R22 refrigerant (also called R-22, HCFC-22, or Freon) is a colorless hydrochlorofluorocarbon gas, chemically chlorodifluoromethane, that cools air conditioners, heat pumps, and commercial refrigeration systems.
It is still legal to use for servicing existing equipment, but only reclaimed, recycled, or stockpiled supply remains.
Here is a quick overview of what we will discuss today:
- New R22 production and imports ended in the US on January 1, 2020.
- A pressure reading only means something when matched to a temperature, so a chart is included below.
- No true drop-in substitute exists, and R410A cannot be used in an R22 system.
- Reclaimed R22 is expensive, and its price varies widely by country.
- Keeping an R22 system running is a cost decision, not a legal one.
What Is R22 Refrigerant Used For?
R22 refrigerant carries heat out of a building or cold space in air conditioners, heat pumps, and commercial refrigeration systems.
It was the standard choice for decades, and history notes that residential systems made before 2010 most likely still use it.
R22 works by absorbing heat as it evaporates indoors and releasing it as it condenses outdoors, which is how it moves heat out of a space.
Freon is a brand name used for several refrigerants, R22 among them, so “Freon” on an invoice does not tell you which gas is in the system.
- Residential central air conditioners and heat pumps built before 2010 are the most common users.
- Commercial air conditioning, including rooftop units and chillers, used R22 widely.
- Commercial refrigeration, such as walk-in coolers and display cases, used it as well.
R22 Refrigerant Composition
R22 is a single chemical compound, not a blend. That matters in practice because a single compound can be recovered, cleaned, and reclaimed without separating components, which is how today’s supply is produced.
| Property | R22 |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | Chlorodifluoromethane |
| Formula | CHClF2 |
| Refrigerant class | HCFC (hydrochlorofluorocarbon) |
| Number of components | 1 (pure compound) |
| Contains chlorine | Yes |
R12 Refrigerant
R12 is an older, different refrigerant that people often confuse with R22, and it is not a substitute for it.
R12 is a CFC with a higher ozone impact, and its phase-out came first, dating to 1994.
| Feature | R12 | R22 |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical class | CFC | HCFC |
| Chemical name | Dichlorodifluoromethane | Chlorodifluoromethane |
| Cylinder color | White | Light green |
| Status | Phased out in the mid-1990s | New production and imports ended in the US in 2020 |
| Can it substitute for R22? | No | Not applicable |
R22 Refrigerant Pressure
R22 pressure rises and falls with temperature, so the same gauge reading can mean a healthy system or a faulty one depending on the temperature it is matched to.
Technicians compare the gauge reading with a pressure-temperature chart to confirm the refrigerant’s state and spot undercharge or overcharge.
R22 Refrigerant Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Boiling point at 1 atm | About -40.8ยฐC (-41.4ยฐF) |
| Molecular weight | About 86.5 g/mol |
| Critical temperature | About 96ยฐC (205ยฐF) |
| Ozone depletion potential (ODP) | About 0.055 |
| Global warming potential (100-year) | 1,810 (IPCC AR4, as cited by LG); some sources list 1,960 |
| ASHRAE safety class | A1 (low toxicity, non-flammable) |
GWP figures differ because sources use different IPCC assessment reports, so always check which report a number comes from.
R22 Refrigerant Chart
The table lists approximate saturation pressures at sea level. Read it by matching the measured coil or ambient temperature to the expected pressure.
| Temperature (ยฐF) | Temperature (ยฐC) | Pressure (psig) | Pressure (kPa) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -17.8 | 24.0 | 165 |
| 20 | -6.7 | 43.0 | 296 |
| 32 | 0 | 57.8 | 399 |
| 40 | 4.4 | 68.5 | 472 |
| 50 | 10.0 | 84.0 | 579 |
| 60 | 15.6 | 101.6 | 700 |
| 70 | 21.1 | 121.4 | 837 |
| 80 | 26.7 | 143.6 | 990 |
| 90 | 32.2 | 168.4 | 1,161 |
| 100 | 37.8 | 195.9 | 1,351 |
| 120 | 48.9 | 259.9 | 1,792 |
Values are rounded; confirm against the chart your refrigerant’s manufacturer publishes before charging a system. Warning: these pressures apply to pure R22 only, and a system holding a mixed or contaminated charge will not match them.
Is R22 Refrigerant Still Available?
Yes. R22 is still available as reclaimed, recycled, or stockpiled refrigerant, and in the US only EPA Section 608 certified technicians may buy it.
A US reclaimer states that you may use AHRI-700 reclaimed, recycled, or virgin R22 sold from existing stockpiles, and that you are not required to replace an existing system.
