With a change in the law in January 2015, not everyone is fully aware of the new regulations regarding use of R22 refrigerant in air conditioning systems. If you’ve recently discovered that your air conditioning system is still using R22 refrigerant, then you may be confused about what you need to do.
Don’t Panic
If the unit in your office or shop contains R22 refrigerant, then you don’t need to immediately arrange for a replacement system to be installation or switch of the system. Air conditioning containing R22 can still be used under the new regulations.
Know the Rules
Although you can still use your existing system, it cannot be topped up with any kind of R22 refrigerant, whether virgin or reclaimed, and maintenance of the system is limited.
Under the new regulations, engineers can no longer break into the refrigerant circuits of air conditioning that uses R22, meaning that a faulty system could need replacing entirely rather than being topped up or simply having parts replaced.
Consider Replacement
Despite being able to continue to use your air conditioning system that uses R22, you should still consider replacing it. Should a fault occur, your options will be limited to modifying your existing units so they no longer use R22, or replacing the units, both of which can be incredibly disruptive to a workplace.
A new air conditioning unit is likely to be much more efficient than your existing one, helping you to cut down on the cost of running it. Improved efficiency of modern systems and lack of R22 refrigerant also means that new units are more environmentally friendly.
UPDATE: Find out more about the new R-32 refrigerant system.
If you’ve discovered that your building is still using air conditioning that contains R22 and would like to know more about the R22 phase out and your options, then Total Environmental Kooling can help. As a vendor independent company, we can advise on the best air conditioning unit for your business needs, so give us a call on 0117 9523355 or email us.
