The Refrigerant Compliance Glossary

Adding refrigerant to restore capacity without finding and fixing the underlying leak. Every addition is a recordable event that feeds the leak-rate calculation.

The refrigerant that escapes a system over a period, measured in practice by how much has to be added back. It is simultaneously an equipment problem, a compliance trigger, and a direct operating cost.

Detection establishes that refrigerant is being lost; location identifies the specific joint or component losing it. Continuous monitoring and annual inspections answer different questions.

The documented demonstration that a repair holds, through the initial verification test within the repair window and the follow-up verification test after the system returns to normal operating conditions.

A unit of absolute pressure used to measure deep vacuum, read with a micron gauge. Service practice commonly targets 500 microns or below before charging.

Pulling a deep vacuum, isolating the system, and watching whether the vacuum holds. Rising pressure indicates a leak or remaining moisture.

Pressurizing an evacuated system with dry nitrogen and holding it to see whether pressure drops, isolating a leak without releasing refrigerant.

An additive circulated with the refrigerant and oil that glows under ultraviolet light at the leak site. Effective for slow or intermittent leaks.

Detection of the high-frequency sound a pressurized leak makes, useful in noisy plant rooms and for locating leaks at distance.

Applying a soap solution to a suspected joint and watching for bubbles under pressure. Simple, cheap, and effective on accessible fittings.