JENKS, OK (KJRH) — Older air conditioning units using a certain type of Freon need an upgrade before the end of 2019. Experts say it's one that could cost thousands of dollars.
Brian rice of Brian’s Heat and Air says if your A/C unit is using R-22, it needs to be flushed out and some equipment replaced.
"The sooner the better," Rice said, "because the manufacturers are going up higher on all the equipment.”
The new refrigerant is R-410A, which has less chlorine in it than R-22, which the Environmental Protection Agency says was harmful to the ozone layer.
Rice says there’s a thousand-dollar process that goes into flushing out a system that still uses R-22, and homeowners will spend thousands more for the extra equipment.
"We have to replace the outdoor unit, as well as the evaporator inside," Rice said, "and replace the copper line set because they say the R-22 is embedded inside the copper line set.”
Experts say not everyone has to worry, though. Only older systems that are 10-15 years old still use R-22, and can use an upgrade anyway. It’s still good to have your unit checked twice a year, to make sure it’s up to date with the EPA, and to get it cleared of debris.
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