The New F-Gas Regulation and Leak Tightness Checks

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Periodic leak checks have a significant impact on the quantity of F-gases emitted into the atmosphere — they allow us to locate leaks and repair them before the entire refrigerant charge escapes into the atmosphere in an uncontrolled manner. The new EU Regulation No. 2024/573 places emphasis on reducing F-gas emissions, including by expanding the list of refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment subject to mandatory registration and leak checks. With regard to such equipment, the new obligations apply — unlike previously — also to substances listed in Section I of Annex II to the Regulation. A full list of substances covered by the Regulation can be found in Annexes I, II and III.

The new Regulation has been in force across the EU since 11 March 2024 and, although as of December 2025 Poland still has no new national F-gas act, the provisions of the new Regulation must be applied directly, including Article 5, which requires operators and manufacturers to carry out leak checks on stationary equipment (air conditioning, refrigeration, organic Rankine cycle and heat pump equipment, as well as fire protection equipment and electrical switchgear, which are however governed by separate provisions) containing F-gases:

  • listed in Annex I in quantities of at least 5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), or
  • listed in Section 1 of Annex II in quantities of at least 1 kg.

This obligation does not apply to equipment labelled as hermetically sealed and containing less than 10 tonnes CO2e of F-gases listed in Annex I, or less than 2 kg of F-gases listed in Section I of Annex II. The exemption also covers hermetically sealed equipment installed in residential buildings and containing less than 3 kg of F-gases. The first leak check must be carried out immediately upon commissioning, and the frequency of subsequent checks depends on the type and quantity of substances contained in the equipment — details are set out in Table 1.

Operators of equipment subject to leak checks are required to maintain appropriate records containing, among other things, information on the leak checks carried out. These records must be kept for at least 5 years from the date of manufacture, placing on the market, supply or receipt of the equipment, and must be made available to the competent national authorities or the European Commission upon request.

Leak checks on stationary equipment may be carried out by a person holding an F-gas certificate of the appropriate category.

Leak checks also represent the final stage of repairing a leaking piece of equipment. From 11 March 2024, following the repair of a leak in stationary equipment, a mandatory additional leak check must be carried out no later than one month after the repair, but no earlier than 24 hours after it has been completed.

In accordance with the provisions of EU Regulation No. 1516/2007, leak checks may be carried out using either direct or indirect methods. Handheld leak detectors are a particularly popular solution due to their compact design, and are also part of the mandatory equipment for service companies holding a company-level F-gas certificate. A leak detector must have its calibration verified at least once every 12 months, and its sensitivity must be at least 5 g/year. Importantly, servicing flammable refrigerants may require a different type of detector.

Detector checks must be carried out in laboratories equipped with appropriate gas leak simulators. Such checks are performed by, among others, the PROZON calibration laboratory of the Climate Protection Foundation. A positive result is confirmed by the issuance of a detector inspection certificate, which includes the serial number of the leak detector that was checked. It is also recommended to check the battery level regularly and to store the device in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.