Many pages repeat claims about R22 that are wrong or overstated. Checking them against third-party sources:
| Claim | Verdict | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| “R22 is illegal to use.” | False for servicing | The 2020 change ended production and imports of new R22. Using existing R22 remains legal. |
| “You can still buy new R22 in the US.” | False | Only reclaimed, recycled, or stockpiled R22 is sold, and only to certified technicians. |
| “The EPA banned R22 imports in 2023.” | False | Several web pages claim this, but the production and import end date is January 1, 2020. |
| “R410A is a drop-in for R22.” | False | R410A should not be used for retrofitting because its higher pressures prevent it. |
| “You must replace your AC.” | False | No law requires replacing a working R22 system. The case for replacing is financial. |
| “2030 ends reclaimed R22 everywhere.” | Misleading | The Australian government’s fact sheet says servicing there relies solely on reclaimed refrigerant from 2030; other countries follow their own schedules. |
R22 Refrigerant Can
R22 is sold in refrigerant cylinders, and the common sizes are 30 lb in the US and 13.6 kg in many other markets (the two sizes are essentially the same).
Reclaimed 30 lb cylinders are sold to certified buyers, and listings state that federal law requires EPA certification to purchase.
| Refrigerant | Cylinder color |
|---|---|
| R22 | Light green |
| R410A | Rose |
| R32 | Light blue-green |
| R407C | Brown |
| R404A | Orange |
| R12 | White |
Cylinder colors come from the Engineering ToolBox color-code table.
- Check that the cylinder is labeled reclaimed to AHRI-700 purity, since that standard confirms the gas meets virgin-grade specifications.
- Buy only from certified suppliers, because several people have faced federal charges for illegally importing R22 from China and Mexico.
- Never refill disposable cylinders, and never rely on cylinder color alone to identify a gas, because mislabeled or mixed cylinders exist.
R22 Refrigerant Price (USA, India and Other Countries)
There is no single price for R22 refrigerant because it heavily depends on your locality, HVAC company, and scope of AC maintenance and repair.
However, the price of R22 refrigerant could be from about $40 to more than $250 per pound.
A US supplier lists reclaimed 30 lb cylinders at $279 to $449, which works out to roughly $9 to $15 per pound; others may be higher.
Where you live changes both the rules and the price, because R22 is no longer made in the US but is still produced in some other countries,
| Country | Production and import status | Servicing with R22 | Price evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | New production and imports ended January 1, 2020 | Allowed with reclaimed, recycled, or stockpiled supply | About $40 to $250+ per lb in 2026 price |
| Canada | Newly made or imported R22 is no longer sold for servicing since 2020 | Allowed with reclaimed supply | No reliable figure found |
| Australia | Imports largely phased out | Allowed with reclaimed R22; from 2030 servicing relies solely on reclaimed (Australian government fact sheet) | No reliable figure found |
| India | Developing-country (Article 5) schedule under the Montreal Protocol, which phases out later than the US | Check local rules | No reliable published price found |
| Other countries | Varies by schedule | Varies | Request a dated written quote |
.
How long this supply lasts depends on each country’s schedule, set out in the R22 phase-out timeline.
R22 Refrigerant Replacement
R22 has no true drop-in replacement, so replacing it means either retrofitting the system with a compatible blend or installing a new system designed for another refrigerant.
Most compressor and system manufacturers recommend continuing to service R22 equipment with R22 rather than retrofitting, and a retrofit should be done by a licensed technician.
What Refrigerant Can I Substitute for R22?
| Refrigerant | Best use | Retrofit or new equipment | Oil | Key caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R407C | Air conditioning | Retrofit and new | Polyolester | Zeotropic blend; charge as liquid |
| R427A | Air conditioning, heat pumps, refrigeration | Retrofit | Per manufacturer | Capacity and pressures close to R22 and no expansion valve replacement required |
| R422D | Low and medium temperature refrigeration | Retrofit and new | Mineral oil compatible | Not for flooded evaporators |
| R404A | Commercial refrigeration | Retrofit | Polyolester | High GWP |
| R410A | Air conditioning | New equipment only | Polyolester | Higher pressure; not a retrofit gas |
| R32 | Air conditioning | New equipment only | Per manufacturer | Mildly flammable (A2L) |
R407C Refrigerant
R407C is a blend commonly used to retrofit R22 air conditioning systems.
| Property | R407C |
|---|---|
| Composition | R32 23%, R125 25%, R134a 52% |
| GWP (100-year) | 1,774 (Wikipedia) |
| Type | Zeotropic blend |
| Cylinder color | Brown |
R-407C offers only a marginal direct climate advantage over R-22: EPA-listed 100-year GWPs are 1,774 for R-407C and 1,810 for R-22. However, R-407C has zero ozone-depletion potential, whereas R-22 is an ozone-depleting HCFC.
As a zeotropic blend, R-407C can fractionate after a leak, so technicians commonly recover the remaining charge and recharge the repaired system with a full, correctly weighed charge rather than simply topping it off. It should be charged as a liquid to help maintain its designed component ratio.
