F gas certified engineers
Industrial fridge service and repair, priced properly
A walk-in cold room, a blast freezer and a packaged chiller are three different jobs, so we do not publish a single made-up average for any of them. What we do publish is the cost-driver list behind every refrigeration quote, and the F gas duties that come with owning the plant: leak checks on a frequency set by the charge in the system, records kept for five years, and a certified company doing the work. Tell us what you run and refrigeration engineers who cover your site will quote you directly.
How it works
- Tell us what you run and what has gone wrong. Two minutes, no account.
- We pass your details to refrigeration engineers covering your postcode, and to no one else.
- They contact you with a price for your actual plant. Compare, choose, or walk away.
Industrial Fridge Service is a free introduction service operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd; we pass your details to refrigeration engineers covering your site, who quote you directly. We may receive a fee from providers; you pay nothing and are under no obligation. We are independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting for the Environment Agency, Defra, HSE or any certification body, and nothing here is legal or compliance advice: the F gas duties that apply to your plant depend on its refrigerant and charge, and should be confirmed with a certified contractor.
F gas leak check and record duties for refrigeration plant, GB
Last updated
This is the table refrigeration operators actually need, and the one most maintenance quotes assume you already know. How often your plant must be checked for leaks does not depend on its size in kilowatts or on the age of the kit. It depends on the carbon dioxide equivalent charge it holds, which is the weight of refrigerant multiplied by that refrigerant's global warming potential. The kilogram columns show what each threshold means for three refrigerants still common on UK sites.
Frequencies and carbon dioxide equivalent bands are as published by the Environment Agency and Defra on gov.uk, checking F gas equipment for leaks, read on 14 August 2026. The kilogram figures in the R404A, R410A and R134a columns are gov.uk's own worked figures for those bands, not our calculation. Record keeping duties are from gov.uk, record F gas in equipment you own or service. The F gas regime changes: treat this table as a map of the duties, and check the current gov.uk guidance for your own plant before relying on a threshold. This table contains no prices, because there is no published UK dataset of refrigeration service prices we could honestly average.
| Duty and frequency | Carbon dioxide equivalent charge | R404A | R410A | R134a |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leak check at least once every 12 months | 5 to less than 50 tonnes | 1.3kg | 2.4kg | 3.5kg |
| Leak check at least once every 6 months | 50 to less than 500 tonnes | 13kg | 24kg | 35kg |
| Leak check at least once every 3 months | 500 tonnes or more | 127kg | 240kg | 350kg |
| Automatic leak detection must be fitted, and checked every year | 500 tonnes or more | 127kg | 240kg | 350kg |
| Records kept, for 5 years, of gas charged, leak checks and disposal | 5 tonnes or more | 1.3kg | 2.4kg | 3.5kg |
| No maximum interval for hermetically sealed systems below this charge | 10 tonnes | 2.6kg | Check GWP | 7kg |
- How often refrigeration plant must be leak checked depends on the carbon dioxide equivalent of the refrigerant charge, not on the size of the plant: at least every 12 months from 5 tonnes, every 6 months from 50 tonnes, every 3 months from 500 tonnes (gov.uk, 2026).
- Fitting automatic leak detection doubles the permitted interval between leak checks, and is compulsory for equipment holding 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or more (gov.uk, 2026).
- A leak found during a check must be repaired as soon as possible and the test repeated within a month to confirm the repair worked (gov.uk, 2026).
- Records for equipment holding 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or more must be kept for 5 years, and must include the certificate number of every company used to install, service or decommission it (gov.uk, 2026).
- A company servicing stationary refrigeration or air conditioning owned by someone else must hold company F gas certification, renewed every 3 years, and the individuals doing the work must hold their own qualifications (gov.uk, 2026).
Cite this page
“F gas leak check and record duties for refrigeration plant, GB”, Industrial Fridge Service, https://industrialfridgeservice.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-14). Frequencies and carbon dioxide equivalent bands are as published by the Environment Agency and Defra on gov.uk, checking F gas equipment for leaks, read on 14 August 2026. The kilogram figures in the R404A, R410A and R134a columns are gov.uk's own worked figures for those bands, not our calculation. Record keeping duties are from gov.uk, record F gas in equipment you own or service. The F gas regime changes: treat this table as a map of the duties, and check the current gov.uk guidance for your own plant before relying on a threshold. This table contains no prices, because there is no published UK dataset of refrigeration service prices we could honestly average.
The detail
Sourced, dated, kept current.
- Commercial refrigeration repair cost: what actually sets the price
Why refrigeration repair quotes differ so much: refrigerant cost, access, gas recovery, out of hours callout and whether the fault is diagnosed or guessed. UK, 2026.
- F gas leak checks: how often your refrigeration plant must be checked
Leak check frequency is set by the carbon dioxide equivalent charge, not the plant size: 12, 6 or 3 months. Plus records, certification and what to do on finding a leak.
- Industrial refrigeration maintenance: what a contract should cover
What planned refrigeration maintenance should include, how response times are priced, and which duties a contract can and cannot discharge for you. UK, 2026.
- Refrigerant global warming potential and the HFC phase down
Why R404A costs what it does, how global warming potential sets your leak check interval, and what the HFC phase down means for old refrigeration plant in the UK.
Questions, answered directly
How much does industrial fridge repair cost?
There is no published UK dataset of refrigeration repair prices we could honestly average, so we do not print one. The price is set by the refrigerant and charge size, whether the leak has been located, access and hygiene requirements, in or out of hours working, and whether the fault is a component or the compressor. Ask for a fixed diagnostic fee, then a quote, plus labour rates in and out of hours.
How often must refrigeration plant be leak checked?
By carbon dioxide equivalent charge, not by plant size. Gov.uk requires at least every 12 months from 5 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent, at least every 6 months from 50 tonnes and at least every 3 months from 500 tonnes. Automatic leak detection doubles the permitted interval and is compulsory at 500 tonnes or more.
What F gas records do I have to keep?
For equipment holding 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or more, gov.uk requires records kept for 5 years covering gas type and quantity at installation, gas added during maintenance, the dates and results of every mandatory leak check, and recovery and disposal. Operators must also record the name, address and certificate number of every company used to install, service or decommission the equipment.
Does my refrigeration company need F gas certification?
Yes, if it services equipment operated by someone else. Gov.uk requires company certification from an approved body, renewed every 3 years, and requires individuals handling F gas to hold their own qualifications. A company that services only its own equipment does not need company certification, but its people still need qualifications.
Is industrial refrigeration covered by pressure systems law?
It depends on size. PSSR 2000 Schedule 1 excepts vapour compression refrigeration systems whose compressor drive motors, including standby motors, have a total installed power not exceeding 25kW. Above that the exception does not apply and a written scheme of examination question arises. Ammonia and CO2 plant raise further duties. Put your specific system to a competent person.
Is this quote service really free?
Yes, free to you and with no obligation to accept any quote. We pass your details only to refrigeration engineers covering your site, who quote you directly. We may receive a fee from those providers, which is how the service is funded.