Since the 1^st January 2015 it has been against the law use R22 refrigerant in refrigeration, heat pump and air conditioning units. This ban made a big impact on the maintenance and repairs of air conditioning units. At the start the only other option was to completely replace your unit, however, over the year’s major manufacturers such as Mitsubishi and Daikin have developed a variety of solutions to help meet the individual needs. The main R22 replacement options that are available for you are:

• Total system replacement
• Replace outdoor and indoor units
• Use a “drop-in” refrigerant

These replacements have been put in place to help businesses, such as contractors with finding a solution that suits their needs. Each option is designed for certain people and businesses, below we will discuss the options and how they can help you.

Total System Replacement

A total system replacement is pretty much what it sounds like, replace everything! This includes pipework, electrical wiring and both outdoor and indoor units. Although this might seem like a bit of a waste of time and a fuss, it ensures that you have the most up to date equipment and hopefully the lowest running costs. Replacing your whole air conditioning unit can be very time consuming and might be quite expensive in terms of replacement time. However, in the long run it is worth it as you will then have the most energy efficient air conditioning unit and won’t have to worry for a while about replacing any of it again.

Replace Outdoor and Indoor Units

If you own a big business, then maybe the last thing you want to be doing is having to close down for a period of time whilst your air conditioning unit gets replaced. This is where one of the main R22 replacement options come into place, the replacement of outdoor and indoor units. By reusing some of your existing infrastructure, you could cut your installation costs by up to 55% whilst also minimising the impact on your business.

Most major manufacturers will offer partial R22 replacement solutions, so you don’t need to worry about not being able to find a company. Another major benefit of this option, is instead of just scrapping your unit and getting a new one, you can upgrade your current system allowing your old infrastructure to be bought up to speed with your company’s current needs.

Use a “Drop-in” Refrigerant

There are a lot of mixed opinions on using a drop-in refrigerant but overall the most important thing to remember is that this option should only be used for short periods of time. This approach can cause damage to your systems reliability and performance which can leave you at a risk of failure or even downtime for your company. If you are continuously maintaining your ageing system will eventually become a very expensive hobby for you and you might find that most manufacturers don’t support this option due to the complications.

Drop-in refrigerants will reduce your immediate costs, but unfortunately as time goes by you will find that you are spending way too much on fixing the unit. Therefore, it is so important if you are going to use this method that you don’t use it for a long period, and whilst you are using it you need to be coming up with a suitable replacement plan.

If you have considered the cost and the impact it will have on your business, it doesn’t really matter which R22 replacement option you choose. At All Seasons Climate Control, we ensure the very highest standards are met for all our installation and maintenance services, so if you think you need help with your air conditioning unit then get in touch with the experts now.