What’s the Difference Between R-22 and R-410A?

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AC Heating Connect Service Tech uses an iPad 6 for important HVAC information

Comparing Refrigerants Side-by-Side

One of the hottest discussions (pardon the pun) within the air conditioning and heating industry is the difference between two refrigerants – R-22 and R-410A. As a homeowner considering a purchase, it’s important that you understand the difference so you can make the best decision for your system. We’ve outlined below the main differences and why they matter.

R-22

  • Often referred to by a brand name like Freon®
  • As of 2010, R-22 was discontinued for use in new air conditioning systems
  • R-22 is a hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) which contributes to ozone depletion

R-410A

  • Often referred to by a brand name like Puron®
  • Has been approved for use in new residential air conditioners
  • Is a hydro-fluorocarbon (HFC) which does not contribute to ozone depletion
  • Will become the new standard for U.S. residential air conditioning systems in 2015

Compare R-22 and R-410A refrigerants

Performance Differences

Newer air conditioning models are designed to be used with R-410A for reliable and more efficient operation. Because R-410A can absorb and release more heat than R-22, your air conditioning compressor can run cooler, reducing the risk of compressor burnout due to overheating.

R-410A also functions at a higher pressure than R-22, so new compressors are built to withstand greater stresses, reducing the chance for cracking. If you were to put R-410A refrigerant into a system designed for R-22, the pressure would be too much and the unit would break.

All air conditioners use an oil to keep the compressor lubricated during operation. R-22 air conditioners use mineral oil and R-410A systems use synthetic oil. The synthetic oil is generally more soluble with R-410A than mineral oil is with R-22. This means the R-410A system operates more efficiently reducing wear and tear on the compressor.

Dry Charging

While R-22 was outlawed in 2010 for use in new units, some companies are taking advantage of the law by producing what’s known as ‘dry charge’ units. These are new units that don’t have the refrigerant installed at the factory. Instead, a technician is required to come out to your home and install the R-22 refrigerant. While this practice is technically legal, this isn’t the best option for the following reasons:

  • There is a limited supply of R-22 and its price will increase as supplies diminish
  • R-410A offers greater efficiency, saving you in energy costs, and is much better for the environment
  • Dry charged units typically offer much shorter warranty periods

What have you heard about these two refrigerants? We can help give you unbiased answers!

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434 thoughts on “What’s the Difference Between R-22 and R-410A?”

  1. Apparently, the thinking was that since folks are always going to be irresponsible and vent refrigerant .. especially from automotive systems … into the air … rather than paying bucks to have it vacuumed out of their system and replaced etc. … that the only rational action to take was to ban refrigerants that are an issue for the ozone etc.

    Actually, sadly, this is probably an accurate assessment … immediate convenience usually trumps long term value to the common cause … just the way humans tend to work …

    However … given that the real necessity for cooling is usually in the hottest areas … 95-120F or so … F-22 was vastly better at providing cooling in that range … whereas 410 struggles massively and eats huge amounts of electricity to do the cooling at anything above 102 F

    So with a 410 unit … the output air is not as cold … and i have to run it vastly increased percentages of the time … and since the air is not as cold … the enthalpy difference has to be made up by running additional fans to distribute the less cool air … making the 410 unit of the same capacity as my F-22 unit about 30-35% more expensive to operate … in reality …

    So what is a fella to do ?

    Me … I am abandoning both … and the -ant struggle and just moving to ammonia … problem solved …

    Ammonia handles a larger temperature range, offers greater cooling capacity, and is easily available without fancy permits or certifications or other horse- non-sense.

    Add to that that ammonia gear is usually industrial and robust and has life expectancies that make the crappy home refer / air con gear look like comparing a Yugo auto to an industrial diesel semi … 30,000 miles to death vs 3,000,000 miles to overhaul …

    so me … i think we should ban r410a as well and just move everyone to ammonia

    there, i said it

    Reply ↓

    • That would be nice, but it isn’t possible. I already looked into making home AC run on ammonia. You’d need to make a copper-free system, preferably aluminum. Also, you can’t use ammonia directly in AC anyway because if it springs a leak, you’re dead. People who use it for AC are actually using it to cool water which is pumped around to cool a large building. This is not cost-effective (and probably not energy-efficient) for a house, even a large one.

