GREENSBORO, N.C. — If you have an older air conditioning unit that breaks down, repairs may soon get a lot more expensive.
Starting January 1st, the EPA will ban the production of R22 gas AKA Freon. The gas is efficient, but it has a chlorine base which can damage the ozone layer. So if your air conditioning unit uses it, finding more will be pretty pricey.
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We spoke with Loren a customer service manager from Eanes heating and air conditioning in Greensboro. He said the cost of upgrading one of these older systems can vary between $7,000- $12,000 dollars based on the brand and efficiency. Freon currently costs about 109 dollars a pound and it will just keep going up.
Other HVAC experts say the cost for someone to inspect your system -- if it needs to be updated is about $100. And it'll cost about a hundred dollars an hour in labor.
He also warned, some people are putting replacement refrigerants in their systems, which will void warranties. So if your system is approaching 8 to 10 years old, start putting money aside now.