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The Freon®/R22 Phaseout


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The Los Angeles Homeowner’s Guide to the Freon®/R22 Phaseout

January 1, 2020 marked an important change in the heating and cooling industry. A refrigerant that is common to many residential air conditioner units in LA named Freon is in the last stages of a government phaseout.

Because air conditioners are instrumental in leading a comfortable life here in Southern California, we felt it was essential to provide all the relevant information to our customers and neighbors. Brody Pennell Heating & Air Conditioning has been serving the Greater Los Angeles area since 1945. We know that LA homeowners trust our knowledge and experience. So when it comes to regulatory changes like the R22 phaseout, you can rest assured we’ll be here answering all of your questions.

We’re Here For You

Ready to get started with your service or repairs? Schedule your appointment online, or give us a call at (310) 896-4911.

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Please fill out the form below to request an estimate or schedule service.

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Lingo to Know: Refrigerant Types

There are several types of coolant used in air conditioners today, and to add to the confusion, the chemicals go by several different names.

R-22 refrigerant also goes by R22 or Freon.

R410A refrigerant goes by R-410A or sometimes, Puron.

Will the Freon Phaseout Affect You?

The Freon phaseout will have some impact on you if your air conditioning unit uses the refrigerant. Luckily, it’s straightforward to find out whether this is the case.

Head outside and look at your air conditioner unit. Somewhere on the outside, you’ll find a label with data and information about the unit. Look for a line item on the chart for refrigerant or refrigerant type. Most likely, the printed data will state that your unit contains R22 or R410A refrigerant.

Here’s a pro-tip our NATE-certified technicians use all the time. If the data label on your air conditioner is in a tight spot to see clearly (or if your eyesight is going… no judgment!), use your smartphone to capture a flash picture of the data label.

If the data label on your air conditioner reads R22 or Freon, the Freon phaseout impacts your system. Keep reading to learn more about what the phaseout is and how it can influence decisions for your home.

My AC uses Freon. What does that mean?

If your AC uses Freon, get informed. There are a few things you need to know about the chemical that’s cooling your Los Angeles home.

  • The refrigerant cannot be produced after January 1, 2020
  • Air conditioners with R22 are getting older, so they will need more repairs
  • Because the supply of R22 is limited, the cost of AC repairs will rise

My LA home uses R22 refrigerant. What are my options?

The short answer is this: you will need to replace your air conditioner sometime soon, probably in the next year or two.

Air conditioners are not built to work forever. And while proper maintenance can extend the life of your unit to 15 years or longer, most air conditioners last around ten years. And given that the final units built for R22 refrigerant were in 2010, it means the time for your air conditioner to be replaced could be sooner rather than later.

But – should you replace now or hold on to the bitter end? The first thing to do is to evaluate the situation. There are several questions that will help guide your decision. Consider these questions:

  • Comfort – Does your air conditioner provide adequate comfort to you and your family? Or, is your air conditioner struggling to perform? How about noise: is your A/C particularly loud or noisy?
  • Repairs – Have you had to call on us for AC repair more than once in the last two years?
  • Service – Has the air conditioner received annual air conditioner maintenance visits from a qualified professional?
  • Utility Bills – Are your energy bills rising year over year? Is your electricity bill much higher than your neighbors? Do you want to improve the energy efficiency of your home?
  • Timeline – Do you anticipate any significant life events in the next few years, such as retirement, selling the home, or a change in employment?


With more information about your unique situation, you’ll be better equipped to decide what to do.

Option 1: Wait it Out

If you don’t have any apparent comfort problems with your Freon air conditioner, you might choose to do nothing. This is a perfectly acceptable option. One positive note on this path is that you won’t have any expenses, for now anyway. It may give you a little time to start socking away funds for the replacement air conditioner.

Here’s the risk with this path: it’s not a matter of if your air conditioner will break down, but when. And when it does, we can guarantee it will not be at a time that it’s convenient not to have air conditioning in your home. Another downside of waiting is that R22 refrigerant will get more expensive. Although many contractors have stockpiled R22 before the ban on the production, the only way to replenish the stockpile is with recycled refrigerant. As the years go on, Freon will get more and more expensive as it becomes scarce.

So, while you may be trying to save money up-front, keep in mind your future repair will be more costly.

Option 2: Investigate Replacement

A new air conditioner can cost as much as a nice vacation. So we understand – it’s not particularly fun or exciting to imagine spending your hard-earned cash this way. However, there is a significant benefit to looking down the replacement path. But because your air conditioner is already running just fine, now is the perfect time to shop for a new air conditioner.

