Three refrigerants matter for AC systems right now. R-22 (Freon) is the old standard, found in units built before about 2010. It is phased out, no longer produced, and expensive to top off, which is why R-22 leaks usually push owners toward replacement. R-410A (Puron) replaced it and is in most systems installed from roughly 2010 to 2025. R-454B is the new low global-warming-potential refrigerant now rolling out on new equipment. The easiest way to tell which one you have is to read the data plate on the outdoor condenser, it lists the refrigerant type directly. They are not interchangeable: each uses different operating pressures and oil, so a system must be charged with the exact refrigerant it was built for. Not sure what you have? Call LA Heating & Air at (818) 660-1062.
