F-Gas Category I cheat sheet

F-Gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573 replaced Regulation 517/2014; it controls placing on market, use, leak checks, recovery and training for fluorinated greenhouse gases.

ODS Regulation (EC) 1005/2009 governs ozone-depleting substances including HCFCs and CFCs; virgin HCFC supply for maintenance is banned and reclaimed HCFC use is time-limited.

Operators must hold F-gas certificates and use certified personnel for installation, servicing, leak checking, recovery and decommissioning of equipment above defined charge thresholds.

Leak-check frequency scales with CO2e charge: no statutory check below 5 t CO2e (hermetically sealed 10 t), then every 12 months, 6 months and 3 months as thresholds rise; leak-detection systems allow intervals to be halved in frequency.

Records of refrigerant charge, leak checks, repairs and recovery must be kept for at least 5 years and made available to the competent authority on request.

Deliberate venting of F-gases to atmosphere is prohibited; refrigerant must be recovered by certified persons before disposal or dismantling of equipment.

Placing on market bans apply to certain HFCs and to new equipment using high-GWP gases; the phase-down is measured in CO2e tonnes, not kilograms.

Labelling and product/equipment information requirements apply to F-gas containers and equipment, and leakage of 1 kg or more (or 0.1% of charge for hermetically sealed) must be reported where required.

Refrigerants are identified by ASHRAE number (R-134a, R-410A, R-32) and by chemical family: CFC, HCFC, HFC, HFO, and natural refrigerants (ammonia R-717, CO2 R-744, hydrocarbons).

GWP expresses the climate impact of 1 kg of a gas relative to CO2 over 100 years; ODP expresses ozone-depletion potential relative to CFC-11 (ODP = 1.0).

CO2e charge = refrigerant mass (kg) × GWP; this value determines leak-check frequency and phase-down obligations.

R-410A is a near-azeotropic HFC blend (R-32/R-125, roughly 50/50) with GWP around 2088; R-32 is a single-component HFC with GWP around 675.

R-134a has GWP around 1430; R-404A around 3922; R-407C around 1774; these values drive compliance thresholds.

Blends must be charged as liquid to avoid fractionation; leaking blends change composition, so the remaining charge may not match the original specification.

Flammability classes per ASHRAE 34: A1 no flame propagation, A2L lower flammability, A3 higher flammability; toxicity class B denotes higher toxicity.

R-717 (ammonia) has GWP near 0 and ODP 0 but is toxic and flammable at certain concentrations; R-744 (CO2) has GWP 1 and operates at high pressures.

Before commissioning, pressure-test and leak-test the system with dry nitrogen or OFN; never use refrigerant or oxygen for pressure testing.

Evacuate to a vacuum (typically below 500 microns or the manufacturer's specification) and hold to confirm no moisture or in-leakage before charging.

Record the as-built refrigerant charge in kilograms, the refrigerant type, GWP, CO2e tonnes, and the date of commissioning in the equipment log.

Commissioning records must include pressure-test results, evacuation results, leak-test method and result, and personnel certification numbers.

Equipment containing F-gases must carry a label stating refrigerant type, charge and CO2e where required by regulation.

Charge must be verified by weighing (weighing scale) rather than by pressure or sight glass alone; record the cylinder mass before and after charging.

Handover documentation to the operator must include the refrigerant log, leak-check schedule and the CO2e threshold that determines check frequency.

Any change of refrigerant type or charge during retrofit must be recorded and the label updated; reclaimed refrigerant must be documented with its source.

Leak detection methods include electronic detectors, UV dye, soap-bubble testing, and pressure/vacuum testing; each has limits and must be appropriate to the refrigerant.

Electronic leak detectors must be calibrated for the specific refrigerant; sensitivity and cross-sensitivity to other gases affect reliability.

A leak check must cover all joints, valves, flanges, Schrader ports, brazed connections and the compressor seals; inaccessible joints must still be checked where practicable.

After a leak is repaired, a follow-up leak check must be performed within one month of the repair to confirm the fix.

If a leak cannot be repaired, the remaining refrigerant must be recovered and the system decommissioned or the charge reduced within the regulatory timeframe.

Leak-detection systems, where fitted, must be checked at least every 12 months and their alarms logged; failure of the system reverts to standard leak-check intervals.

Refrigerant top-up during service counts toward the total charge and must be recorded; repeated top-ups without finding the leak indicate an unrepaired leak.

Non-hermetic systems with a CO2e charge of 5 tonnes or more require periodic leak checks; hermetically sealed systems have a higher starting threshold (10 t CO2e).

Recovery = removing refrigerant from a system into a container; recycling = basic cleaning (oil/particulate removal) for reuse; reclaim = reprocessing to new-product specification, usually by a certified facility.

Reclaimed refrigerant must meet AHRI 700 specification and be accompanied by a certificate of analysis; it can be used to meet virgin-gas obligations where permitted.

Recovery cylinders must be dedicated to a single refrigerant type, clearly labelled, and never overfilled; fill limit is typically 80% of water capacity by mass.

Never mix refrigerants in a recovery cylinder; mixed refrigerant is treated as waste and must be destroyed or reclaimed by an approved facility.

Recovery equipment must be capable of evacuating the system to the required vacuum (often 500 microns or per manufacturer) before dismantling.

Refrigerant removed from equipment being disposed of must be recovered before the equipment is scrapped; documentation of recovery must be retained.

Ozone-depleting substances must be destroyed or reclaimed by approved processes; venting ODS is prohibited.

Cylinders must be weighed before and after recovery to document the mass recovered and to avoid overfilling.

Refrigerant cylinders must be stored upright, secured, away from heat and ignition sources, and below the maximum permitted temperature; never expose to direct flame.

Cylinders must be hydrostatically tested periodically and marked with the test date; do not use cylinders past their test date or with damaged valves.

Liquid refrigerant can cause cold burns (frostbite); wear gloves, eye protection and face shield when handling liquid lines or charging.

Refrigerants are heavier than air in confined spaces and can displace oxygen; use gas detection and ventilation in plant rooms and basements.

Some refrigerants (A2L, A3) are flammable; observe ignition-source control, no-smoking rules and appropriate electrical classification in the work area.

Recovery and charging cylinders must never be filled above 80% liquid volume; overfilling risks hydraulic rupture on warming.

When brazing or welding near refrigerant lines, purge with nitrogen and ensure no refrigerant remains; decomposition products (e.g., hydrogen fluoride) are toxic.

Transport of refrigerant cylinders is subject to dangerous-goods rules; cylinders must be secured, valves closed and caps fitted during transport.