Just think: if your AC stops working, and the repair is too costly, you may decide that it’s best to replace it. Unless you want to endure the Los Angeles summer for a few weeks, you need to make a quick decision! And you’ll be subject to whatever product pricing and availability there is on that day.

By researching a new air conditioner while your current R22 system is still running, you can keep an eye out for specials or rebates. And, you can talk with our team about financing, which can make the cost of a new air conditioner much more palatable.

Brody Pennell can help with your Freon Phaseout questions

Unsure of what to do? We are here for you – yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Serving the greater LA area for 75 years, we are recognized by our customers as knowledgeable, professional, and caring. We put your interests first, every time. So if you have questions about the R22 phaseout, put your trust in Brody Pennell to make a recommendation. Schedule a visit by one of our trained professionals, and we’ll provide our expert opinion on your best course of action. Give us a call today at (310) 896-4911.

Neal S.
1710783550
System inspected and serviced today by Anthony Manzo, and wow! So impressive. Cannot recommend more highly. Just great!!!
Marina K.
1710783093
Brody-Pennell always is reliable. We had no air conditioning and we called them. Rodrigo Estrada came out after hours and was so knowledgeable about our system that needed new ductwork. It all Made sense. He didn’t rush us and was great to work with. We hope to have him service our house regularly. Jose C and Juan R were very knowledgeable and friendly.Ivan and Angel O came today to put in the new part. They were so quick and efficient. The pictures were amazing and I saw exactly what they completed. Very happy with the job.
Richard B.
1710709220
Lloyd T.
1710631069
Fabio and David Mares rescued us when our furnace gave out. David gave us a clear, understandable explanation of the problems and how he was going to fix them. We are grateful to both of them.
Brian T.
1710556700
Brody Pennell handles my residential heating and AC. The team is always professional, and the performance of the techs is consistently top notch. One of these techs, Daniel Avila, was out to my place today to check my AC system and was a delight to work with.
Abel V.
1710551013
Juan and Christian did a great job with our semi-annual servicing. As always, prompt, courteous and thorough. Great job!
Dividend D.
1710548336
Juan Romo saved the day! And Enrique & Raul started off my day with great results, fixing a difficult problem with a brilliant fix - all while saving me 1/2 the original estimate with their rigorous plan of attack. When Raul & Enrique left at 5:00 PM, the system was fixed and running beautifully. Then for some reason the a/c in the master bedroom turned off. A kind service agent named Juan drove back out and ran diagnostics and in a 1/2 hour, figured out the problem and resolved the issue. A rare triple play! These guys are relentless and brilliant. A group you can count on!3/15/24Rene & Leo Morales are the Dream Team for Brody Pennells annual HVAC checkup. They worked fast - Rene is committed to getting finished and not wasting your day and his son Leo shares that philosophy. They pointed out some issues with 2 of our units - with photographic evidence - and scheduled a visit for a tech to come right back out next week to remedy the problems. BP is the finest HVAC company in SoCal and their technicians help to maintain that reputation.
Abe S.
1710544644
Mary R.
1710542910
Timothy was professional and thorough with our maintenance and inspection. We feel secure with our decisions about our unit.
Jane M.
1710537129
Ivan was great, very friendly and efficient
Milo R.
1710534602
James H did a great job!
D W
1710527004
Timothy and Ken. Did good work.
septimusson
1710520321
Excellent work by Giovanny Gerson and his assistant! Efficient, tidy, informative and friendly. I have come rely on B.P!
David Y.
1710453605
updating my previous review.I signed up for a membership last year and am finding it well worth it as it offers a solid discount on all of the work. Had a maintenance visit today with Anthony Manzo and Angel O to service my AC unit. They went about their work efficiently and were very transparent in describing the condition of everything they found with thorough explanations and pictures. There were a few parts that were getting a little older, but they were honest in saying none of it had to be done today. No hard sell. Nevertheless, I decided to replace the alternator as that was using extra electricity to start up our AC (which we use pretty heavily) and was taxing the other parts. All in all, a very good visit by their technicians. I renewed my membership out my satisfaction. Thank you Brody Pennell!old review:Very good experience with air conditioning and heater servicing. Easy to make the appointment, good updating on timing, and installer, Armando was very professional and tidy. Took good and extensive pictures of the work, so I didn't have to go up into the attic and get dirty. All for a fair price. I'm very happy. Thank you very much Armando and Brody Pennell!
