Equipment Replacement

Refrigerant R-410A is the non-ozone depleting replacement of choice by new equipment manufactures. Since R-410A operational pressures are much higher than that of R-22, R-410A designed systems incorporate unique materials and components. For this reason users cannot use R-22 in an R-410A designed system, or use R-410A in an R-22 designed system. The refrigerants must be segregated and used only in systems designed for their unique characteristics. Even though R-410A is a highly efficient refrigerant and the equipment’s physical footprint does not pose any new challenges for property managers, the cost of replacing an existing R-22 designed system may be impractical. With most multi-family systems, the evaporator, (indoor unit), has a much longer lifespan than does the condensor (outdoor unit). However, R-410A pressures require the replacement of the outdoor unit as well as the indoor unit. And since R-410A systems require the use of a product specific lubricant, POE oil, the system piping (line sets) must be flushed with a special solvent to remove any build up along the piping walls. For many property managers working on a restrictive budget, full equipment replacement to R-410A will be impractical.