If your air conditioner is low on Freon, you should prepare yourself for a hefty bill. Freon is an incredibly expensive coolant and could drive up the cost of your air conditioner repair or maintenance in Port Richey. Learn more about gas and why it has become so expensive.

What is Freon?

You probably want a little background information on Freon before you start learning why it’s so expensive. Also known as R-22, Freon is a gas that absorbs heat and humidity from the environment. Because of this quality, Freon was the gas of choice for air conditioners.

All air conditioners use refrigerant to cool the air in a home or business. However, not all air conditioners use Freon as a refrigerant. If you’re not sure which refrigerant you have, you can ask your HVAC technician.

Typically, an AC has refrigerant lines that run from a condenser to an evaporator. To protect the refrigerant, the lines are covered with insulation. When your AC is running, the Freon is compressed by the compressor. Then, the refrigerant gets got and travels through coils. The Freon cools down as it travels and turns from a gas to a liquid.

Eventually, the Freon goes to the evaporator and converts back to a gas. It’s able to cool the air in your home in a relatively quick manner. But Freon isn’t the refrigerant of choice anymore. Over the past few decades, people have learned that Freon has its disadvantages. If you have a new HVAC system, it probably uses another type of refrigerant.

The Trouble with Freon

There are several problems with using Freon as a refrigerant. For one, it’s an odorless and tasteless gas. You can’t always tell when there’s a leak, and the gas is harmful to your health. If you have an undetected leak in your system, you could be in danger. You should call an experienced professional if you suspect any type of refrigerant leak.

Although the danger of Freon is far from ideal, there’s an even bigger issue with Freon. The gas is a major contributor to ozone erosion and is responsible for climate change. In 2004, the Montreal Protocol began a phase-out of Freon. Some countries, including the US, needed to reduce their use of Freon.

At first, the US needed to reduce the use of this gas by 35%. In 2010, the reduction needed to be by 75%. In 2020, the US was forced to reduce its Freon consumption by 99.5 %. This makes Freon very hard to come by. While you can still get your hands on Freon, it comes at a very high expense.

Limited Supply of Freon

Today, there are still many air conditioners that use Freon. However, there is no issue with this until the AC has a refrigerant leak or needs a Freon top-up. Eventually, your AC will need refrigerant and it won’t be cheap.

It’s all a question of supply and demand. When you call someone for air conditioning repair near me, they don’t have much of a supply of Freon. They need to pay a premium for the gas, and they pass that cost onto you. Since 2020, Freon is no longer being produced in the US and the cost is only increasing. Any Freon sourced from the US is from old refrigerators and ACs.

Because you don’t need Freon frequently, you probably didn’t notice the cost of it creeping up. For many homeowners, the high price only becomes apparent when they need a refrigerant recharge.

What Should You Do About the Price of Freon?

If you don’t want to have an AC repair bill that you can’t afford, you should take measures to prevent the need for Freon. For one, you can try to stop your system from leaking. If you receive annual maintenance, you may be able to prevent refrigerant leaks. Then, you are less likely to need to add Freon to your system.

Of course, there’s no way to guarantee you won’t ever need more Freon. One option is to replace your AC with a system that uses a different type of refrigerant. Unfortunately, you can’t just change out the type of refrigerant on an old air conditioner. To be able to use a safer refrigerant, you need to install a new HVAC system.

A final option is to wait until you need more refrigerant. Then, you can replace your system with a new one. The cost could be similar to the cost of a repair because the price of Freon continues to rise.

Which AC is Right for You?

Choosing a new air conditioner is a major decision. Although you might be in a rush to get rid of Freon, you should take your time picking an AC. More importantly, you should do your research and choose a company with a great reputation.

If you work with the right professional, they can tell you everything you need to know about Freon and your other options for the refrigerant. After inspecting your current system and your home, they will be able to recommend an HVAC that is efficient, affordable, and environmentally friendly.

Choosing the wrong air conditioner could be a disaster. If you pick one that is too large for your home, it will cost you extra energy bills. Meanwhile, an HVAC that’s too small leaves you in even more trouble. Your home will never be comfortable, and your AC will work harder than it needs to.

Working with a Company That Cares About Your Air Conditioning Repair

Here at Comfort All-Stars, we don’t want you to have to incur the high cost of a Freon recharge. When you’re ready to make the switch to a different refrigerant, you can count on us.

Our experts will guide you through the process of selecting a new HVAC system. Then, they’ll handle every step of the installation. If you want to learn more or need an air conditioning repair in Port Richey, call us now.

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