I wouldn’t sink more $ into a 20 yo unit. I’d replace to get lower energy costs, fix your upstairs cooling issue and avoid needing an emergency replacement when the whole unit fails.

How many more years to you plan to live in this house? If it is two years or less, then replacing the coil may make sense. More than that then you are looking at more repairs on old pieces of equipment and it is not worth it in my opinion.

You also have to issue when you sell this house. Buying a house and having two replace two furnaces and condensers is going to be considered a negative and will be a negotiation the buyer will want to make.

Although I disagree with Mama, your answer Mike makes far more sense. The reality is I will probably die in the house, and that expense and inconvenience on my kids would be unfair. Guess its time to dig into the savings and get this done. Thanks!

"But I am old school. Fix whats broken."

What have you fixed? You've put on Band-Aids that don't work.

If you plan to sell the house in the near future, the need for the buyer to spend money to replace the old equipment will likely be reflected in a reduced selling price. You'll be paying for it either way.

I'm old school and frugal, have plenty of money but shop discount stores. My latest purchases included Jimmy dean sausage, strawberries and pork chops for 99 cents a pound. I also have an older A/C unit with R22 and when it needs a cap or minor fix I repair it, BUT if it blows a charge just once it's going to the scrap yard with no mental debates between myself and I to save a nickel.

Everything was great, including the thin sliced sirloin for a $2/lb, and some things you can be frugal on but replacing your A/C isn't one of them right now, and just using a little rational common sense will save you money in the long run. You'll need to replace it sooner or later, and with the run away inflation we're headed into there is NO chance the price will be the same when you do, and the installer will want more money when he does. And over the years those service calls to top off the A/C will continue to add up so pull the trigger and get a new system.

So you bought up a stock of R22 thinking your AC unit would last forever?

Then the pandemic hits... changes the world in the matter of a year, maybe less on some accounts.

The thought is to replace the coil, if that's leaking. Maybe it is, maybe it's some where else, maybe there's more than one refrigerant leak.

The coils (the one's available right now) aren't made for R22 freon. Could they be used, yes. But it requires in many cases complicated changes... in a world made up of "primarily unskilled labor" -- if you're calling a larger HVAC company.

To make matters worse... some manufacturer's aren't selling "one piece only" solutions. In some cases they are forcing HVAC companies to buy upper end equipment. "maybe this is part rumor, some fact, some science and mostly padding the pockets of con men"?

Who knows? I keep my ears tuned... it's crazy out there and we're in the thick of it summer wise.

If you need it, can find it... you better buy it before someone else does and it's back ordered. Looking more and more like another lockdown is coming. Doesn't spell anything "good" for manufacturing.

I service the Katy, Texas area.

Elmer...Lets see...I pay $125 for the HVAC service using my R22. Thats 40 YEARS before I hit break even.

Austin...No 30 years ago, being in the Auto Parts industry, we saw the R12 and R22 coming to an end. I bought 3 30# tanks of each. I think I paid MAYBE $1.00 per pound. All of my 60's to early 70's cars take the R12 and the R134a just cant cool down them like the R12. And I could be mistaken, but I think thats the same with the R22 as well.

Again, thank you all for the insight. Points well taken.

And I could be mistaken, but I think thats the same with the R22 as well.

R410a indoor coil temps often times run a bit differently to R22, If the unit is charged properly / system is designed well --- I can't say there's any "real" difference in what you feel.

The medium doing the exchanging is still "at the end of the day" --- removing heat. If something *interferes* with that exchange -- that's the definition of a broken unit.

Car AC's is a different animal, different application & different refrigerants--- largely the same difference "removing heat"-- except the compressor has clutch on it, belt driven.

I remember buying the small cans of R12 for $1.00 at the auto store in the 80's. So simple compared to now.