R-22 Leak: Repair-and-Top-Off vs. Replace

Option 1 - Repair the coil and recharge with reclaimed R-22. Technically legal (reclaimed R-22 is still available; U.S. production and import of virgin HCFC-22 ended after 2019). But: you are putting several hundred dollars of a shrinking, high-cost refrigerant into a 19-year-old system that has already leaked once, on R-22 equipment with no warranty. It fixes nothing about end-of-life. Note the 40 CFR Part 82 leak-repair rule (trigger/repair deadlines) applies to appliances with a 50 lb or greater charge, so a residential split is below that threshold - but the venting prohibition still applies to everyone, always.

Option 2 - Replace the condensing unit only. Rejected unless an AHRI-listed match exists with the existing indoor coil. An R-410A condenser on an R-22 coil with an R-22 metering device is not a match: wrong pressures, wrong oil (POE vs. mineral), wrong expansion device, and no rated capacity or warranty.

Option 3 - Full system replacement (condenser, coil/air handler, and a proper refrigerant-compatible line set or documented line flush). Highest first cost, lowest risk, restores warranty, and eliminates the R-22 tether. Given a 3-year hold and a tenant, the future repair risk and refrigerant cost sit with the owner.

Recommendation: present Option 1 only as a documented short-term bridge with an explicit "no warranty, R-22 availability/cost not guaranteed" line, and price Option 3 as the default. Get the decision in writing before recovery is completed so the customer is not surprised by the charge.

Reusable with conditions:

• Line set: may often be reused if sizes match the new unit's requirements, it holds pressure, and it is clean. Oil compatibility is the issue - mineral oil and POE do not mix well and mineral oil residue can foul a new R-410A system. The defensible approach is documented flush or replacement; never "blow it out with nitrogen and hope."
• Indoor coil/air handler: must be replaced with a coil rated for the new refrigerant and must be an AHRI-matched combination with the new condenser. Do not reuse an R-22 coil with a different metering device.
• Filter drier: new, properly sized, installed in the liquid line, bi-flow if heat pump.

Workmanship requirements:

1. Recover the remaining R-22 (do not vent), record the amount on the recovery log, and return it for reclamation or destruction.
2. Braze with nitrogen purge to prevent internal oxidation.
3. Pressure test with dry nitrogen and hold.
4. Evacuate to 500 microns and hold with the vacuum pump isolated - a decay test proves no moisture/leak.
5. Weigh in the charge per nameplate (or use the manufacturer's method), then verify by subcooling (TXV) or superheat (fixed orifice) at the actual indoor wet bulb and outdoor dry bulb.
6. Verify airflow and ΔT, and record everything.

Refrigerant selection: new residential split systems are transitioning to lower-GWP refrigerants (A2L, e.g., R-454B/R-32) under the AIM Act; if the replacement unit is A2L, the nameplate charge, room volume, and any required detection/mitigation per the manufacturer's instructions must be checked before ordering. Ask what the supply house is actually stocking before quoting.

Before touching the system:

• The technician must hold a valid EPA Section 608 certification; the company must keep records of certification. Apprentices may handle refrigerant only while being trained by a certified tech.
• Use certified recovery equipment and recovery cylinders that are DOT-rated, not overfilled (80% fill rule), and properly labeled.

During the job:

• Never vent refrigerant to the atmosphere - this is prohibited for all appliances, regardless of charge size. Purging with refrigerant to atmosphere is also prohibited.
• Do not mix refrigerants in a cylinder, and do not charge a system with a refrigerant other than the one on the nameplate unless the change is a documented, compatible retrofit (AHRI/EPA SNAP-listed, with the system labeled).
• Because the system is under 50 lb of charge, the 82.157 leak-repair trigger/repair-verification requirements do not apply, but a leak found and left unrepaired should be disclosed in writing.

Documentation to leave behind:

1. Recovered amount by refrigerant type (5.5 lb) and cylinder tag.
2. Leak location and method.
3. Final weighed-in charge and the subcooling/superheat verification readings with ambient and indoor conditions.
4. Equipment serial numbers, AHRI match number for the condenser/coil pairing, and warranty registration.
5. Permit and inspection sign-off.

Tenant-occupied unit: coordinate access and the power-down window in writing, and never leave the system open to atmosphere overnight (moisture and POE oil are a bad combination).