ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- When the temperature goes up in Florida, air conditioners start working overtime. And Freon, a chemical used to make air cold, is a hot commodity right now because it's getting phased out over the next few years due to environmental concerns.
The chemical isn’t just used in air conditioning units, it's also used in some freezers and other commercial appliances such as food and cold storage trucks and dehumidifiers made before 2003.
But when it comes to air conditioners, lots of people who think they might be due for regular service appointments are getting a big surprise when it comes to the bill.
"It's definitely a sticker shock to our customers when we explain to them what Freon's going to cost,” said Total Air Air Conditioning & Heating President Aaron Freedman. "I would have never though it was going to make it to this point, it's higher than I would have expected it."
“Just the addition of Freon could be anywhere from $80 to $800, that’s without the repair,” added Freedman. “It’s going to cost you more upfront for the replacement but it’s going to cost you so much less in running the system as far as paying out for your power bill.”
Not all refrigerants are created equal. Freon, or R-22, is used only for home and business air conditioning units. Cars air conditioners use an entirely different chemical.
"We joke about it, but if your don't have air conditioning you're driving a four-wheel oven,” said JB Import Auto Repair Owner Mike Moench. “Automotive refrigerants is one field and then household and commercial building refrigerants is another ... Refrigerant is a commodity like anything else and as it becomes more scarce the price goes up."
That is exactly what's happening with R-22, and it's why experts say investing in new equipment could cut your power bill in half.
"We still see people that make a repair because they're not educated as far as what they're options are,” said Freedman. "If you have system that is 8-12 years old and you have refrigerant problems it's definitely worth looking into a newer system."
If you still have a unit that uses R-22 and don't want to shell out for a completely new system, regular maintenance can help reduce your repair costs. Changing filters once a month can help put less stress on the system and may give you a little extra time before you need to replace it.
