In the past few months, there have been a growing number of reports of
refrigerant thefts outside of homes across the country. While some thieves are stealing
refrigerant to resell it for profit, a shockingly large amount
of teenagers and young adults are using the chemicals in the refrigerant to
get high. Fox 2 News here in St. Louis
recently ran a story about this problem right in our neighborhoods.
This is an extremely dangerous epidemic because huffing refrigerant can
lead to freezing of the lungs, brain damage, and even death. Luckily, St.
Louis area homeowners can help stop this problem by installing refrigerant
locking caps on their air conditioners.
What are refrigerant locking caps?
Refrigerant locking caps are specially made caps that fit onto the service
valve of any air conditioning unit. These caps can only be removed by
using a key that is designed to fit the locking cap. Without that key,
the locking cap will keep on spinning when you attempt to remove it.
Jerry Kelly is now adding refrigerant locking caps with every service call
to help block thieves from access to the refrigerant in St. Louis
area air conditioners.
Other benefits of refrigerant locking caps
Refrigerant theft is not only a dangerous problem, but it can also have
a direct financial impact on homeowners. Given the fact that the
cost of refrigerants has tripled in the past year, replacing stolen refrigerants can leave you
with a big bill. Air conditioners that are undercharged with refrigerant
will also experience efficiency and operational problems. As a result,
refrigerant locking caps help protect your equipment, your wallet, and your community.
If you have any questions about refrigerant locking caps, or if you’d
like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry
Kelly, your
St. Louis area heating and cooling company.