Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 25, 1993                   TAG: 9306250184
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STEPHEN FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IT'S GETTING EXPENSIVE TO KEEP COOL IN THE CAR

Oh, for a convertible!

This summer, keeping your car's air conditioner working is going to cost more.

"To stay cool, it's going to be expensive," said Bob Wolfe, owner of Crossroads Shell in Roanoke.

What once might have been remedied with a few hours and a few dollars by an ambitious driveway mechanic is now a costly repair job that can be performed only by certified professionals.

The reasons stem from a national and international effort to reduce chlorofluorocarbons - CFCs - used as coolants in the air conditioners.

CFCs are nontoxic and nonflammable, but the sun's ultraviolet rays cause them to break up, releasing chlorine atoms that slowly destroy the ozone layer, scientists say. The atmosphere's ozone layer protects life from the damaging effects of the sun's rays.

Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency began requiring all service stations to use equipment that recaptures the CFCs before they escape into the atmosphere. Smaller service stations were given until Jan. 1 of this year to comply.

There also are regulations to govern recovery and repair of home air conditioners and refrigerators.

This is the first summer that many consumers are feeling the brunt of the regulations, said Dan Lucero of the EPA's air enforcement section in Philadelphia.

Customers are facing increasing prices because mechanics have had to tackle new expenses. They've had to receive legally mandated training and certification to work on air conditioners. They've had to buy recovery and recycling equipment, which costs more than $2,000.

"We're not making any money on air-conditioning work with all the equipment I had to buy," said Wayne Booth, owner of Wayne's Imported Automotive on Franklin Road.

Perhaps most important, mechanics are facing the continuously rising cost of Freon.

Freon, the coolant used in virtually all car air conditioners, is being phased out, to be replaced by a less harmful coolant by 1996, Lucero explained. International quotas on the production of CFCs have begun to pinch supplies, though demand remains high.

"Every time I buy Freon, it's going up," Wolfe said. The price has doubled in the past two years, he estimated.

A 20-pound can of Freon sells for $200, up from about $140 a year ago, said Richard Cornett, assistant manager of Advance Auto Parts on Williamson Road.

"It's only going to get worse," Lucero said. "It's going to become a premium."

Auto air conditioners use about 32 to 64 ounces of Freon, depending on the make and model of the car. Consumers can expect to pay about $1 per ounce for Freon, though some dealers have established a fixed price for air-conditioning service.

Generally speaking, an air conditioner is made of a condenser, compressor and evaporator core, connected by aluminum tubing, through which the coolant circulates. Leaks can occur anywhere within the system - at seals, hoses, O-rings or in the components themselves.

Said Wolfe at Crossroads Shell: "Unfortunately, most of them don't have much in them when they come in."

To find the leak, recover the Freon, repair and refill the system, motorists have no practical choice but to visit a mechanic.

Jerry Reed, part owner of Reed's Automotive Inc. on Orange Avenue in Northeast Roanoke, said customers often gripe about the price - usually around $50-$60 for refilling, not counting the actual repair costs. Reed motions them toward a clipping on a Coke machine that explains the new laws.

The EPA requires mechanics to check a system for leaks before refilling it, or face heavy fines.

Some mechanics chose to get out of the air-conditioning repair business. There are a few garages and backyard mechanics, Wolfe and Booth said, who still do the work without the required equipment - illegally.

That could come back to haunt them, Lucero said.

Lucero said EPA inspectors make spot checks at service stations, checking out techniques and making sure mechanics have proper certification.

Already, the EPA has sought to fine a Richmond hardware company $23,000 for allegedly selling less than 20 pounds of Freon to an uncertified person. Lucero said fines can range as high as $25,000 per violation per day.

He said he receives three to 10 calls a week from tipsters reporting possible violations, and with a bounty of up to $10,000 for tips leading to convictions, he expects more cases to be filed in the next few months.

The EPA has a Freon hot line - (800) 296-1996 - that people can call for more information.