Beth G.
1710439347
Daniel B. and Robert S. were amazing, fast, kind, and cleaned up after themselves. Highly recommend!
CD R.
1710434960
Rene Morales and Leo Morales serviced my Unit pursuant to my maintenance contract. They were on time, professional, knowledgable, and answered questions I had. Rene has serviced my Unit for aprox 10+ years and he is truly an asset to Brody Pennell. Thank you!
Evelyn T.
1710376418
Juan Molina and Pablo did an excellent job with maintenance issues. Very pleasant and knowledgeable.
Stan L.
1710375722
This was the most thorough service I've had.
Gareth A.
1710368008
Pam G.
1710364823
Shout-out to superstar duo James H and Alessandro A !Professional, knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. Went above and beyond to get the job done. Thank you!!
Elan S.
1710357166
David M and Albert H were great. They were very knowledgeable and honest and highly recommend them
Brooke M.
1710356216
Ivan and Leo H spent the whole day at my house and even helped clean my systems and install air cleaners to monitor quality. The service was incredible!
Roger Z.
1710353964
Juan Molina and Pablo did a great job diagnosing our HVAC issues.
Dioselin S.
1710348655
Great service provided from Anthony Manzo and Jeremy m
Terence R.
1710286775
James and Dio arrived in timely fashion and were expert professionals. I will always want them to perform my service.
Ann Marie S.
1710284476
We have been using their maintenance service for some time, but now the big one came, and we had to replace our furnace. Mike Ibarra and Raul Ibarra were so careful, went above and beyond, kept us updated on the progress throughout the install, and were awesome. Thank you!
Terry W.
1710281762
Our service tech James arrived on time, completed the maintenance in a timely fashion, communicated everything he was doing. Very happy with the job he did.Edit: We had Brody Pennell back again today, March 12th, 2024 to do our semi-annual hvac maintenance. Ruben and Angel did a great job, we're very friendly and professional and finished the job quickly. I highly recommend Brody Pennell.
Linde B.
1710281454
Donovan was terrific in every respect.
Lina S
1710276392
Juan Molina and ifty they did a great job!
Lisa S.
1710268380
Armando did an excellent job.He is very thorough and professional.
Robert P.
1710267027
Anthony Manzo was excellent and extremely professional.
Paul R.
1710263927
Rene great job!Heating service by Troy and Estaban great work.
Z D.
1710202761
Troy and Daniel g did great !
The Suí Generis C.
1710200763
Tim and David came out today and were very knowledgeable about the job at hand. I appreciate them both being transparent and honest about what they found and the best way to handle the job. I would recommend them and the company in the future. Thanks guys!
Barbara
1710196204
Brody technicians Frank Trejo, Pascual Hernandez, and Pablo Pluma installed a sleek looking mini-split AC/heating unit in my home today. They arrived right on time, worked quickly and efficiently and instructed me on using the unit once they completed the installation. I was very impressed with their professionalism.
Lisa H.
1710195598
Shawn and Anthony were terrific. Would highly recommend using them. Very kind and accommodating.
Allison C.
1710195034
Such a great experience, Ruben and Tristan were so polite and knowledgeable. It’s always a pleasure doing business with them
Paul G.
1710190937
Daniel B. and Angel O. did a great job. They not only checked to make sure everything in the heating system was in good shape, but I asked if there was a fan mode (with no heating or cooling) and they showed me how to turn it on and off. When on, I could feel the air, but only a small amount, so I asked and they made the fan blow a bit more strongly to where I wanted it. Great job!
Odaliz C.
1710182339
Anthony Manzo and Gerson Chacón
Mobile White S.
1710180257
Marco was great. Very communicative and upfront about the situation and solution to the problem.
Hilary W.
1710179545
Donovan was super easy to work with - on time, thorough, and friendly.
D
1710173574
Timothy was a great service tech with a lot of experience and a good attitude.
Daniel B.
1710173221
The service technician was on time and polite and informative. Provided clear feedback on the potential issues and discussed follow up to resolve the matter.
Janet G.
1710172467
Renee & Leo were fantastic!! Very thorough and informative!!
Ana L.
1710129417
Juan Romo was amazing!!! Super friendly and showed me pictures about the work he did. Explain future work I need on my HVAC system.
Rochelle S.
1710011545
Cesar F. He arrived on time and telephoned me before arrival. He was extremely courteous and listened pationately to my problems with my thermostat. He explained in detail how to use and program it. I would not hesitate to recommend him and you are indeed fortunate to have him on your team.
Deb S.
1709938768
Rene was our technician today. On time service and very efficient!3/8/2024Rene and leo morales are great
Abe S.
1709935885
