Fading to Green – How the Phase-Out of Freon Affects You

Do you have an air conditioning system that’s more than 10 years old? If you do, you might be dealing with some concerns like leaks and inefficiency. This could be costly for you as a homeowner, especially as the price of R-22, commonly known as Freon, increases. Why is the cost of Freon skyrocketing? And what can Clarkstown Heating & Air Conditioning do to help?

Freon is being slowly phased out due to environmental concerns over its effect on the ozone layer. Many of today’s consumers have a growing awareness of these concerns, and they’re looking for products that are Energy Star-rated and approved. What they might not be aware of, however, is the type of refrigerant that’s in their current system, the high cost of leaks, and what they can do to leave a smaller carbon footprint.

Over the next two years, the supply of Freon will be reduced by 10-13 percent each year, which will cause the price per pound of replacement refrigerant to skyrocket. There has already been a significant increase this year – from $33 per pound to $79! And, considering that on average, a technician needs to replace between 4-6 pounds of refrigerant on a leaky system, the cost for replacement Freon alone could be in the neighborhood of $480!

If your system is more than 10 years old, and your air conditioning contractor has to add refrigerant to it, it’s pretty likely that you have a leak.

When you take into account the high cost of replacing Freon in your system, you might want to consider replacing your system with one that is both more efficient and more environmentally proactive – and that’s where Clarkstown Heating & Air Conditioning can help.

When you choose to replace your system this spring with a high-efficiency cooling system from Carrier, you’ll be able to save up to $1,250 in rebates through Carrier’s Cool Cash program. Carrier’s high-efficiency systems use Puron^®, Carrier’s patented formulation of R-410A refrigerant. Not only will you benefit from great money-back savings on a new Carrier system, but you’ll benefit for years to come in savings on your energy bills as well.

That’s because Puron offers energy-saving benefits as well – which can mean lower utility bills. The heat-transfer properties available in Puron units offer higher-efficiency performance and rating. Upgrading to a new system provides future cost savings as Freon continues to be phased out and increases in price.

With the cost of Freon on the rise – and the environmental concerns over its usage – now is a great time to consider a better alternative. If you’re tired of paying more than you should be in energy bills and repair costs because of your older unit, give Clarkstown Heating & Air Conditioning a call at (845) 620-1000, and we’ll be more than happy to help.