A very large number of homeowners will turn their air conditioner on this summer and experience the same thing: the outdoor unit kicks on, the indoor fan blows air, but the air coming out of the vents is not “blowing cold”.  While there can be a number of different causes, a large percentage of units are low on refrigerant.Years ago, adding a pound or two of refrigerant was an inexpensive way to get you by.  In fact, this became part of a yearly maintenance for some.  Today, Bill Brown with Paramount Heating & Air Conditioning, in Worthington, OH explains why the choice to add refrigerant isn’t as simple today.If your system is low on refrigerant, it is because you have a leak. Refrigeration systems are completely sealed and they do not “use” refrigerant but rather “re-use” it.  The magic of the refrigeration cycle is that it allows 5 lbs of refrigerant to cool your home for 20 years, providing it is well installed, maintained, and doesn’t lose its refrigerant charge.

As an air conditioning contractor, once we inform a homeowner that their system is low, we hear a few common questions and would like to address them:Should I just add refrigerant today?There are three things to consider before adding refrigerant to a system:  System age, refrigerant type, and how much refrigerant is needed.System Age- If  your air conditioner is less than 10 years old, and well maintained, it should have a good deal of life left.  air handling unit data sheetTime spent locating and repairing a leak, plus a recharge could yield 5-10 more years of operation.  portable air conditioning units second handIf the system is beyond 10 years, it may be a better investment replacing the system. how to recharge an ac unit in a car

The new system will have a 10 year warranty, the new refrigerant, R-410a or “Puron”, and, of course, no leaks.Refrigerant Type- Most systems installed before 2008 have R-22 refrigerant. This type of refrigerant has been marked for phase out due to that fact that it has ozone depleting characteristics.  After January 2010, HVAC manufacturers could not ship units with R-22.  In 2020, refrigerant manufacturers like Honeywell and Dupont will not be able to make any new R-22 for service, so you can expect prices to be astronomical by that point, perhaps hundreds of dollars per pound.  If your system contains R-22, prices can be more than $75 per pound today.  Systems installed as early as 2004 may have R-410a refrigerant.  Since HVAC manufacturers have standardized on this type, the prices are much lower per pound than R-22.  For the most part, if your system has the newer refrigerant, it is also new enough that locating a leak, repairing, and recharging is probably a good investment.

How low is your system?- The majority of residential systems contain between 4-7 lbs of refrigerant, however some contain as much as 15 lbs.  Typically when we arrive to a customer’s home who is complaining of reduced cooling, their system charge is a ½ of the total charge or lower.If the system is completely out of refrigerant, you either have had a leak for a long time, or have a major leak.  If you have the old R-22 refrigerant and a system that is 10 years or older, it is probably a good time to replace.  You can expect the repair and recharge to cost many hundreds of dollars and putting that money towards a new system is usually the better investment.If your system is over 10 years old, contains R-22, and is just a couple of pounds low, it may be a good idea to add additional refrigerant and see how much time you can buy until it leaks out again.  It may be possible to get a few more years out of the system.The Daikin VRV system is a multi-split type air conditioner for commercial buildings that uses variable refrigerant flow control developed by Daikin to provide customers with the ability to maintain individual zone control in each room and floor of a building.

Precise individual control and inverter technology minimize energy consumption to deliver optimum energy savings. VRV systems enable individual climate control settings for each zone to provide the utmost in comfort to commercial building settings. Modular design of outdoor units and wide selection of indoor units ensure system designs that are ideally suited to the environments where they are installed. In addition to a maximum connection of 64 indoor units to 1 outdoor unit, large allowances for piping length and level difference provide a flexible layout. When Daikin launched the VRV air conditioning system in 1982, it introduced the world’s first use of variable refrigerant flow control. This technology circulates only the minimum amount of refrigerant needed at any one time and enables individual climate control of air conditioning zones. The name VRV * derives from this technology that we call “variable refrigerant volume.” * is a trademark of Daikin Industries, Ltd.

