← BACK TO ALL POSTS

R22 Phaseout Is Happening Fast! Now What?

R22 Gas Is Widely Used For Commercial Refrigeration. R22 Phaseout Is In Full Swing As Mandated By The EPA. Here Are Some Viable Options In Dealing With The Phaseout.

R22 Phaseout has been in the works for years. This gas was put on the EPA‘s hit list with the creation of the Montreal Protocol to protect the Ozone Layer. When released into the atmosphere, R22 is far more harmful to the environment than newer types of refrigerant.

I’ve written this post with equipment owners in mind: We will skip the specific details of R22 Phaseout and instead offer end users like Restaurants, Bars, Hotels, Florists & Liquor Stores options to prepare for what’s ahead. R22 is over, it’s time to move on instead of beating a dead horse. We know for a fact that there is way too much R22 Commercial Refrigeration equipment still being used in Chicago & Lake County, Illinois. The price of R22 is already skyrocketing, so the time to think about options is NOW!

  • Do not let a HVAC or Refrigeration Contractor sell you new R22 equipment. It’s still out there. They may be offering a good deal, but why buy obsolete equipment?
  • If an existing R22 system has a major leak & loses all the refrigerant it creates the perfect opportunity to retrofit the system to a replacement gas like MO99. If a contractor states that a R22 system is “warm due to losing the charge” ask for a quote to retrofit the system to a replacement gas! We recommend MO99 gas because it is compatible with any oil in the system & runs at a lower head pressure. Changing to MO99 gas will actually make the system run more efficiently due to the lower head pressure. That means you save money on electricity!
  • If your R22 refrigeration compressor fails, don’t replace it with a new R22 compressor. Instead, get a quote for a compressor that is set up for a newer style gas such as R404A. As long as your system metering device is a TXV you should be able to have a contractor change the metering device in the evaporator coil to match the new style gas. Often the only thing needed to retrofit a system is a new compressor & a new metering device.
  • If your R22 system is over 8 years old & requires a major repair consider upgrading to all new energy efficient & ozone-friendly equipment!

Northeast Cooling LLC has specialized in energy efficient refrigeration & refrigerant retrofit in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Please contact us with any questions at 847.409.3332 or drop us an email info@northeastcooling.com.

Please leave any thoughts on this blog post or any refrigeration topics in the comment section below!

 


← BACK TO ALL POSTS