Metal prices are rising steadily and thieves are increasingly targeting domestic heating solutions in Los Angeles as a valuable source of copper. Government reports indicate that as demand rises for metals both domestically and abroad the amount of copper stolen is likely to increase. Your heat pump is a highly inviting prospect for a thief as the copper inside is worth as much as $80 or more when sold as scrap and it is a simple job to remove it.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Heat pump thefts are typically a crime of opportunity. A thief will cruise a neighborhood looking for a house that has a heat pump that is not easily observed by neighboring houses before driving close and simply ripping it off the wall. Because of this homes that are isolated or out of sight are at the highest risk.
In just a few minutes the thief will make an easy $80 profit but this could potentially cost you thousands between the cost of replacing the equipment and the labor costs. The cost can be even higher than the cost of replacing the installation for maintenance reasons because some of the parts being taken would have been re-used.
How Can I Protect My Home?
The best way to stop your home being targeted is to avoid being an easy target. If you have a gate on your property keep it locked to restrict access. For the best security you should consider an alarm kit for your heat pump. This kit will detect tampering and changes in voltage in your system, giving off a loud alarm if activated. These systems can also link up with a phone dialer to give you a call if your alarm is activated. While the alarm is effective, the fact that you have the system installed will deter most thieves and they will move on to easier targets.
For more advice about your heat pump or any other HVAC questions please contact us. We have been serving the Los Angeles area since 1967 with a range of services including installation, service and repair and planned preventative maintenance.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Los Angeles, North Hollywood and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat pumps and other HVAC topics, downloadour free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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