Why Repairing Your Air Conditioner Might Cost You More

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Get ready to sit in front of a fan, because this weekend is shaping up to be hot and muggy.

This morning we have news that anyone with a broken air conditioner won't like. Repair costs are up because of a dwindling supply of Freon, or R-22. It's the key ingredient that cools the air coming out of your air conditioner.

The government is phasing it out to protect the environment. New, more energy efficient units use a refrigerant called 410-A. If you're not sure which refrigerant your air conditioner has, there should be a white sticker on the side of the unit.

A lot of people are now looking at new units, because the cost of Freon is up as much as 300 percent.

"It means a lot more people are going to buy new ones because repair leaks can be very costly," said Kevin Nance, a Twin Cities air conditioner technician.

So now rather than keep up with repair costs, a lot of people are choosing to buy new, more energy efficient units instead. In fact the new units are so popular, some companies here in the Twin Cities are having a hard time keeping up with the demand.