Q: My air conditioning contractor just charged me $100 per pound for R-22 refrigerant. This is a lot more than I paid four years ago. Is this a fair price these days?A: Prices for R-22 refrigerant, commonly known as "Freon," have definitely risen over the past few years.Here's why: About 25 years ago, the EPA ordered the phasing out of R-22 as part of the international treaty on protecting the ozone layer called the "Montreal Protocol," because of the refrigerant's ozone-depleting substances.As part of the agreement, production ended in 2010 for new air conditioning units "charged" with R-22 and production of the refrigerant itself was reduced by 75 percent. By 2015, there will be a 90 percent reduction in the production of R-22. By 2020, it will no longer be produced. Because production is limited, costs to charge existing units that are leaking R-22 refrigerant have gone up and are only expected to rise.I've spoken with a number of highly rated heating and cooling contractors on Angie's List and, depending on how much of a supply they have and how much they paid when they purchased it, these companies are charging three and four times the cost they were just a few years ago.

Companies have quoted prices ranging from $35 to $175 per pound.That comes with a caveat, though. For example, one Long Island-area company representative I spoke with said he charges $35 per pound, but that does not include the cost of a service charge. Most companies seem to charge about $115 for the labor portion. So, if your contractor charged you $100 to replenish one pound and that included the labor, then it sounds like you got a pretty good deal.All that said, I think you need to look at the bigger issue here. You said you paid to have R-22 added to your A/C four years ago. Really, R-22 should never need to be replaced. If your system needs R-22, that means you have a leak. Rather than continuing to pay these increased costs to replenish the leaking R-22, I recommend you find a qualified heating and cooling company to repair the leak.A reputable HVAC technician can also advise you if it makes sense to continue investing in your existing A/C, or if you're better off replacing it.

Heating and cooling companies can recycle R-22 from existing units, which can then been reused to service units beyond 2020. home ac unit in carBut, as these costs continue to rise, you might find you're better off replacing your old R-22 unit with one that uses the more environmentally friendly R-410A. many ton ac unit do needUnfortunately, R-22 charged units are not compatible with R-410 refrigerant, so you'll have to replace the entire system.how much does a window ac unit weighThe good news is that, if you do invest in a new unit, it will be more environmentally friendly and more energy efficient. You'll save money on your monthly cooling costs — those long-term savings can really add up — and you can take advantage of federal Energy Star tax credits of up to $300 if you buy a qualifying air conditioner this year.

Parents Travel All Night To Reunite With Missing SonTwo Things That Make A Vehicle Whistle While It WorksConsumer Reports: Benjamin Moore Best Paint, Behr Best ValueAuriemma Turns To Knicks To Pick Up PointersWitnesses Detail Tense Scenes At Bank, Home As Cheshire Trial OpensGhost Hunter Ed Warren Dies SEER: 3 Free Tools That Show You How Much You’ll Save with a New AC So you’ve determined that you need a new air conditioner, and you’re well aware that SEER is a big deal when it comes to energy efficiency. But you have no idea how much money you’ll save by picking one SEER rated air conditioner versus another.In other words, you have no idea how much a 14 SEER saves versus a 13 SEER, or an 18 SEER versus a 16 SEER--and so forth.How much you’ll save depends on several factors. But there are a few tools you can use to get a general sense--making shopping for a new air conditioner much easier.Here are 3 free tools that will empower you to estimate the savings you’ll get when picking one SEER rated air conditioner over another.

1) Annual Energy Savings Calculator from NATE Why this tool rocks: Simple and easy-to-useLets you see how much money you’ll save by picking one SEER over another when upgrading from your old system.Allows you to input the tonnage (cooling ability) of the unitWhat it‘s lacking: Can’t change the electric rate per kilowatt (measurement of the cost of electricity)No options for calculating based on your locationCan’t input the cost of the air conditioner to determine a break-even analysisBeginning SEER only goes as high as 12 SEER--limiting the comparisons you can make2) Energy Savings Calculator from Lennox Visually engagingUnlike the NATE tool, you can compare higher rated SEER air conditioners to each otherGives you 5, 10 and 15-year savings (this is important because air conditioners typically last about 15 years according to Consumer ReportsLets you input the electric rate per kilowatt (measurement of the cost of electricity)Lets you calculate based on locationWhat it‘s lacking:

Only lets you compare with 10 SEER rated air conditioners or higher (older air conditioners may be 8 SEER)Can’t input tonnageCan’t input the cost of the air conditioner to determine a break-even analysis3) Energy Usage and Payback Calculator (Excel File) From Energy Star More customization than other toolsGives you ability to input cost of air conditioner in order to see complete life cycle savingsLets you add number of air conditioner unitsLets you add electric rate per kilowattGives you option to calculate based on locationLets you see side by side comparisons of conventional vs Energy Star rated air conditionersWhat it‘s lacking: Not visually engaging and it’s not easy-to-use (especially if you’re not familiar with Excel)Lacks guidance for beginners. This tool can be overwhelming and not helpful if you don’t have all the information needed to make an accurate calculationIn summary Hopefully these tools will empower you to see the savings each SEER rated air conditioner will provide to make your air conditioner shopping easier.