Renewing existing R22 systems with high efficiency R410A systems represents a tremendous opportunity for installers and maintenance firms, says Sanyo Air Conditioners' Graham Wright.
'A crisis', as one statesman famously said, 'is too good to waste'. What he meant, of course, is that dramatic change provides an opportunity to look afresh and do things differently. Miss the chance, and it could be a long time until the next hurricane comes along and takes the roof off.


This applies in our own industry in relation to the phase out of R22. In my view, air conditioning installers and maintenance companies have so far failed to capitalise on one of the biggest opportunities in a generation - the renewal of existing R22 systems with high efficiency R410A systems.

In the process, they are missing a business opening that could help offset any downturn in work that results from the coming public spending cuts.
It is a year since the ban on the use of new R22 for service came into effect. The aim of legislation is to put an ever-tightening screw on end users who still depend on R22-based systems, by making it increasingly expensive and inconvenient to keep R22 systems going.

The cost of reclaimed R22 has not risen as dramatically as some predicted, it is true. There has been significant stockpiling of reclaimed refrigerant, and not all contractors are as aware of the legal restrictions as they should be.

However, the pattern may prove to be similar to that seen following the phase-out of R11. Those with longer memories will recall that the refrigerant was still relatively plentiful one to two years after phase out. The anticipated price spike didn't materialise until years three and four.

Then, scarcity hit with a vengeance, resulting in a scramble to retrofit or replace a huge number of systems that were, to all intents and purposes, obsolete.

With the right marketing and a proactive approach, it is possible to educate and inform end users now about the issues and options in relation to R22. Instead of making distress purchases at the top of the market in two years, they should be helped to make informed choices now - and save a great deal in the process.
There are a vast number of R22-based systems out there still in use. Estimates vary, but there are probably in excess of 100,000 VRF systems still dependent on R22. The number of smaller R22-based split systems is incalculable, but it is a very large number.
A year after the ban on use of new R22 for top-up, what proportion of R22 systems has been replaced? We estimate the figure to be as low as 5 per cent. This is a tiny dent on the hull of the condemned R22 super-tanker that in the near future has to be completely dismantled.

Some end users are surprisingly well informed about R22. They are asking about options and alternatives to replacement. However, there appears to be a reluctance on the part of some installers to offer alternatives to full replacement, dare I say because they can make more money by replacing complete pipe work systems?
Most end users, however, despite a decade of screaming headlines in the trade press, are still unaware of 'the R22 problem' on their door-step, or indeed roof-top.
What is the best way to inform them about the coming R22 problem, and the options? I believe installers and maintenance companies, with regular contact and established relationships, are in a unique position to have a conversation with their clients about R22 and how they can help them deal with it most cost-effectively.

End users are looking hard at capital spend. However, they will look seriously at options if a persuasive case can be made for the benefits, over short and long term.
Renewal-type ac systems, which retain existing pipework and potentially also the wiring from an existing R22 system, offer a capital cost reduction of between 30 to 40 per cent on full replacement. That is a substantial saving.

When you add in the energy savings as a result of moving from an older R22 system to high efficiency R410A equipment, it becomes compelling. The latest equipment has COPs of up to 4.0 compared with 2.5 and below for older R22 systems.
With energy costs rising, this represents a major saving in operating costs. It is an obvious point but one to emphasise in the 'R22 conversation' with clients, the sooner R22 equipment is renewed and upgraded, the sooner these savings begin to accrue. The evidence from R22 renewal systems in the field proves that they deliver significant reductions in energy costs and can transform reliability.

The opportunity exists now for installers and maintenance companies to inform customers of the impending problem with R22, and help them make the right choices. This might result in complete replacement or renewal of the existing system. From what we have learned over the past year, however, the arguments for renewal / replacement are proven.

In these stringent times, an installer who can save a client 30-40 per cent of the capital cost of solving an inescapable problem for his business, which goes on to deliver significant savings every year for the next 10 to 15 years, not only deserves a hearing, he deserves the order.

R22 Renewal system roll out begins

The first Sanyo R22 Renewal systems to be installed in the UK have been completed and are now providing air conditioning at locations in the south of England. The first VRF system to be replaced with R22 Renewal is cooling guests in a hotel and country club in St Albans.

IMA Cooling Systems installed the R22 Renewal VRF system at Sopwell House Hotel, once the Georgian country home of Lord Mountbatten. The previous air conditioning, from another manufacturer, had suffered a seized compressor and come to the end of its working life. Complete replacement would have been expensive and disruptive.

The system comprises four indoor fan coil units and a 28kW three-pipe VRF system, supplying rooms in the hotel's private players' section.

Nigel Ames, maintenance manager at Sopwell House, said: 'The original air conditioning system was installed when the Mews accommodation was built. A conventional full replacement would have meant lifting paving stones and wooden floors and chasing out existing pipe work and replacing with all new.

'The Sanyo solution means existing pipe work can be re-used, saving significantly on time and cost. The time issue is critical in a hotel environment, as complete replacement would have taken over two weeks, and put the rooms out of commission. The Renewal System was completed in just two-and-a-half days.'