Definition
R-22, also called HCFC-22 and widely known by the brand name Freon, is an ozone-depleting refrigerant used in most U.S. home air conditioners and heat pumps installed before 2010. Under the Clean Air Act phaseout, U.S. production and import of R-22 ended in 2020. Existing systems may keep running on recovered, reclaimed or stockpiled supply.
Also called: HCFC-22, Freon
Why it matters to you.
Older air conditioners and heat pumps in Danville-area homes may still run on R-22. They can keep operating, but a major leak repair depends on limited recovered supply, which makes a large refrigerant repair hard to justify on an aging system.
Practical guidance.
Check the outdoor unit's data plate for R-22 or HCFC-22. Newer refrigerants cannot simply be added to an R-22 system, so treat a major refrigerant repair as a prompt to compare repair against replacement with a certified technician.
About this definition
Written by the Feistritzer Heating & Air Conditioning team — family owned and operated in Danville since 1976, Kentucky HVAC license M02584. Definitions inform; a whole-system diagnosis in your home decides.