What Are the F-Gas Regulations?
The Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations (F-Gas Regulations) are UK legislation that controls the use, handling and disposal of fluorinated greenhouse gases, including the refrigerants used in air conditioning systems.
The regulations are enforced by the Environment Agency and apply to anyone who installs, services, maintains or decommissions stationary refrigeration and air conditioning equipment containing F-Gas refrigerants.
Who Needs to Be Certified?
Any individual or company that works on stationary refrigeration or air conditioning equipment containing F-Gas refrigerants must hold a valid F-Gas qualification:
- Individuals must hold a City & Guilds 2079 (or equivalent) F-Gas certification
- Companies must be registered with a body such as REFCOM and hold a company F-Gas registration number
Working without certification is a criminal offence.
Key Obligations
Record Keeping
You must maintain records of all refrigerant work, including:
- The quantity and type of refrigerant installed
- The quantity of refrigerant added or recovered
- The CO2 equivalent of the charge
- Leak check results and dates
- The identity of the person carrying out the work
Records must be kept for at least five years.
Leak Checking
Stationary systems must be checked for leaks at regular intervals based on their CO2 equivalent charge:
- 5 to 50 tCO2e: At least every 12 months (or exempt if hermetically sealed and below 10 tCO2e)
- 50 to 500 tCO2e: At least every 6 months
- 500 tCO2e or more: At least every 3 months, with a fixed leak detection system fitted
Recovery
Refrigerant must be recovered by a certified person during servicing, maintenance and decommissioning. It must then be sent for recycling, reclamation or destruction.
How AirCon Docs Helps
AirCon Docs takes the administrative burden out of F-Gas compliance. Submit your installation details through our simple form and we prepare a complete compliance documentation pack, including F-Gas installation records, refrigerant charge records, leak check schedules and commissioning certificates - all built on the current UK F-Gas Regulations.
No more chasing paperwork. No more missing records. Just professional compliance, every time.