Very thorough work. Really enjoyed working with them. Would definitely recommend using this company in the future. I worked with David M and he was fantastic. Adding to my initial review because my new heat pump needed some extra work and two technicians came, Arshag and Leo H. and they were both so great. There were so issues needing troubleshooting and they worked hard and fast to resolve, 5 stars across the board.
A D.
1709933743
Timothy, Brett, and Gerson were smart, knowledgeable, and thorough! Highly recommend!
Sally C.
1709933231
Edwin & Jesus
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"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Neal S.
1710783550
System inspected and serviced today by Anthony Manzo, and wow! So impressive. Cannot recommend more highly. Just great!!!
Marina K.
1710783093
Brody-Pennell always is reliable. We had no air conditioning and we called them. Rodrigo Estrada came out after hours and was so knowledgeable about our system that needed new ductwork. It all Made sense. He didn’t rush us and was great to work with. We hope to have him service our house regularly. Jose C and Juan R were very knowledgeable and friendly.Ivan and Angel O came today to put in the new part. They were so quick and efficient. The pictures were amazing and I saw exactly what they completed. Very happy with the job.
Richard B.
1710709220
Lloyd T.
1710631069
Fabio and David Mares rescued us when our furnace gave out. David gave us a clear, understandable explanation of the problems and how he was going to fix them. We are grateful to both of them.
Brian T.
1710556700
Brody Pennell handles my residential heating and AC. The team is always professional, and the performance of the techs is consistently top notch. One of these techs, Daniel Avila, was out to my place today to check my AC system and was a delight to work with.
Abel V.
1710551013
Juan and Christian did a great job with our semi-annual servicing. As always, prompt, courteous and thorough. Great job!
Dividend D.
1710548336
Juan Romo saved the day! And Enrique & Raul started off my day with great results, fixing a difficult problem with a brilliant fix - all while saving me 1/2 the original estimate with their rigorous plan of attack. When Raul & Enrique left at 5:00 PM, the system was fixed and running beautifully. Then for some reason the a/c in the master bedroom turned off. A kind service agent named Juan drove back out and ran diagnostics and in a 1/2 hour, figured out the problem and resolved the issue. A rare triple play! These guys are relentless and brilliant. A group you can count on!3/15/24Rene & Leo Morales are the Dream Team for Brody Pennells annual HVAC checkup. They worked fast - Rene is committed to getting finished and not wasting your day and his son Leo shares that philosophy. They pointed out some issues with 2 of our units - with photographic evidence - and scheduled a visit for a tech to come right back out next week to remedy the problems. BP is the finest HVAC company in SoCal and their technicians help to maintain that reputation.
Abe S.
1710544644
Mary R.
1710542910
Timothy was professional and thorough with our maintenance and inspection. We feel secure with our decisions about our unit.
Jane M.
1710537129
Ivan was great, very friendly and efficient
Milo R.
1710534602
James H did a great job!
D W
1710527004
Timothy and Ken. Did good work.
septimusson
1710520321
Excellent work by Giovanny Gerson and his assistant! Efficient, tidy, informative and friendly. I have come rely on B.P!
David Y.
1710453605
updating my previous review.I signed up for a membership last year and am finding it well worth it as it offers a solid discount on all of the work. Had a maintenance visit today with Anthony Manzo and Angel O to service my AC unit. They went about their work efficiently and were very transparent in describing the condition of everything they found with thorough explanations and pictures. There were a few parts that were getting a little older, but they were honest in saying none of it had to be done today. No hard sell. Nevertheless, I decided to replace the alternator as that was using extra electricity to start up our AC (which we use pretty heavily) and was taxing the other parts. All in all, a very good visit by their technicians. I renewed my membership out my satisfaction. Thank you Brody Pennell!old review:Very good experience with air conditioning and heater servicing. Easy to make the appointment, good updating on timing, and installer, Armando was very professional and tidy. Took good and extensive pictures of the work, so I didn't have to go up into the attic and get dirty. All for a fair price. I'm very happy. Thank you very much Armando and Brody Pennell!
Beth G.
1710439347
Daniel B. and Robert S. were amazing, fast, kind, and cleaned up after themselves. Highly recommend!
CD R.
1710434960
Rene Morales and Leo Morales serviced my Unit pursuant to my maintenance contract. They were on time, professional, knowledgable, and answered questions I had. Rene has serviced my Unit for aprox 10+ years and he is truly an asset to Brody Pennell. Thank you!
Evelyn T.
1710376418
Juan Molina and Pablo did an excellent job with maintenance issues. Very pleasant and knowledgeable.
