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R22

Since 1st January 2015, it has been illegal to use R22 Refrigerant to maintain or repair your air conditioning system.
If your system was installed before 2004, you should be planning to replace it as soon as possible.
While it is still legal to operate your system, the legislation makes it illegal to use additional R22 gas in maintenance and repairs. That means if your system develops a problem, it likely to be impossible to repair.

The EC Ozone Regulation (No 1005/2009) was introduced to phase out HCFCs, including R22 Refrigerant, used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems. R22 is a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) commonly used in air conditioning, process cooling and industrial refrigeration. The ban is in place because HCFCs are ozone depleting substances. This means that when they’re released into the air they react and damage the ozone layer causing destructive changes to ecosystems.

Due to their detrimental impact on the environment, R22 and other ozone depleting substances are being phased out globally. R22 has been replaced most commonly in new systems with R410A which is a modern refrigerant that does not cause damage to the ozone layer.
There are more FGAS regulations coming into force, which will limit the use of HFC in refrigeration by 2030. These include R404A, R422A, R422D, R507, which will be phased out to reduce emissions. 

Aside from the legal risks, R22 systems in the UK are coming to the end of their usable lifetime. Properly maintained air conditioning systems typical a life-span is 15 years before they need replacing. Without regular servicing, it can be significantly less.

If your unit breaks down or stops working completely, it will need replacing as parts have been discontinued for all R22 systems. There are two ways that we can replace your R22 before or after it fails:

  1. Replacing the entire air conditioning system which includes the indoor and outdoor unit, pipework and wiring.
  2. Replacing the indoor and outdoor units, and re-using your existing pipework and wiring.

If you are considering replacing your old R22 system, we offer a free and no obligation site visit to assess the work required, followed by a written quotation.

If you are unsure of the age of your system, please get in touch using the contact us page and we will be happy to identify what refrigerant your system is using.

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