Costs Rising To Recharge Freon In Your A/C Unit

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Millions of Americans are using air conditioning to stay cool this summer, but you could be paying more for that relief if you need future repairs.

Starting in January, the EPA is banning the production of R-22 gas, which is known as Freon.

It helps create cool air, and it's common in older air-conditioning units.

"R-22 is very efficient, has been around for a long time now, but it has a chlorine base, which is ozone depleting. So it's been deemed bad for the environment," said Lance Emley, trainer-technical support at Air Group.

As the Freon supply goes down, the price goes up. It can now cost anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on the job.

New air conditioners use R4-10, which cannot be used in old systems.