Can you reuse recovered R-22?

Author: Jaqueline Moore  |  Last update: Saturday, December 20, 2025

In truth, recycled R-22 removes some of the contaminants through separation and filtration, and recycled R-22 can only be used in the same system it was taken from.

Can recovered refrigerant be reused?

Yes, you can reuse refrigerant in the same system (or another system owned by the same person). You won't be able to recover all of it without sucking in air through the leak (which would contaminate the refrigerant), but you should be able to get about 80% of it out.

How much is reclaimed R-22 worth?

Currently, one of these companies pays out: $15/lb for 97%+ pure R-22 (this number is very achievable) $11/lb for 90-97% pure R-22. $5/lb for 90%+ pure R410a (pro tip: there's about a pound of R410a gas left in every "empty" jug!)

Who buys recovered R-22?

ComStar will buy back R22 from your system assuming you meet the following requirements: 1,000 lbs. minimum buyback volume. 99.5% Purity (ComStar will provide laboratory analysis)

Can you mix R-22 with replacement R-22?

You can't mix refrigerants. It all has to be removed and properly re-charged. The liability for this is on the person who did it.

HVAC 124 Reusing refrigerant

What is a good replacement refrigerant for R-22?

An R-22 Refrigerant Replacement for Direct Expansion Refrigeration. Freon™ MO29 (R-422D) refrigerant is a low-toxicity, non-ozone depleting hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) replacement for R-22.

Can you top off R-22 with MO99?

Yes. Freon™ MO99 can be used to retrofit R-22 heat pumps . Based on system testing, similar efficiency and slightly lower capacity can be expected. A slightly lower capacity may force the compressor run time to increase.

Is it legal to sell R-22 refrigerant?

R22 refrigerant is illegal to import and manufacturer in the U.S. But it's not illegal for anyone to buy R22 freon. And it's not illegal to sell it IF you have a license. As long as the stocks last, you will be able to continue purchasing R22 from specialized dealers and form your air conditioning company.

How much is R-22 per pound?

R-22 refrigerant prices range from $90 to $250 per pound. Since you'll need between 6 and 12 pounds to refill a home AC, costs can reach between $660 and $2,400 for a refill of R-22 refrigerant. U.S.

Why was R-22 phased out?

Because R-22 depletes the ozone layer, production and import was further limited in 2010. In 2020, R-22 will no longer be produced or imported. After 2020, only recovered, recycled, or reclaimed supplies of R-22 will be available.

How much does it cost to convert R-22 to R-410A?

How much will an R-22 to R-410A conversion cost? The actual cost will depend on many things, including where you live, but most of the time R-22 conversions start at around $2,000 and go up from there. The higher end of that range is somewhere around $4,500 to $4,600.

Who buys empty refrigerant tanks?

Refrigerant Finders is a nationwide refrigerant collection program. We pay top dollar for your used Freon and offer convenient pickup, drop-off, and mail-in options.

Can you reuse recovered R-22?

In truth, recycled R-22 removes some of the contaminants through separation and filtration, and recycled R-22 can only be used in the same system it was taken from.

Is selling recovered refrigerant illegal?

EPA regulations (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F ) under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act restrict the resale of used ozone-depleting and substitute (e.g., HFC) refrigerant to a new owner unless it has been reclaimed by an EPA-certified refrigerant reclaimer.

Can you sell recovered refrigerant to a reclaimer?

If you have used refrigerant that you do not need for your own appliances, EPA recommends that you contact an EPA certified reclaimer or your local refrigerant distributor. Depending on the type and condition of the used refrigerant, some reclaimers may pay you for it. EPA maintains a list of EPA certified reclaimers.

Can you reuse refrigerant that is recovered?

Refrigerant that is recovered can be reused in the system from which it was taken (if that system simply needed a repair to continue working). However, in order to reuse that refrigerant in another system or to sell it on the market, the recovered refrigerant would need to be recycled or reclaimed.

Can recovered refrigerant be sold to a new owner once it has been recycled?

Keep in mind that recovered refrigerant cannot be sold to a new owner for use as a refrigerant unless it has been reclaimed by an EPA-certified reclaimer EPA certified refrigerant reclaimer prior to sale.

Can reclaimed refrigerant be resold?

Our job is to ensure that our reclaimed refrigerant meets the same standards as virgin product. This means it is reprocessed to AHRI 700 standard and can be sold to be used in other systems.

Can I still buy R22 refrigerant?

In 2010, the U.S. stopped the sale of newly manufactured residential air conditioning units and heat pumps that use R-22 because of its particularly harmful impact on the ozone layer when released into the air. On January 1, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the production and import of R-22.

Why is R22 illegal?

R22 has been banned due to its high ozone-depleting potential. R22 leaks are highly toxic and can damage the environment and people's health. The use of R22 freon in air conditioning units has been restricted & banned from being used in any new products.

What can I use instead of R22?

Freon MO99 is the gold standard for R-22 alternatives and was developed by the same scientists who engineered Freon R-22. The benefits of Freon MO99 include: Capacity — The ability of Freon MO99 to heat or cool a given space is closer to Freon R-22 than any other refrigerant on the market.

What happens if you put R-410A in a R-22 system?

The pressure can become high enough for parts of the system to rupture. At the very least, leaks will occur.

Does MO99 run the same pressure as R-22?

Freon™ MO99 has been designed to closely match the pressure, temperature, enthalpy, and mass flow properties of R-22.

Can I put 407C on top of R-22?

Mixing R22 with R407C

According to the 609 EPA rule, mixing refrigerants is illegal and anybody caught doing so will be heavily fined.

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