Cost of R-22 Refrigerant Rises

Virgil the Cool Cat is looking through the files. He is worried about our clients with units that leak refrigerant. Since the beginning of the year, there has been a dramatic increase in the cost of the old R-22 refrigerant. Some may be more familiar with the trade name Freon. There are several reasons for this increase, including the scheduled phase out. Virgil is checking the records for those who needed R-22 added last year and we are doing our best to reach out and let everyone know so they can consider their needs and options early. Before the season starts, we have a limited supply R-22 at the original pricing but when we restock, it will be as much as 400% higher.

What should you do, as a consumer?
If your system has R-22 refrigerant and you have had to add refrigerant in the last two years, have a full maintenance early so you will know if your a/c unit is presently low on R-22. If it is low, confer with your service specialist for the best options for your circumstances. If the leak is small you may wish to recharge and begin saving money for a replacement unit. If the loss is larger or involves a more expensive repair you may want to consider a new unit sooner rather than later, making better use of your repair dollars.

Just a reminder, if your unit has the newer, R410 refrigerant, this increase is not impacting you. If you are unsure what you have you are welcome to call us for assistance.

And we’ll give Virgil extra catnip for his hard work in the files.