R-22 System: Keep Repairing or Replace?

R-22 systems still running are 15+ years old — every major repair is a bet on the rest of the machine. The refrigerant itself is reclaim-only and priced accordingly, so any repair that involves opening the circuit carries a fuel surcharge on top of parts.

Cheap fixes on a healthy old system — capacitors, contactors, fan motors — are still rational money. The line moves at compressors, coils, and any leak that means chasing and recharging: that money is a down payment on equipment that owes nobody anything.

The efficiency delta compounds the math: a tired 10-SEER system against modern 15+ SEER2 equipment returns real monthly savings, and the new system restarts the warranty clock.

The counter's rule: under a few hundred dollars on a system that otherwise runs strong — fix it. Anything touching the sealed system — quote the replacement alongside the repair and let the customer see both numbers.