced companies?
Posted on 5/21/23 at 8:12 pm to ultralite
407C is a great replacement for R22 with a catch, it requires POE oil and in older systems the oil is mineral oil. So to properly replace 22 with 407 you have to change the oil in the compressor and flush the line set which is a pretty involved process. Now if the 22 system has POE oil it’s as simple as recover, vacuum and recharge
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