Stan L.
1710375722
This was the most thorough service I've had.
Gareth A.
1710368008
Pam G.
1710364823
Shout-out to superstar duo James H and Alessandro A !Professional, knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. Went above and beyond to get the job done. Thank you!!
Elan S.
1710357166
David M and Albert H were great. They were very knowledgeable and honest and highly recommend them
Brooke M.
1710356216
Ivan and Leo H spent the whole day at my house and even helped clean my systems and install air cleaners to monitor quality. The service was incredible!
Roger Z.
1710353964
Juan Molina and Pablo did a great job diagnosing our HVAC issues.
Dioselin S.
1710348655
Great service provided from Anthony Manzo and Jeremy m
Terence R.
1710286775
James and Dio arrived in timely fashion and were expert professionals. I will always want them to perform my service.
Ann Marie S.
1710284476
We have been using their maintenance service for some time, but now the big one came, and we had to replace our furnace. Mike Ibarra and Raul Ibarra were so careful, went above and beyond, kept us updated on the progress throughout the install, and were awesome. Thank you!
Terry W.
1710281762
Our service tech James arrived on time, completed the maintenance in a timely fashion, communicated everything he was doing. Very happy with the job he did.Edit: We had Brody Pennell back again today, March 12th, 2024 to do our semi-annual hvac maintenance. Ruben and Angel did a great job, we're very friendly and professional and finished the job quickly. I highly recommend Brody Pennell.
Linde B.
1710281454
Donovan was terrific in every respect.
Lina S
1710276392
Juan Molina and ifty they did a great job!
Lisa S.
1710268380
Armando did an excellent job.He is very thorough and professional.
Robert P.
1710267027
Anthony Manzo was excellent and extremely professional.
Paul R.
1710263927
Rene great job!Heating service by Troy and Estaban great work.
Z D.
1710202761
Troy and Daniel g did great !
The Suí Generis C.
1710200763
Tim and David came out today and were very knowledgeable about the job at hand. I appreciate them both being transparent and honest about what they found and the best way to handle the job. I would recommend them and the company in the future. Thanks guys!
Barbara
1710196204
Brody technicians Frank Trejo, Pascual Hernandez, and Pablo Pluma installed a sleek looking mini-split AC/heating unit in my home today. They arrived right on time, worked quickly and efficiently and instructed me on using the unit once they completed the installation. I was very impressed with their professionalism.
Lisa H.
1710195598
Shawn and Anthony were terrific. Would highly recommend using them. Very kind and accommodating.
Allison C.
1710195034
Such a great experience, Ruben and Tristan were so polite and knowledgeable. It’s always a pleasure doing business with them
Paul G.
1710190937
Daniel B. and Angel O. did a great job. They not only checked to make sure everything in the heating system was in good shape, but I asked if there was a fan mode (with no heating or cooling) and they showed me how to turn it on and off. When on, I could feel the air, but only a small amount, so I asked and they made the fan blow a bit more strongly to where I wanted it. Great job!
Odaliz C.
1710182339
Anthony Manzo and Gerson Chacón
Mobile White S.
1710180257
Marco was great. Very communicative and upfront about the situation and solution to the problem.
Hilary W.
1710179545
Donovan was super easy to work with - on time, thorough, and friendly.
D
1710173574
Timothy was a great service tech with a lot of experience and a good attitude.
Daniel B.
1710173221
The service technician was on time and polite and informative. Provided clear feedback on the potential issues and discussed follow up to resolve the matter.
Janet G.
1710172467
Renee & Leo were fantastic!! Very thorough and informative!!
Ana L.
1710129417
Juan Romo was amazing!!! Super friendly and showed me pictures about the work he did. Explain future work I need on my HVAC system.
Rochelle S.
1710011545
Cesar F. He arrived on time and telephoned me before arrival. He was extremely courteous and listened pationately to my problems with my thermostat. He explained in detail how to use and program it. I would not hesitate to recommend him and you are indeed fortunate to have him on your team.
Deb S.
1709938768
Rene was our technician today. On time service and very efficient!3/8/2024Rene and leo morales are great
Abe S.
1709935885
Very thorough work. Really enjoyed working with them. Would definitely recommend using this company in the future. I worked with David M and he was fantastic. Adding to my initial review because my new heat pump needed some extra work and two technicians came, Arshag and Leo H. and they were both so great. There were so issues needing troubleshooting and they worked hard and fast to resolve, 5 stars across the board.
A D.
1709933743
Timothy, Brett, and Gerson were smart, knowledgeable, and thorough! Highly recommend!
Sally C.
1709933231
Edwin & Jesus
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