      I understand that R22 is the best but I believe hydrocarbons are the future, not ammonia. Just like ammonia, they’re reputed to surpass the original CFC freons cold- and energy-wise. From what I’ve read, there’s a refrigerant called HC-12a which is widely used in Canada and is legal in most US states for replacing R134a. It’s supposed to be something like 70% propane/30% isobutane. You can find it on Amazon or direct from FrostyCool, Duracool, etc. It happens to be drop-in compatible with R-12 (though the legal weirdness requires you to retrofit to R-134a first), R-134a, and all their respective systems, no oil preference.

      Of course, this is only good for cars and fridges. Home AC still needs a solution. You may want to Google “Davuluri Treatment”. But be warned: experiments involving hydrocarbons, and AC in general, are done at your own risk. Be safe when modding AC units! Read A LOT before trying anything. Not for the environment, but for your personal safety.

      Reply ↓

  2. My house was built in 2007, so I think R-22 was used in my ac.
    How can I know what kind of refrigerants ?
    If R-22 was used, how can I replace it to R-401A ?
    Thanks.

    Reply ↓

    • You can read the outdoor unit. If it’s that recent then the label should be in good condition.

      You cannot change from R22 to R410a without at least changing the outdoor unit, but that’s okay because why would you want to change to R410a if your unit works well? R22 can keep up with 100+ degF weather without too much electricity; R410a struggles in that regard.

      Reply ↓

  3. I live in a home and just had my furnace installed two months ago. The air unit was installed two weeks ago just before high upper 80 & 90’s temperature. Now I’m getting a musty odor from my basement. This hasn’t happen before. I don’t have the freon, I have the newer r2.

    Reply ↓

  4. I just had my a-coil changed 2yrs ago and was using freon. Now you’re telling me that I have to change it again for this r410a?

    Reply ↓

    • The R410A regulation only affects new equipment. As long as you can get parts and R22 refrigerant you can still have it repaired.

      Reply ↓

  5. Is anyone here familiar with the acronym ‘BOHICA’? We experience it everyday. R12 vs R134A, R22 vs R410A…..it’s the same old story given to ‘we the people’ ……’this is so much better then what we had before, you’ll be amazed at the difference.’
    My HAVC unit was installed a month after returning from Chapter10 -look it up, so the A/C portion wasn’t used until the following year. Therefore, it been used for thirteen (13) seasons, approximately one thousand, one-hundred and seventy day (1170). It’s been used with a programmable thermostat. It was not operating twenty-four hour a day either.
    The unit installed was a WELL KNOWN unit, just ask ‘Dave L.’.
    Anyways, one would believe that after these ‘conversions’ are planned, there would be a way to convert units; like the way cars’ A/C have conversions to accommodate from older R12 to R134……but no, and way (?)….. it all has to do with EPA and Politicans and recouping R&D force upon an industry. Based on my personal usage, my current set-up has cost me -excluding electric usage- $176.92 per year for piece of equipment that gets used ninety days per year. The replacement of this unit would double that; and with talk of yet another type of coolant change we can only imagine what the cost will be.

    Reply ↓

  6. Can anyone shed some insight onto my problem. We have a Kenmore 22000 btu air conditioner bought in 2003. For the past few years it constant!y freezes resulting in us having to turn on fan only and letting it defrost. I thought the problem might have been the air bouncing off a mattress and box spring that was sitting in my dining room where the A/C is (long story don’t ask). But yesterday when I was finally able to move the mattresses it was doing the same thing…a little worse actually. It was in the lower 90’s yesterday and about 88 inside but there the A/C was frozen. Does it sound like the A/C is on its way out? Any help would be very appreciated as 800.00 for a new one is going to be a stretch.

    Reply ↓

    • Ron,

      It sounds like your Freon is low, maybe a leak? If it’s R-22 and you know someone that has some you might have them check the pressure on the unit. When the Freon is low it will freeze the A coil in the furnace causing little to no air flow and that will make the problem worse. Very dirty air filters or maybe a very dust covered A coil can cause the same problem.

