Production and importing of today’s main refrigerant for home air conditioners, HCFC-22 (also called R-22), began to be phased out in 2010 and will stop entirely by 2020.
Switching to high-efficiency air conditioners and taking other actions to keep your home cool could reduce energy use for air conditioning by 20% to 50%.
The main R22 replacement options available to you are:
- Total System Replacement
- Replace Outdoor and Indoor Units
Total R22 System Replacement
This involves replacing all parts of your air conditioning system, including outdoor and indoor units, pipework and electrical wiring. It ensures you have the most up to date equipment with the lowest running costs and is the best long term solution to the R22 Phase Out.
In some cases it’s impossible to re-use your existing components, making a full system replacement the only available solution. The downside to this approach is that it involves the highest initial capital outlay and increases the installation time.
If you have the resources to upgrade your entire system, it’s certainly worth doing. You will get the most energy efficient air conditioning system with the lowest lifetime costs. However, if your initial budget is limited, speak to your installer about the alternatives.
Replace Outdoor and Indoor Units
By reusing your existing infrastructure, including pipework, wiring and power supply, you could cut installation costs by up to 55% and minimize the impact on your organization. This approach significantly reduces installation times and can come very close to matching the benefits of a total system replacement.
You will see major improvements to performance, energy efficiency and running costs, without having to make an overwhelming investment.
All major manufacturers offer partial R22 replacement solutions. This involves installing state of the art air conditioning units and integrating them with your existing infrastructure. It guarantees that your piping network is clean, fit for purpose and free from the banned R22 refrigerant. Depending on the equipment you have in place, it’s even sometimes possible to replace the outdoor units only, which further reduces installation time and costs.
Partial R22 replacement solutions also give you an opportunity to upgrade your system, increasing the capacity or number of units. This approach brings your old infrastructure up to speed with your organizations current needs. We can work with you to design a system that is truly fit for purpose, saving you money by using the foundations you already have in place.
If you have an inquiry about the R22 Phase Out, including identifying R22 equipment, contact Vasi now !