Theft of residential and commercial condensing units is on the rise. A hundred dollars’ worth of “scrap” copper could cost your organization thousands of dollars and a lot of inconvenience to replace your outdoor condensing units. The price of copper has more than doubled in the past few years and thieves are out to steal or gut condensing units wherever they can find them.
Why are my Condenser Units a Target for Thieves?
Valuable Components
HVAC systems have components that can be stolen and sold for recycling or spare parts. Recycling companies and junk yards often buy copper coils from HVAC systems with no questions asked.
HVAC Units are Usually Located in Isolated Areas of Your Property
External HVAC units are typically located outside of commercial buildings, often hidden from view at either the back of the location or on the roof. This makes the units more susceptible to theft without being noticed.
HVAC Parts are Convenient to Transport
Many external HVAC units are compact enough to be removed and easily transported. Many units are made to be easily assembled during installation. This also makes these same units easy to disassemble for valuable parts by knowledgeable thieves.
What’s the Answer?
VASEY can offer an alarm system that monitors individual condensing units and can immediately detect voltage interruption, tampering or refrigerant loss. When activated, the theft monitor sounds like an extremely loud siren and can also be tied in with a phone dialer or any other security device. The theft monitor works with split systems and packaged units.
