F Gas Post Repair Leak Verification Uk

After you fix an F-gas leak on stationary UK air-conditioning or heat-pump plant, GOV.UK expects prompt repair plus a repeat leak test within a month to confirm the repair held. Closing the ticket on the day you soldered or tightened is not the full verification story.

Who this is for

This note is for F-Gas engineers and supervisors closing jobs on stationary refrigeration, AC and heat pumps. It is orientation to published operator guidance, not definitive legal advice. Confirm current CO2e thresholds and record duties for the plant you work on.

What the public guidance says

If you find a leak during a check, repair as soon as possible and repeat the test within a month to check the repair worked — stated on GOV.UK checking F-gas equipment for leaks. The September 2024 F-gas guidance pack from DEFRA / Environment Agency likewise discusses leak checking and verifying that repairs remain sound after remediation; see the F-gas Guidance September 2024 PDF.

Practical recheck sequence

1. Record the exact joints repaired and the method used on the day.
2. Diary a recheck date within one month on the job card or CMMS.
3. On the return visit, use the same joint set and the same sensitivity discipline you used to find the original leak.
4. Document pass/fail, instrument used, and any follow-up work.
5. If the repair failed, treat it as a new locate problem — do not top up and walk away.

Historic RAC practical guides describe direct methods including handheld electronic detectors for systematic joint and valve checks; one archived example is the Taylor Grace F-Gas leak checking guide (PDF). Use such material as method context, and rely on current GOV.UK text for operator obligations.

Tool role — and limits

A handheld sniffer is one direct locating method inside a wider procedure. It does not, by itself, prove regulatory compliance, replace pressure or vacuum integrity steps, or stand in for automatic leak detection where CO2e thresholds require it. For the difference between van sniffers and fixed monitors, read portable refrigerant sniffer versus fixed monitor.

When the original leak was on an outdoor heat-pump unit, reuse the same scan order from the outdoor unit leak scan checklist on the one-month visit.

Put the month on the card today

Build a one-month diary reminder into every leak-repair job card before you leave site. That single habit turns “we fixed it” into “we verified it held” — which is what the public guidance is asking operators to evidence.