Nearly all traditional cooling systems use some type of coolant, or refrigerant, that cycles through the unit plus goes back plus forth from a liquid to a gas as it pulls moisture out of air plus makes it crisp and cool. Although there are several different refrigerants on the market today, for years Freon, or R22, dominated the market and was found in most residential Heating, Ventilation, and A/C systems. With that being said 1987’s Montreal Protocol on substances that damage the ozone layer found Freon to do just that. America has agreed to this finding, plus since 2010 it has been illegal to manufacture brand current R-22 in the country. Until 2020, it is still totally legal to buy repurposed R-22 or to import it from other countries where manufacturing it is still a strong and growing business. But after that date, no R-22 can exchange hands in the United States, so several homeowners who still grab on to their ageing Freon-based systems will be out of luck in just a couple years. Even if your system is still performing in top shape, you will no longer be able to power it and will have to have a full upgradement regardless. With that in mind, it’s good to plan these sorts of upgrades far in advance if at all possible, Since peak season in mid Summer is both a harder time to find appointment windows and usually twice as extravagant for the same labor at a different time of the year. If you think you’ll need to replace your unit soon, it might be pertinent to check with a local Heating, Ventilation, plus A/C dealer to see what chances are available for your house.