Read reviewsUpdated: February 19, 2026
Why all the interest in copper wire from air conditioning units? Thieves have certainly found it interesting since it has gone up from $1 a pound to up to $4 a pound with $3 being the average amount one can receive from recycling copper! Thieves are having a time stealing from individuals and companies, and some are causing many thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.
Here is a story about how a fitness center closed down for a few days over the holidays to let their staff have more time with their family. When they returned, they could not believe the utter devastation as their place had been broken into with wiring being stripped out all over the center including copper wires that were sawed off the air conditioning units on the roof.
The Department of Energy says this used to be only a minor issue but now has become a $1 billion a year problem! You especially need to be careful if you have any type of home that is left abandoned for any amount of time.
What are some tips to help protect this from happening to you?
- Install Security Cameras – Can be expensive but it is a great deterrent and way to catch thieves.
- Fence in the area around all the copper
- Alarm systems can work great to deter the criminal
- Paint the copper black. This can certainly throw off the criminal and they think it is regular tubing instead of copper.
- Have it installed with protective screws that can only be removed with a special type of tool.
- Neighbors watch out for one another and be careful who you let near your home.
Hopefully this awful theft issue has not happened to you! If you have any questions on how to protect your air conditioning system or if you are in the Houston or Katy area and in need of service or a new system, contact us at Richmond’s air for a free consultation!
