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How and Why A Refrigerant Leak Causes a Business Wasted Expense and Results in Environmental Damages

Daniel J. Stouffer
February 26, 2009
Refrigerant gas tracking and management is necessary to assure that no ozone depleting or greenhouse gases escape into the atmosphere and contribute to destructive climate change. EPA Inspectors, governmental regulators, as well as many state officials are responsible for monitoring commercial AC and HVAC systems. They can do spot checks of the refrigerant service records, purchase orders, transit logs of gas transport for destruction, as well as many other pieces of data related to refrigerant gas management.

There are many factors that could lead to a refrigerant leak in a refrigeration and air-conditioning (AC RAC) system or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A refrigerant leak is difficult to find manually, so many facilities use refrigerant management systems. The computerized systems find leaks in refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) systems or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; even if they are hidden in a series of tubing that is hundreds of feet long, in an area that is hard to access, or around a pressure switch.

When a refrigerant leak occurs, it causes thousands of pounds of gases with ozone depleting substances (ODS) to escape into the air. Among them are hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), gases which are harmful to the environment and have a high global warming (GWP) potential.

Finding a refrigerant leak could prove difficult because refrigeration and air-conditioning (AC) systems or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are so complex. The root location of a refrigerant gas leak might not actual appear where one might think. It could be connect to a RAC system many feet away from the detection site or in a limited access area.

A refrigerant leak could even be in a pressure switch or other operating or safety control. Often refrigerant leaks and the unintentional venting of gas are difficult to find or detect in large, commercial HVAC-R systems, progressive organizations use automated refrigerant management systems. The automated leak detectors track systems regularly and can detect the exact locations of refrigerant leaks as they occur. The results are easily displayed on a monitor for a quick resolution.

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set strict standards for regulating and monitoring a refrigerant leak. The Montreal Protocol and Kyoto Protocols were both created to establish similar environmental standards internationally. These regulations include protocols for repairing refrigerant leaks or disposing of systems within a certain time frame.


These multifaceted regulations require facility managers to submit comprehensive reporting records. Facility managers more and more turn to web-based solutions for refrigerant gas management because of the complexity of the regulations. This allows for more cost effective, efficient, and organization wide oversight.

A refrigerant tracking solution allows facilities to keep accurate refrigerant usage records and properly report a refrigerant leak. A refrigerant tracker also ensures that a company is in compliance with all environmental requirements and submits records within the specified reporting periods.

Because a refrigerant leak releases fluorinated greenhouses gases that are harmful to the environment, refrigerant management programs have become essential to companies, building or facility managers, and compliance officers. Refrigerant monitoring and tracking processes track HVAC-R systems that lead and empower service professionals to repair a faulty system before gases are vented. Refrigerant management programs are much faster and accurate than manual systems.

A refrigerant management program offers a number of benefits, including tracking a refrigerant leak. Through the use of web-based software, a person is enabled to manage any number of refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) systems or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, regardless of the number of buildings or locations. This type of management tool enables companies to work more efficiently and cost-effectively in the facilities management area.

To learn more about effective refrigerant gas leak management and the tools that support them, you can contact Daniel Stouffer, the Product Manager for Refrigerant Tracker. This web-based software makes it easy to monitor, manage, and report refrigerant gas usage. Stay in compliance with refrigerant management regulations. Visit Verisae's http://www.Refrigerant-Tracker.com
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Daniel J. Stouffer

I am Daniel Stouffer. I am a part-time writer, passionate Solar Energy Consultant, and a full-time Product Manager for Refrigerant Tracker, a solution to help manage, track, report refrigerant gases.

Educated in English and Mathematics, I dabble in writing pieces of this or that on the Internet while I work my day job building demand side energy management, carbon footprint reporting, and refrigerant gas tracking software.

I work for Verisae, Inc. I'm deeply involved in carbon management and renewable energy. My quest is to bring solar energy to U.S. Residential homeowners and to better manage the substances that harm our environment.

I'm also a small business owner working to promote the adoption of renewable energy. Solargies (Solar Energies), my goal is to spread the use of renewable solar power as simply and as rapidly as possible. He is also a writer, investing his time and energies educating people about renewable energy, the exciting world of interactive marketing, and other oddities of interest. (www.Solargies.com)

My personal mission statement: To gather data, to distill information, to build knowledge, and to attain wisdom. To learn, to work hard, and to be internally motivated when acquiring skills. "Every person that you meet knows something you do not - learn from them."

Verisae's Refrigerant Tracker and the Enterprise Carbon Footprint (ECF) products allows companies to take inventory of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and refrigerant gas emissions. CO2 gas, Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), and refrigerant gas emissions are tracked and better manage. Organizations can have a direct effect on the environment through better data management and taking accurate inventories of all greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to their Carbon Footprint.

In my position, I work collaboratively with client teams to understand their goals, document the solution, and mange User Centered Design projects. I'm driven to implement solutions that deliver measurable business value and enhanced user experience.

As a Product Manager for Refrigerant Tracker, I help design how to make the right content available to the right people at the right time. My role involves the design of interactive systems that help users find and manage information or functionality more successfully. (www.refrigerant-tracker.com)