Why is freon so expensive

From this point forward, all new systems that were sold and installed in the U. At the same time, the EPA also ordered a roughly 75 percent reduction in R production in the country and by that reduction was up to 90 percent. Soon, R will no longer be used anywhere in the country. So why does this ban on Freon make it so expensive? Because Freon is becoming so hard to find, the cost to buy it has surged.

In most cases, a major problem is less economical to fix in a Freon-based air conditioner than it is to simply replace the entire system outright. Modern refrigerants Ra are actually better at transferring heat than R and cost significantly less. Replacing your system with one that works on this refrigerant means better reliability, efficiency and less impact on the environment.

If your air conditioning system uses Freon, there's bad news for your pocketbook: the cost to replace the chemical has been skyrocketing, so it will be an expensive fix if you need to refill the unit. Freon, a gas also called R, absorbs heat and humidity from the air, making it an essential component of many air conditioning systems.

Unfortunately, in addition to its fantastic cooling properties, the odorless and tasteless gas is also a prime contributor to ozone erosion and climate change.

That's why the Montreal Protocol environmental agreement scheduled a phase-out of Freon in developing countries, beginning in , according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Starting in that year, the United States had to reduce its consumption of R by 35 percent. The figure was bumped up to 75 percent by , and 90 percent by January 1, The next step comes in , when R levels must be reduced by You probably felt ripped off by your service company.

Well, no one can blame you. Every homeowner who had to charge or refill their R 22 refrigerant within the last five years or so felt the same way you did. How can a simple refrigerant charge or a small amount of R 22 to refill an AC unit cost too much, right? The price of the coolant Freon or R22 refrigerant has been steadily increasing over the years, with no sign of hitting a plateau any time soon. Since its invention, the refrigerant has revolutionized how we cool residential and commercial spaces every day using air conditioning systems.

As you probably know, air conditioners do not create cool air. It is the refrigerant, as the life-blood of the air conditioning system, that absorbs heat and releases it outdoors as the refrigerant changes from liquid to gas and back. A refrigerant is neither gas nor liquid. It changes states depending on its temperature and the pressure applied to it at any given time. The refrigerant is a compound that readily absorbs heat from the environment. The compressor turns liquid refrigerant into a high-pressure gas.

As the refrigerant travels through the evaporator coil, it absorbs heat, which it then releases outdoors through the condensation process. Every home with an HVAC system, including a heat pump or air conditioning, relies on the refrigerant for cooling solutions. When something is wrong with the refrigerant, it affects the whole heating and cooling system.

Finding the right technician to inspect and repair the refrigerant of your HVAC system for leaks, ice, or low charge has gotten challenging and expensive too, as there are now fewer and fewer qualified technicians with clearance to meet the labor demand. About thirty years ago, by virtue of the Montreal Protocol, it was discovered that Freon, the registered trademark of R22 refrigerant, is harmful to people and the environment.

The toxic substance is odorless and tasteless, but when released in the air, a small amount can be extremely dangerous. When Freon leaks, people who breathe in the substance experience difficulty breathing as the coolant blocks life-giving oxygen to vital parts of the body. In fact, some news reported poisoning in residential places due to Freon.

It was also discovered that Freon releases harmful chemicals that contribute to the depletion of the ozone, one of the biggest challenges the modern world is facing until today. In , R 22 production was down to 75 percent. By , R 22 refrigerant production was down to 90 percent.