In the U.S., R-407C remains usable in existing equipment, but its high GWP excludes it from many new residential and light-commercial AC and heat-pump applications: EPA restrictions on manufacture and import took effect January 1, 2025, while sale, distribution, and export restrictions for those covered products generally begin January 1, 2028.
R404A Refrigerant
R404A is used in commercial refrigeration rather than comfort air conditioning, and it, with R507A, is a retrofit option for R22 refrigeration equipment.
- It is a blend of R125, R143a, and R134a, and its GWP of roughly 3,900 is about double R22’s.
- It is a poor choice for an air conditioner retrofit, because it was designed for low- and medium-temperature refrigeration.
- Its orange cylinder distinguishes it from R22’s light green one.
Newer air conditioners use a different generation of gas altogether, covered in our guide to the new refrigerant now used in these systems.
Which Refrigerant Is Better, R22 or R32?
R32 is better on climate impact and is the choice for new equipment, but it cannot be dropped into an R22 system, so the two are not interchangeable in practice.
Normally, HVAC equipment is built for one refrigerant, and using a different one can damage the system.
| Factor | R22 | R32 |
|---|---|---|
| GWP (100-year) | 1,810 | 675 (LG, IPCC AR4) |
| Ozone impact | Depletes ozone (contains chlorine) | None (no chlorine) |
| Flammability class | A1 (non-flammable) | A2L (mildly flammable) |
| Fits an existing R22 system | Yes | No |
| Supply | Reclaimed only | Widely sold for new equipment |
R32 Refrigerant
R32 (difluoromethane) is a single-component refrigerant and the main ingredient of R410A. It is used in new air conditioners and heat pumps, where manufacturers can design smaller charges around its properties.
| Property | R32 |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | Difluoromethane (CH2F2) |
| GWP (100-year) | 675 (LG, IPCC AR4) |
| Safety class | A2L (mildly flammable) |
| Efficiency | Equal to or better than R410A, per the EPA as cited by LG |
| Cylinder color | Light blue-green |
LG’s guidance does not say R32 can be used in existing R22 systems, so treat it as a new-equipment refrigerant.
R410A Refrigerant
R410A is a near-azeotropic blend of R32 and R125 with a GWP of 2,088 (LG), and it comes in a rose-colored cylinder.
It was the main air conditioning refrigerant after R22, but it runs at much higher pressures, which is why it should not be used to retrofit R22 equipment.
New systems are now moving beyond it. R454B, with a GWP of 466, is designed to replace R410A in new air conditioning and heat pump systems.
R410A and R32 are the two alternatives most buyers compare, and the R410A vs R32 refrigerant guide sets them side by side.
If you are deciding between servicing an R22 system and moving to a newer refrigerant, the fairest comparison is two written quotes: one for R22 service that lists the price per pound, pounds needed, leak repair, and labor, and one for replacement with a system built for a newer refrigerant.
Request both from our licensed technician before you authorize any recharge.
R22 Refrigerant FAQ
Is R22 refrigerant illegal in 2026?
No. R22 is not illegal to own, service, or recharge in the US, and no law requires you to replace a working R22 system.
What ended on January 1, 2020, was the production and import of new R22, so technicians now rely on reclaimed, recycled, or stockpiled supply, which only EPA Section 608-certified technicians may buy. Venting R22 into the air remains illegal, and rules in other countries follow their own schedules.
Can I put R410A in an R22 system?
No. R410A cannot be added to or substituted in an R22 system. It runs at much higher pressures than R22 and is designed for different compressors, oils, and components, so using it risks equipment failure and unsafe conditions.
Mixing it with R22 also contaminates the charge, which makes recovery harder. The legitimate options are servicing with R22, a technician-led retrofit with a compatible blend, or installing equipment built for R410A or newer refrigerants.
Can R32 replace R22 in my air conditioner?
Not as a drop-in. R32 is a better choice for new equipment, with a GWP of 675 against 1,810 for R22 and no ozone impact, but it is mildly flammable and runs at higher pressure than R22.
An R22 system’s compressor, oil, and components are not designed for it, so switching means installing new R32-rated equipment rather than changing the gas.
If you are replacing the whole unit anyway, R32 is a strong option to price.
Is it worth recharging an R22 air conditioner?
It is worth it when the leak is small, repairable, and the system is otherwise healthy, and it is not worth it when you would be buying R22 repeatedly.
A one-time top-off on a younger system can cost less than replacement, but a system that loses refrigerant every season turns each recharge into another R22 purchase at today’s price, plus labor.
Ask the technician to find and fix the leak, and request a replacement quote if refrigerant cost alone approaches a meaningful share of a new system’s price or a second leak appears.
Ready to compare your options? Ask our licensed HVAC technician for a written R22 service quote and a replacement quote today.
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