# R-22 Phase-Out: What It Means for Your Commercial Cooler | Commercial Refrigeration Oklahoma City

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Home Refrigerant Leak Detection & Repair R-22 Phase-Out: What It Means for Your Commercial Cooler Decision Guide R-22 Phase-Out: What It Means for Your Commercial Cooler R-22 hasn't been made or imported since 2020. What a recharge costs now, whether to retrofit, and when replacement is the better money. Published 2026-09-07 · By Commercial Refrigeration Oklahoma City No new R-22 has been produced or imported in the United States since January 1, 2020. You can keep running an existing R-22 cooler and service it with reclaimed R-22, but reclaimed supply is limited and expensive — often well over $100 per pound installed. Once an R-22 system needs a leak repair and recharge, or a compressor, the economics usually favor a retrofit or a replacement. Your three options 1. Repair and recharge with reclaimed R-22. Reasonable for a small, one-time top-off on a system you plan to replace soon anyway. Not reasonable as a repeat strategy — you’re paying premium prices to refill a leaking system. 2. Retrofit to a replacement refrigerant. Common targets are R-407C or R-448A/R-449A . A retrofit typically involves changing the oil (R-22 systems use mineral oil; replacements use POE), replacing the filter drier, sometimes the expansion valve, checking elastomer seals, and re-rating capacity. Best on a system under ~10 years old with a healthy compressor and coil. Expect $800–$2,500 depending on system size. 3. Replace the equipment. The right call when the compressor is failing, the coil is corroded, the unit is 10-plus years old, or you want the efficiency gain. New equipment also puts you on current A2L refrigerants and avoids doing this again. Running the numbers Scenario Rough cost Makes sense when… One-time reclaimed R-22 top-off $400 – $1,200+ You’re replacing the unit within a year Leak repair + full R-22 recharge $1,000 – $2,500+ Rarely — usually a sign to retrofit or replace Retrofit to R-407C / R-448A $800 – $2,500 System is sound and under ~10 years old Replace condensing unit (walk-in) $4,500 – $12,000 Compressor failing, or box is old What a technician should tell you On the first visit, a good technician confirms your refrigerant, tells you the current reclaimed R-22 price, and lays out the retrofit and replacement numbers with the efficiency and reliability trade-offs — not just “we’ll add some gas.” Commercial Refrigeration Oklahoma City does this as part of the diagnosis. See repair or replace . Bottom line If this is your situation in the Oklahoma City metro, a technician can confirm it on site and quote a flat diagnostic before any work. Call (405) 725-9148 — a live person answers 24/7. Call (405) 725-9148 Related service Refrigerant Leak Detection & Repair Low charge means a leak. We find it with an electronic detector and nitrogen, repair it, evacuate properly, and charge by weight, per EPA Section 608, not a top-off that fails. See the service Refrigeration down now? 24/7 dispatch across the OKC metro. Flat diagnostic quoted first. (405) 725-9148 Get a firm price for your situation Send the equipment and symptom. A technician calls back with the flat diagnostic and next window. Leave this field empty What needs service? Select equipment… Emergency Commercial Refrigeration Repair Walk-In Cooler Repair Walk-In Freezer Repair Reach-In Cooler & Freezer Repair Commercial Refrigerator Repair Commercial Ice Machine Repair Refrigeration Compressor Replacement Refrigerant Leak Detection & Repair Refrigerated Display Case Repair Walk-In Cooler & Freezer Installation Commercial Refrigeration Preventive Maintenance Something else Business ZIP code Continue Your name Business name Phone Email (optional) What's happening? Back Send request Prefer to talk now? Call (405) 725-9148 — answered 24/7. Answers Quick answers Can you still get R-22 for a commercial cooler? Yes, but only reclaimed R-22 — no new R-22 has been produced or imported in the US since January 1, 2020. Reclaimed supply is limited and priced accordingly, often well over $100 per pound installed, versus a fraction of that for current refrigerants. Should I retrofit my R-22 system or replace it? Retrofit to a compatible refrigerant (such as R-407C or R-448A) can make sense on a system that is otherwise in good shape and under about 10 years old. On older equipment, or when the compressor is failing, replacement usually wins on efficiency and reliability. Is it illegal to keep running an R-22 cooler? No. You can keep operating existing R-22 equipment and service it with reclaimed refrigerant. The phase-out is on production and import, not on use. The practical pressure is cost and supply. Keep reading More guides in this area The A2L Refrigerant Transition: What Businesses Should Expect The AIM Act, 2025 GWP limits, and A2L refrigerants like R-454C and R-455A — what changes for new commercial refrigeration and your existing equipment. EPA Section 608 Refrigerant Rules: What Businesses Should Know What EPA Section 608 requires of your refrigeration contractor and your equipment — technician certification, leak-rate thresholds, repair deadlines, and recordkeeping. Commercial Refrigeration Oklahoma City — commercial refrigeration across the OKC metro A live person answers 24/7. Flat-rate diagnostic quoted before a technician rolls. Call (405) 725-9148 Get a callback