Protecting Your AC System from Copper Thieves
If someone asks whether you are adequately protecting your air conditioning system, you may think the conversation is about refrigerant, condenser coils and regular maintenance. More likely the question is about the copper tubing in most central air systems and the increasing number of thefts of HVAC units throughout the country to access that valuable copper. In March of 2015, scrap yards were selling copper for about $2 per pound, down from a high of over $3 a few years ago, but still a considerable amount of money. Experts say business owners and even homeowners should consider taking these steps to protect their HVAC systems.
Metals theft. The target isn’t just copper; however, copper both brings the best return and is most available in roofing, air conditioning and heating systems and elsewhere in construction. The U.S. Department of Energy has estimated that metals theft is a billion dollar business in the United States. According to insurance claims from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, about 97 percent of all claims for metal thefts between 2011 an 2013 – the latest years that figures were available – involved copper. Other popular metals include aluminum and bronze, according to experts.
Legal efforts. As copper theft has become a bigger issue in the past decade in the United States, a number of states have attempted to make it more difficult for metal thieves to sell their loot. According to published reports, every state in the country had a law regulating the sale of metals to scrap yards as of 2014. In many cases these laws require the sellers to provide photographic identification and be fingerprinted as part of the transaction. In other cases, there is a holding period before the transaction can be completed. However, law enforcement experts say there are too many scrap dealers willing to ignore new laws because thieves will accept rock-bottom prices for copper and other metals.
Protect your HVAC system. Businesses are often targeted because they are commonly empty overnight and on weekends and often have multiple HVAC systems, meaning more copper to recover and sell. Security experts say one of the first steps to take is to increase the lighting surrounding your HVAC units. You can conceal air conditioners behind shrubs or fences. Installing security cameras is another common suggestion. If you do put in security cameras make sure to put out signs letting potential criminals know the cameras are present. You can also purchase metal cages to surround AC units and alarms that alert you if thieves try to tamper with units. Finally, larger businesses may consider controlling access through gates and keypad systems so only workers that can punch in a required code – which should be changed regularly – can get to the area of the company where the HVAC units are located.