Any air conditioning experts out there? What is the best central air conditioner?

[David Weaver]

Here in California (relatively close to the coast), I have a real problem when thinking of upgrading my AC. We only use it about two or three months out of the year, and not every day or all day, at that. So even if I decrease my electricity use by half, it will take a long time to pay for the increased cost of a very high SEER unit.

Mike

You could go with amish air conditioning. It's very cost effective

[David Weaver]

At 20 years old there can't be much more life in this system so I am inclined to replace it.

Don't let your air conditioner talk to my air conditioner!

(I see the contractor price for R-22 online shipped is about $15 a pound or a little less. Maybe he's giving you R-12 or something further along on the banned list)

[Phil Thien]

I've been using the same contractor for about 15 years. He explained that the price of this refrigerant has skyrocketed and that in the near future it will be banned. The first pound was $95 then $80 per pound after that. He didn't know how much but said 4 to 6 pounds.

At 20 years old there can't be much more life in this system so I am inclined to replace it.

Wow, those #'s seem real high to me. Google's shopping feature says thirty pounds of R22 should run about $300 to $600.

I'd get another opinion.

[Matt Meiser]

Mikes numbers line up with a recent news article I read.

[Phil Thien]

Mikes numbers line up with a recent news article I read.

http://www.amazon.com/R-22-Refrigera...7047338&sr=8-1

Maybe the stuff I'm seeing for $10 - $12 per pound isn't the same stuff we're talking about?

[David Weaver]

Mikes numbers line up with a recent news article I read.

Bizarre for R22, given that it's still in production. My bill (as I mentioned, from a fairly high-priced full freight place) itemized it as $40 per pound installed. That was April 27th this year.

I saw 30 pound tanks delivered including tank for $425.

As phil said, I'd be inclined to call another plumber and find out what they charge for the same coolant. If it's 4-6 pounds, and the service charges are the same, that's a big price difference.

[Kevin W Johnson]

My unit is R-22, and in a preemptive strike I bought a 30lb can when the price was about $90 or so. Add to that whats left of the partial 30lb can when the unit was installed, and I'm covered.

[Mike Henderson]

A long time ago, maybe 20 years ago now, I bought a 30 pound tank of R22 and a set of gauges. When my air conditioner is low on coolant, I add the R22 myself. I also bought a 30 pound bottle of R12 at the same time (which was used in autos). Now that a new coolant is used in cars, I sold the bottle of R12 at a pretty good price per pound. It would have been a good investment to buy a warehouse full of R12 bottles back then. Did a lot better than the stock market.

Mike