AC refrigerant recharge cost: R-22 and R-410A

These are installed prices from a contractor. They include the technician's handling and are far above the wholesale price of the gas.

None of these pages publishes a per-pound price for R-454B, the refrigerant in most new systems. Ask your contractor for their rate.

The amount needed drives the total. Trane says cooling systems generally hold 2 to 4 pounds per ton of capacity, so topping off a few pounds costs far less than a full recharge. Trane also notes that the price includes the service call and labor.

Refrigerant is not used up like fuel. Carrier describes the AC as a closed-loop system that does not consume refrigerant the way a car consumes gas. Trane puts it plainly: the only reason you need a recharge is a refrigerant leak. If a contractor adds refrigerant without looking for the leak, the charge will drop again and you will pay twice.

A fair visit includes a leak search, a repair price and then the recharge. Small leaks at a service valve or a fitting are modest repairs. A leaking evaporator or condenser coil is a large one. The page on an AC refrigerant leak covers the signs and the repair options.

R-22. The EPA states that as of January 1, 2020, no new R-22 is made or imported into the United States. Service now depends on recovered and reclaimed supply, which is why R-22 costs the most. The EPA does not require you to replace a working R-22 system.

R-410A. This is the refrigerant in most systems installed over the last decade and more. Trane says it is being phased out as well and expects prices to rise as supplies shrink.

R-454B. Carrier says most new residential equipment is now built for R-454B. It cannot be added to an R-410A system, and R-410A cannot go into an R-454B system. Each system takes only the refrigerant on its nameplate.

The guide to the R-22 and R-410A phase-out explains what this means for older systems.

• The refrigerant type and the price per pound.
• How many pounds the technician expects to add, and the full charge for your unit.
• How the leak will be found, and the price of that search.
• The leak repair as its own line, with a warranty.
• The service call fee and labor.

Be careful with a quote that only says "recharge" with a flat price. You cannot compare it with anything.

On an old R-22 system with a leaking coil, the repair plus a full charge of scarce refrigerant can cost a large share of a new system. This Old House offers one rule of thumb: replace if the AC is over 10 years old and the repair cost multiplied by its age exceeds $5,000. Carrier says that for older R-22 systems with significant leaks or failing components, replacing the air conditioner may be more cost-effective than continuing to repair and recharge. More prices are in the HVAC cost guides.