If your A/C still uses R-22, you’re going to be really upset at the price of a refrigerant top off service. As the federal government has been phasing out R-22 due to the Montreal Protocol International Environmental Agreement, prices of the gas have skyrocketed and they’re only going to go higher. Currently, production of R-22 has been slashed to 25% of the established national baseline cap and next year it will be cut another 15%.

To avoid paying those exorbitant prices for adding R-22, there are two options available – perform a leak check to find the leak and repair it and add a locking refrigerant cap to the system to deter tampering with the unit or a full air conditioner replacement. Here are the benefits of each:

Leak Check

An A/C technican can perform a full system leak check on your unit and repair or replace the specific leaking component.   This can be costly and there is no guarantee that another leak will not ensue as the equipment age of most R22 units will be close to generally accepted life expectancy by around 2016-2019.  Additionally most reputable contractors are installing locking valve caps to ensure that there is no unlawful tampering with your refrigerant system including huffing and stealing of R22.

This can be an expensive process if the leak is hard to find or if it is a major leak and may ultimately require the replacement of at least one component anyway.

Full A/C Replacement

Most older A/C units are less than half as efficient as the newer models on the market. The initial cost to replace will be more expensive than a  R-22 leak search, leak repair, and R-22 addition; however, a new unit will be EPA compliant, saving you the inconvenience of the rising cost and ultimate scarcity of R-22 as well as the added benefit of having a new system with an extended warranty for the near future.

If you want a professional opinion on the best upgrade to your current Peachtree City home A/C that still uses R-22, contact the experts at Powers Heating & Air.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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