Shortage of required new eco-friendly refrigerant causing AC price increase

Shortage of required new eco-friendly refrigerant causing AC price increase

DES MOINES, Iowa -- With temperatures expected to rise into the 80s later this week, many people will turn on their air conditioning, maybe for the first time this year. HVAC companies are gearing up for a busy season, with an additional challenge: a shortage of the new refrigerant.  At the start of 2025, the U.S. government introduced a new mandate requiring technicians to switch to a more eco-friendly refrigerant. It was supposed to be better …