      Hope this helps…

      Reply ↓

      • Not to mention that R-22 has been ‘outlawed’ since 2010; thus finding a supplier is darn near impossible. AND should you find one, it’s expensive (my area $75-100 per #). Also, don’t let someone tell you, ‘that R-410A will do as a replacement’ , because it WON’T.

        Reply ↓

    • Two things can cause a normal operating packaged air conditioner coil to freeze and it is more common than most folks realize. The first is operating the unit with the thermostat adjusted at a too cold temperature setting. This usually occurs when trying to cool a large area with a unit that is undersized. An air conditioner that is properly sized for the space it is cooling, will cycle the compressor off periodically. If the fan continues to run, any ice formation will melt quickly when the compressor cycles off. The second issue is never cleaning the air filter or again operating the unit on the lowest fan setting and coldest temperature setting. Low air flow through the cooling coil doesn’t have the necessary heat the unit was designed to absorb, so the cooling coil gets too cold and ice starts to form. And if the compressor never shuts off, the coil eventually ices over. Low refrigerant charge does not cause icing, it reduces the unit’s ability to remove heat since there is less refrigerant to absorb heat. Also, R22 has not been outlawed. Production of R22 in the United States will end in 2020 and may continue to me made in other nations indefinitely, although it would be illegal to import into the US (like illegal drugs).

      Reply ↓

  7. The discussion of “climate change” and “ozone holes” is really moot, in relation to the changing of refrigerants. Back in the late ’80s, I supervised a major overhaul of a low temp, cascade system. Getting ready to do a re-start, I contacted DuPont Chemical an ordered 5000# of R-12. I was informed that it would be a month before the order could be shipped. Further discussion of the time element, I was told that presently about 100,000#
    was shipped regularly to the “cosmetic” industry; i.e.: hair spray, deodorants, etc. The chemical and equipment manufacturers along with the EPA became a driving force to eliminate the “standard” refrigerants. This change has resulted in more “new” equipment sales and less “repair”. This covers all the house-hold refrigerators, auto air conditioners, building air conditioners, etc etc. Okay, we are going to “modernize” America and maybe the world. BIG bucks were made by everyone in the supply chain. The ironic part of this, was that R-12 could be bought in Mexico for the ‘old’ price; and, shipped into the USA as a fire retardant. Now let’s look at this problem of “adding” or adjusting the refrigerant charge in the modern equipment. The new refrigerants are “azeotropic” mixtures. Making it simple means that there are at least two different chemicals. So when there is a leak, it is impossible to determine how much of which chemical is gone; i.e.: we mix apple juice and orange juice to make a drink; we spill some and want to refill the pitcher. How much apple juice was lost or was it mostly orange juice. The only way to add to the modern systems, is to totally reclaim the refrigerant and re-charge the system with the correct amount. BOTTOM LINE IS MONEY—LOTS OF MONEY for everyone, except for the equipment owner…..

    Reply ↓

    • It’s the cost of progress! But I’m sure some would rather be bled when they’re sick, because it costs them less money? Seriously?

      Some would walk on red hot coals, even sacrifice their lives for their children’s, children’s, children, etc. While some only care about themselves in the now! Mostly childless?

      Philosophy? Psychology?

      I believe in any science that aims to perpetuate mankind’s existence on planet earth, despite those that just don’t get it!

      From what I understand, considering all pertinent things one ‘should’ consider, a geothermal heat pump is the best solution ‘today’ in both keeping cool and warm, especially when combined with solar heating/photo-voltaic cells. Of course incorporating a trombe wall as well as other passive technologies is even better.

      So obviously my vote goes to the refrigerant that considers all things of the day, opposed to archaic technologies, which mind you, served their purpose well, along the chain of human knowledge.

      Reply ↓

  8. I find 2 critical errors in the information contained in this article.

    First, R22 is actually a more efficient refrigerant than R410A, it transfers heat more effectively than 410A. R22 has been “outlawed” by the EPA under the guise of environmental protection because it contains chlorine, a naturally occurring element.

