Air conditioner refrigerant: EPA rules, R-22 and what homeowners should know

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

Who is allowed to work on the refrigerant in your air conditioner?

Only a technician certified by an EPA-approved program. Under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants to be certified. The rule defines a technician by what the person does: attaching and detaching hoses and gauges to measure pressure, or adding or removing refrigerant. A central air conditioner, a heat pump and a ductless mini-split all carry refrigerant, so this is the one federal credential that matters for most cooling work in your home.

What does Section 608 certification involve?

A test, not a course. Technicians must pass an EPA-approved exam given by an EPA-approved certifying organization, and the test depends on the equipment:

• Type I: small appliances.
• Type II: high- or very high-pressure appliances.
• Type III: low-pressure appliances.
• Universal: all of the above.

The certification does not expire. Apprentices may do the work without certification only if a certified technician supervises them closely and continually. The EPA does not hand out cards itself; it says it does not issue certification cards, so the card a technician shows you will come from the organization that tested them. It is reasonable to ask to see it, especially if the person who arrives is new to you.

Why can't refrigerant just be let out?

Because it is illegal. EPA rules prohibit intentionally venting refrigerants, whether ozone-depleting ones or their substitutes, while maintaining, servicing, repairing or disposing of air conditioning equipment. Only small releases made during good-faith efforts to recover refrigerant, such as when hoses are connected, and a short list of exempted refrigerants are allowed. So when an old air conditioner or heat pump is removed, ask how its refrigerant will be recovered.

The EPA's rule requiring leaks to be repaired applies to equipment holding 50 pounds of refrigerant or more. The page does not say how much a home system holds, so do not assume the rule covers yours; ask the technician.

What happened to R-22?

It is being phased out, and new supply has stopped. HCFC-22, the refrigerant the EPA says was widely used in unitary air conditioners, has not been produced or imported in the United States since 2020. Before that, from 2010, it could be produced or imported only for equipment made before January 1, 2010. The full phaseout of the whole HCFC class comes in 2030. The EPA says some uses continue, such as servicing existing air conditioning equipment, so an older system can still be serviced with refrigerant that already exists. Blends that contain HCFC-22, sold under names such as R-401A, R-402A, R-408A and R-409A, fall under the same rules.

The EPA publishes a homeowner fact sheet on servicing or replacing an air conditioner in light of the phaseout. It is a PDF and was not used for this guide.

What about the newer refrigerants?

The EPA's Technology Transitions program sets limits on the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in sectors including air conditioning and heat pumps. The EPA pages read for this guide do not state the dates that apply to home systems, so this guide gives none. If a contractor tells you a rule forces you to replace a working system now, ask which rule and where it says so.

What should you ask if your system is low on refrigerant?

ENERGY STAR's maintenance checklist includes checking the refrigerant level and adjusting it if necessary, and says that too much or too little makes the system less efficient, raises energy costs and shortens its life. A recharge on its own treats the symptom. Ask:

1. How much refrigerant did the system need, and what type is it?
2. Where is it leaking, and can the leak be found and repaired?
3. What will the repair cost, compared with refilling it again next year?
4. Is the technician doing the work Section 608 certified?

HomeAdvisor, a cost survey, prices coil repair at $600 to $2,400 and a compressor at $800 to $3,000. For an HCFC-22 system past ENERGY STAR's 10-year replacement mark, those prices are a reason to get a replacement quote as well.

Does refrigerant matter when a new system goes in?

Yes, because the charge has to be right for the system to work as designed. ENERGY STAR's quality-installation guidance says the contractor should test and adjust the refrigerant charge of a new air conditioner or heat pump, because a proper charge reduces energy use and the risk of failure. On a new heat pump, ENERGY STAR notes that cold-climate models rely on advanced compressors and refrigerants for their low-temperature performance.

The other questions to ask a company before it touches your system are in questions to ask an HVAC contractor, and what the federal certification sits alongside is in what Pennsylvania requires of HVAC contractors. Contractors are listed on the HVAC contractors directory page.

Sources

1. Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2. Section 608 Technician Certification, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
3. Stationary Refrigeration - Prohibition on Venting Refrigerants, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
4. Phaseout of Class II Ozone-Depleting Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
5. Residential Air Conditioning and the Phaseout of HCFC-22: What You Need to Know, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
6. Technology Transitions, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
7. Maintenance Checklist, ENERGY STAR
8. HVAC Quality Installation, ENERGY STAR
9. Air-Source Heat Pumps, ENERGY STAR
10. How Much Does HVAC Repair Cost?, HomeAdvisor