If your air conditioner uses freon, expect a price spike. The refrigerant will be stopped soon

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Residential and Commercial Air Conditioning Units

could use a refrigerant that will soon stop production

.

As of January 1, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency will no longer produce R-22, better known as Freon.

"It contains chlorine and darkens the ozone layer," said Mike Evans, field supervisor at Neal Harris Service Experts in Kansas.

R410A is the new refrigerant. Evans says it's more eco-friendly, but can not be used in systems that use freon.

Older systems that use Freon, which has been around for decades, may be on their last legs.

"You have an old system, the average lifespan is about 10-15 years, so you have a system that is nearing the end anyway, so you do not want to be caught off guard. he fails, "Evans said.

If you switch to a new system, Evans says it could cost you over $ 10,000. Currently, Evans said Freon costs about $ 200 a pound.

Evans said the price would go up as the supply continues to fall.

"We have known for years that the R22 would disappear from time to time and become more and more expensive, and it did," said Evans.

To prevent future problems with your air conditioning unit, Evans said maintenance was the key. You should have your system checked by a professional at least twice a year, once for cooling and once for heating. In addition, keeping clean air filters can help extend the life of your device.

This story was published by

.