REFRIGERANT RECHARGE & R-22 CONVERSION IN OREM

Refrigerant is the working fluid inside your AC — a closed-loop chemical that absorbs heat from your indoor air and releases it outdoors. A properly installed AC system never "uses up" refrigerant. If it's low, there is always a leak somewhere in the system. Shops that "just top it off" every summer without finding the leak are either ignorant or cutting corners. The refrigerant leaks out again within 3–6 months, and each recharge cycle costs more than the leak repair would have.

Low refrigerant shows up a handful of ways. AC blowing warm or lukewarm air. Ice forming on the copper line between the outdoor condenser and the house. System running nonstop on a 90° day without bringing the house to set temp. Compressor short-cycling. Energy bill climbing without any change in usage. Any of those on a system that's been running fine for years is a leak until proven otherwise.

The three refrigerants you'll encounter in Orem

• R-22 (Freon) — old-style refrigerant, phased out for new equipment in 2010 and banned from import/production in 2020. A huge percentage of Orem AC units installed pre-2010 still use R-22. Recharge cost is now $145–$225/lb when available at all
• R-410A (Puron) — most common current refrigerant, used in virtually every AC installed 2010 through 2024. Still readily available, recharge cost $85–$135/lb
• R-32 — the new standard starting 2025. 30% lower global warming impact than R-410A, better efficiency, slightly higher pressure. New systems are shipping with R-32. Recharge $95–$145/lb

Why R-22 systems are an honest conversation in Orem

We see R-22 systems constantly in central Orem — most pre-2010 installs in the original 60s/70s/80s housing stock still run on it. With refrigerant at $145–$225/lb post-ban, a leak repair on an R-22 system that costs $400 plus refrigerant easily totals $1,200–$1,800. On a 15+ year old system, that math rarely makes sense.

Three options when your R-22 system needs work:

• Recharge with R-22 — short-term solution, doesn't fix the leak long-term. We'll do it once if you specifically request it as a stopgap, but it's rarely the right answer
• Retrofit to R-407C — works in many R-22 systems with similar pressures. Mid-tier solution that buys 3–5 more years on an aging system. $685–$1,450 typical
• Replace the system — usually the honest answer on a 15+ year old R-22 unit. New R-410A or R-32 system runs $7,800–$9,400 for a typical Orem 3-ton install and gives you 12–18 more years

We lay out the math with you on-site, no pressure either way.

Why leaks happen in Utah Valley

Utah Valley conditions are tough on refrigerant systems. Temperature swings — 30°F overnight to 95°F afternoons in summer shoulder seasons — stress braze joints and flare fittings. Dust and pollen coat the evaporator coil and hide pinhole leaks. Hard water drip from condensate lines causes corrosion on nearby copper. Vibration from long-running compressors (10–12 hours straight on peak July days) loosens flare nuts. Cottonwood fluff from older Orem trees in the outdoor coil reduces heat rejection, raises head pressure, and accelerates leaks at weak points.

How a proper leak detection and repair works

We don't dump refrigerant in and hope. Our process: pressure check the system, identify whether the leak is slow (needs dye or electronic sniffer) or fast (audible hiss, oil stains on fittings). Electronic leak detection runs $145–$285. We find the leak, repair it (re-braze joint, replace flare, or in worst case recommend evaporator coil replacement), pull a full vacuum to 500 microns, hold it to prove the seal is tight, and weigh in the factory-spec refrigerant charge. No "close enough on the gauges" charging.

What Valley does differently

Every refrigerant call starts with a leak search — we won't recharge a system without first finding and repairing the leak unless you specifically request a stopgap top-off. We're EPA Section 608 certified and file the required documentation for any refrigerant handling. If the leak is in the evaporator coil — common on 8–14 year old Orem systems — we give you honest repair vs replace math.

Members of the Quality Service Club HVAC plan get 15% off both leak search and recharge labor, plus priority dispatch when the AC's warm and it's 95° outside.