Outdoor units can operate up to 4.41 COP to reduce energy consumption. Large Capacity and Space Saving Outdoor units with capacities up to 56kW for a single outdoor unit and 168kW for a 3-unit combination are available. Featuring compact size and small footprint, VRV outdoor units enable space-saving and easy installation. Increasing high static pressure for the outdoor unit fan gives greater installation flexibility. The addition of various advanced features ensures reliable and stable system operation. Heat Pump / Cooling Only This is the standard model for heating and cooling/cooling only. Daikin responds to various needs including combinations featuring a small installation footprint and a high COP. Because simultaneous operation of heating and cooling is possible, just one heat recovery unit can provide both heating and cooling for each room. For High Outdoor Temperature Use This outdoor unit is especially designed for the Middle East and other regions with high ambient temperatures.

Daikin advanced technologies, including long piping and high external static pressure, meet the diverse needs of customers. For Low Outdoor Temperature Use High efficiency heating is provided for ambient temperatures as low as -25℃. The addition of 2-stage compression technology has significantly improved heating performance. Replacement of outdoor units is possible using existing refrigerant piping to make renovation of air conditioning systems quick and trouble-free. Conversion from a R22 refrigerant system to a R410A system is possible. Single Outdoor Unit Series This outdoor unit allows VRV indoor units and residential indoor units to be used together in one system. This combined system is suitable for use in homes, offices, shops and mid-sized buildings. For residential and commercial use This slim and compact outdoor units efficiently utilize space and meet the needs of homes, small offices and shops with air conditioning capacities up to 24kW.

This outside unit utilizes water as a heat source. Temperatures of the heat source water can range from 10℃ to 45℃, and heating performance is not affected by ambient temperature.The compact size saves space in mechanical rooms. Daikin offers a wide selection of 13 indoor unit types for customized air conditioning solutions that uniquely meet the diverse needs of Daikin customers. Ceiling Mounted Cassette (Round Flow with Sensing) Type The presence of people and floor temperature can be detected for added comfort and energy savings. Ceiling Mounted Cassette (Round Flow) Type 360° airflow improves temperature distribution and offers a comfortable interior environment. Ceiling Mounted Cassette (Compact Multi Flow) Type The compact design provides quiet operation and comfort. 4-Way Flow Ceiling Suspended Type This slim, stylish design achieves optimum air distribution and installs without need of a ceiling cavity. Ceiling Mounted Cassette (Double Flow) Type

The thin, lightweight design easily installs to narrow ceiling spaces. Ceiling Mounted Cassette (Single Flow) Type The slim design enables flexible installation. Slim Ceiling Mounted Duct Type The slim design features quiet operation and static pressure switching. Ceiling Mounted Duct Type High external static pressure allows flexible installation. The slim design features quiet operation and wide airflow. The stylish flat panel design harmonizes with any interior decor. This model is particularly suitable for perimeter zone air conditioning Concealed Floor Standing Type This model is designed to be enclosed and concealed in perimeter skirting-wall. Floor Standing Duct Type Large air volume type for large spaces. Flexible interior design for each tenant. Small Type Large Capacity Inverter Compressor Highly Integrated Heat Exchanger Large Airflow, High External Static Pressure and Quiet Technology Efficient Automatic Test Operation

Improve Reliability at High Ambient Temperature *Specifications differ according to model. Hilea Care Centre, Brazil Reliability and capability for energy saving during partial load operation... Daikin VRV systems are installed in control rooms of each metro station, calmly... The City Center, Indonesia Designed in 2008 with a full-glass facade, this stylish 42-storey municipal... Innovation Waikato NZ, New Zealand Crowne Plaza Hotel, Turkey This was a retro-fit project, starting from 2005. As the hotel building is a historical... The Palace of Westminster, United Kingdom The Daikin VRV system has been chosen to replace existing R-22 system during... Stoller Winery, United States Stoller Winery was established in 1995, in Oregon's Dundee Hills, west of... The simple, modern design complements the décor of any commercial setting. Featuring an intuitive operation menu and easy-to-read display, our remote controllers provide easy access to a full range of comfort and energy-saving settings.