We have Geothermal heat & air, 3 units that are 28 years old. I bought a 20# canister of freon off of Ebay in case we have trouble getting some if needed. It would be very expensive to replace our units & they are very simple to repair. You have a good question.

From the info I've read a typical heat pump (assuming you are using a heat pump) will on average last for about 15 years before it's various components wear out. If your Freon pressure has maintained itself without recharges (no leaking) you could still squeeze some years out of it. But 20 years is a very good run compared to most HPs manufactured at that time.

With today's high prices for any appliance that contains a chip I would keep it running as long as the prices are inflated.

Maybe I wasn't clear. We have two forced air gas furnaces, each with a flow through hunidifier and Aprilaire electrostatic filter, and two air conditioning compressors (that rely on freon).

We also have a small boiler that supplies hot water to underfloor systems in three north-facing rooms. This was a retrofit because the original HVAC installer failed to adequately supply heat to those rooms, two of which have high ceilings. Sometimes a mistake results in something good, as we love the warm floors, and the forced air system is still putting humidity into the house via a furnace in winter.

We hope to stay in this one-floor home a little longer. Once you're past 80, 'the future' has time limitations.

We've seldom (never?) had to add freon. I wonder how much would be prudent 'backup'? (Does it get drained out of decommissioned systems? What's done with it?)

You’ll need new a AC when your current one fails.

You may also be surprised at how much savings there will be on your electric costs when you have a new unit.

Newer equipment is much more energy efficient than older stuff, if that matters to you.

AC systems made since 2010 use Puron, a chemical that's much less dangerous to the environment than the formerly used Freon. However, Puron is itself being phased out in a few years and there will be a third coolant to be used for equipment made in the future.

Freon isn't made anymore. I believe Puron will be available for a long time because a lot of systems rely on it. You should buy equipment when needed and pay no attention to the transition of coolant types because a new system properly installed will not leak or need additional coolant until it's getting old and gray. .

The time to replace AC equipment is when it no longer works properly, seems to become needy of repairs (like an old car) or when the coolant starts to leak. No reason to spend money on old equipment but some feel differently.

Note to girl named -

I'm surprised you were able to buy freon, I thought its use and purchase could only be done by people who were trained and licensed to handle it. Also, what you have is a heat pump, I'm not sure why you think any one type is better or longer lived than another, although your equipment is not out in the elements. At 28 years of age, you can expect the end will be coming sooner than later.

Over in buying and selling houses group someone mentioned a couple of weeks ago that in about 5 years new standards of what can be used in a/c's are being changed to a different product which will/could, I don't remember which, make what is now proposed obsolete. Companies may not be able to install Freon using units but there is still a supply of it available but it is costly. Have your units serviced to see if they need Freon and then decide.

I am trying to wait until the newer units are available before replacing my system. I only wish heat pumps did not need as much backup as they do both winter and summer in this area. Perhaps the new type will not need backup as they need now. Minus 0 and plus 100 are not a suitable situation for the current types without backup.

There is no need to replace your two AC systems because it uses a refrigerant (R-22) which is no longer manufactured. Your HVAC maintenance company is using this as a scare tactic in my opinion to buy new equipment. The refrigerant does not have to be added or replaced as long as the system has no leaks and working properly. At 20 years the equipment is reaching its end of life. If a major repair is needed, then it would make more financial sense to replace the equipment it.

If you are planning to move in a few years, then it may make sense to do keep what you have and continue to maintain it. Since you have two AC systems, you could wait until one fails before replacing it. The second AC may be enough to keep the house comfortable in the event there is a failure on the hottest day of the year.

Thanks, Mike. Yes, we figured we were being 'sold', and we've been glad in the past that we opted to have two units. This winter we replaced a motor in one furnace and the other will probably need the same help soon.

I've just read an AP article explaining passage of a new EPA-based federal law regarding HFCs. It appears to me that the ban will gradually come into play over as many as 15 years.

Thanks to all here, I think we will go on as we are. We have had our Carrier equipment serviced twice a year since moving into our then-new home in 2001. While new systems would probably save on fuel, I doubt we'll be here long enough to break even from that angle. I *would* like to be 'greener', though!

Hmmm, this unfortunately reminded me that I meant to see about replacing mine. 1995. Had a guy look at mine last year, no real issues just wanted them looked at since I’m relatively new in this house. He put a bunch of Freon in one, surprised it had still worked as well as it had, suggested replacing them.

My parents’ is a couple years older, I installed it when I was working HVAC during college. They barely use it though so hopefully it hangs in at least a few months longer than they do. 🤨

If you are seriously considering replacing soon, do it now, because once the heat hits, the A/C people are slammed with customers suffering because of no A/C. The backups can be lengthy.

It's counter productive to think about trying to buy jugs of freon to skirt cost to recharge. For one scammers may sell you something that isn't R22 freon but something else. How could you ( a non professional actually know what you are buying? I only use trusted sources for refrigerant purchases. That isn't Ebay or Craigslist... c'mon man it's 2021 scam a minute era.)

If I don't know where the Freon came from, I wouldn't use your freon to recharge your unit. If the unit in question is not charged with the appropriate refrigerant further damage will result.

Age. Equipment doesn't last forever. Parts for that equipment often times are no longer made. So the other con is buying those jugs of freon and never using it because you can't get parts for the system anyway.

R22 Freon has been phased out for over 10 years now. Even today I can still repair R22 Freon systems. It's more of a problem if the system has leaks, it's more costly but as someone already mentioned R410a is on the chopping block to being phased out. The path forward is *complicated* in more ways than one.

I've started a multi part series on this subject on my You Tube channel. There will be additional parts as time goes on so you'll better understand how we got here and where we are headed.

Part 1: Looming R410a Refrigerant phase out... why it's happening.

I service the Katy, Texas area.

I thought Freon referred to R-12 only.

I think it's R-22, mtvhike.

"I'm surprised you were able to buy freon, I thought its use and purchase could only be done by people who were trained and licensed to handle it"

Loopholes Elmer, a EPA license is required for all R22 purchases on Ebay OR an emailed statement stating the purchase is for "resale only". I don't get it but it's government and I've found in government for every rule they're always a loophole to get around it. There still are 1000's of tons of virgin R-22 on the market and only god knows how much reclaimed R-22 is out there which can be purchased.

To the OP, R-22 isn't being manufactured but there is plenty available for sale, and they're trying to throw a scare sale at you. Companies and people knew manufacturing was going to end for years before it did and stocked up knowing it will turn to gold and are now selling it like it's gold. But the prices are already coming down, demand is dropping and chance there will be plenty available for decades to come. You are being suckered.

Keep your existing AC condenser and coil until they start leaking. Then replace them. You could have 1 year left or 10 years left. No point replacing a perfectly good system.

There's no "payback time" on replacing an existing working system, because you don't know how long it's going to last!