    Second, systems are presently more efficient than in past because the equipment design allows them to use less electricity to do the same job. NOT BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT REFRIGERANT.

    Reply ↓

    • Thanks for your post, Kylar. Just to add to the confusion – the R22 phase-out in the US happened in 2010. At this time, there were also significant changes in US efficiency regulation going on for residential AC systems that happened in 2006 and again in 2013. So, you are correct in saying there were significant changes in equipment designs during this period to achieve the new minimum efficiencies and in parallel, the new designs were also dealing with the R22 phase-out. To further confuse things, the standards for capacity and efficiency ratings (how much cooling you get at particular conditions – e.g. hottest days versus milder days) were also changing. All these changes have added to the confusion. The engineers tell us that R410A is more efficient but I think some of that is due to the higher operating pressures involved. So, I think it is sort of apples and oranges to compare them as you suggest and the simultaneous changes of equipment design and testing standards also makes it difficult to make blanket statements about this period. In any case, the days of new equipment with R22 are gone.

      It is interesting to note that the deal to ban R22 was part of the 1987 Montreal Protocol treaty to fix the hole in the ozone layer – which now seems to be shrinking, perhaps as a direct result of the chemical bans. However, the move to R410A apparently did nothing to affect the latest environmental concerns about global warming. So the next big changes affecting HVAC refrigerants will probably be related to regulations attempt to address global “climate change”. We will try to cover these changes as they evolve over the next few years so check out the site when you begin to hear about this in the news and we will try to provide a forum for more debate. Thanks for visiting the site and posting comments.

      Reply ↓

    • Since when did you find some naturally occurring chlorine gas just hanging around? It’s combined with sodium in the form of salt

      Reply ↓

  9. We just had to add $500 worth of R-22 to our ten year old central air conditioner. I asked the tech if the unit was leaking and he said ” it would take about $800 worth of R-22 to find out”. He said we should change the system over to R410A and he would send us a quote for a new unit. Does the whole system have to be changed to run R410A?

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Anna – yes, usually you have to change the whole system out to go from R22 to R410A. Sometimes you can get by with just changing the outdoor unit and changing the expansion device on the indoor coil. However, with a ten year old system that has a known leak (possibly on the indoor coil) you might still have a problem. You might be better off getting some additional quotes for both repairing the leak on your old system or buying a new one. Hope this helps.

      Reply ↓

        • if you can find someone who is good at finding and fixing leaks you might get a few more years out of that system. It often pays to shop around for contractors who can do that sort of troubleshooting. some are better than others at certain types of repairs.

          good luck!

          Reply ↓

  10. last year I got a call about “ac service ” and I bit …. the guy that came out didn’t know what he was doing and put a 410A charge into my R-22 unit ( not much but some ) … since that time my unit runs constantly to cool at all .. did he ruin it or can I have a tech I trust come out remove the mix and replace it?

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Dave – here are a few things to consider. First of all, if they added charge then you might have a leak. If they did not fix the leak then you could have a recurring low charge situation causing low or no cooling. It is also not good to use the wrong refrigerant because that could also lead to poor performance. The refrigerant properties are matched to all the system components so it needs to be right and charged to the right level. You should probably have a qualified HVAC contractor evaluate your system and diagnose/fix any problems. If you know how much R410A was added earlier that might be helpful. They might be able to fix it. Good luck!

      Reply ↓

    • Since the EPA does not require unique service fittings for R410a to be used, despite there being R410a fittings made, it is possible to charge R410a into anything. Anyone charging an R22 system must be EPA section 608 certified. Such certification helps insure technicians identify refrigerants and avoid mixing them. Contaminated refrigerants can be very expensive to dispose of and are considered hazardous waste. If consumers were more knowledgeable about the services, they were paying for, reporting illegal activity can net a reward of $10,000 or enough to pay for your new system, to include thousands in fines for the technician or business performing illegal work. If there is a person servicing your refrigeration equipment refrigerants, ask to see their EPA certification. If they don’t have any, send them away. They are not qualified to be taking the cap off a refrigerant service fitting.

      Reply ↓

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