Most Homeowners have been alarmed over the past couple of years to find out that it cost $150-200/lb. to install #R-22 Refrigerant in their residential air conditioning system.
The reason #R-22 Refrigerant has risen so dramatically over the past few years dates back to the worldwide treaty that was enacted in 1989. The Montreal Protocol was part of the Vienna Convention in 1989. As a worldwide Treaty to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous ozone depleting substances including #R-22 Refrigerant for residential air conditioning systems. This Treaty recognized that worldwide emissions of certain substances would have an adverse effect on human health and the environment.
As part of this Treaty is the HCFC Management Plan whose purpose is to reduce each countries emission rates by 85 Percent by the year 2020. As part of the phase out plan the production of #R-22 has been cut by almost 90 Percent of 2003 Production levels and will be totally obsolete by the year 2020.
As we get into the summer months in 2018 you could be looking at #R-22 Prices climbing to $300-400/lb and to $500/lb. in 2019.
So with this worldwide Treaty The Montreal Protocol enacted in 1989 you are seeing the end of #R-22 Refrigerant which has been used in residential air conditioning systems for over 50 years. Thus homeowners will have no other choice than replace their #R-22 System with the environmentally friendly #R410A system which has been around for a number of years.
