Decommissioning an Old R-22 System and Advising the Customer
A landlord asks you to remove an ageing R-22 split system from a rental unit and 'just take the outdoor unit away' so the unit can be re-let. The system has been off for two years and the outdoor unit is in a rear courtyard with limited access. The data plate is faded but shows R-22 and a charge of 2.4 kg. The indoor unit is mounted above a doorway in a room with no other ventilation, and the interconnecting pipes run through a wall cavity containing old fibreglass insulation. The landlord also wants a written statement that the property 'has no refrigerant issues' for the rental listing. You have a recovery cylinder, a recovery machine, and PPE, but no refrigerant identifier on the van.
1. Plan the decommissioning and recovery, addressing the unknown system condition, the R-22 status, and the access constraints.
Read the worked answer
R-22 is an ozone-depleting HCFC and its recovery is mandatory; venting is prohibited. Because the system has been idle for two years, the first question is whether any charge remains - the circuit may have leaked to atmosphere already. Without an identifier, I cannot assume the gas is pure R-22; if the system was ever topped up with a substitute, recovery into a cylinder labelled R-22 would contaminate it. The plan: isolate and lock out, check for residual pressure at the service ports, and if pressure exists, recover slowly with the machine into a dedicated R-22 cylinder, weighing the recovered amount and recording it. If the recovered weight is far below 2.4 kg, note the shortfall as a probable leak. Do not mix with other refrigerants; if the identity is uncertain, recover into an unlabelled cylinder marked 'unknown' and send for analysis or destruction. Access in the courtyard means planning hose runs, using a trolley, and two people for the lift. The wall cavity and fibreglass mean dust and fibre PPE plus eye protection when cutting pipes, and the pipes should be cut with a tube cutter and capped, not left open.
2. Respond to the landlord's request for a 'no refrigerant issues' statement and explain the documentation and communication you would provide instead.
Read the worked answer
I cannot certify that the property has no refrigerant issues, because I have not tested the whole property and a two-year-idle system may have leaked. Writing that statement would be misleading and could expose both me and the landlord to liability. What I can provide is an accurate record: the equipment removed, the refrigerant type and the amount recovered by weight, the recovery cylinder and contractor details, the date, and any observed leak evidence or shortfall. If the landlord needs assurance for the listing, the correct route is a documented leak check of any remaining equipment and a statement of what was inspected, not a blanket clearance. I would explain this plainly, offer the factual service record, and note that refrigerant handling records may be required by environmental regulation. I would also flag the removal of the indoor unit above the doorway, the capping of pipes, and the make-good of the wall penetrations, and confirm the work in writing with photos, so the landlord has something useful for the tenancy file without an unsupportable claim.