EPA 608 Certification

Exam blueprint

Sourced from U.S. EPA Section 608 Technician Certification Programs (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F)

• Core — environmental science + regulations30%
• Core — recovery, recycling, reclaim10%
• Core — safety + leak detection10%
• Type I — small appliances (≤5 lb)15%
• Type II — high-pressure appliances20%
• Type III — low-pressure appliances15%

1. 01Core — environment, regulations, ODP

   ~75min

   Why Section 608 exists. Ozone depletion, GWP, the phaseout schedule for CFCs/HCFCs, and the AIM Act phasedown for HFCs. Every Type I/II/III candidate takes Core first.

   • Ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP)

     ODP is a measure of how much a substance damages stratospheric ozone, indexed to CFC-11 = 1.0. GWP is how much it warms the atmosphere over 100 years, indexed to CO₂ = 1. CFCs have high ODP. HCFCs have lower ODP but still some. HFCs have zero ODP but often very high GWP — which is why the AIM Act of 2020 set a phasedown of HFC production by 85% over 15 years.

     Reference: AIM Act of 2020 EPA HFC Phasedown

   • Section 608 ban on knowing venting

     It has been illegal since July 1, 1992 to knowingly release Class I (CFC) or Class II (HCFC) refrigerants during service, maintenance, repair, or disposal. The same prohibition was extended to most HFCs and HFC blends. De minimis releases that occur during good-faith service practices are not violations, but releasing refrigerant on purpose — including the practice of "topping off" without first leak-checking — is.

     Reference: 40 CFR 82.154(a)

   • Required recovery levels by appliance type

     Before opening an appliance for service, the technician must recover refrigerant to specific vacuum levels. Small appliances (≤5 lb): 90% recovery if the compressor runs, 80% if it does not. High-pressure systems (>5 lb): vacuum levels in inches of mercury depend on charge size and refrigerant class. Low-pressure: 25 mmHg absolute. Recovery equipment must be EPA-certified and tested annually.

     Reference: 40 CFR 82.156, Appendix A

   • Leak repair thresholds (industrial / commercial / comfort cooling)

     Owners of appliances ≥50 lb of refrigerant must repair leaks when the annual leak rate exceeds: 30% for industrial process refrigeration, 20% for commercial refrigeration, and 10% for comfort cooling. Repairs must be completed within 30 days of discovery. Records must be kept for 3 years.

     Reference: 40 CFR 82.157

   Practice questions (3)

   1. 1. A residential AC technician finds R-410A topping-off has been routine. Is the practice legal?

      • A.Yes — R-410A is HFC and not regulated under Section 608
      • B.No — knowingly venting refrigerant during service is illegal regardless of class✓ correct
      • C.Yes — but only if the system is under 50 lb
      • D.Only with written customer consent

      Topping off without leak-checking is a knowing release in EPA's view because the leak that emptied the system was never repaired — the technician knows the refrigerant they add will escape. Section 608's venting prohibition was extended to HFCs (R-410A) by EPA rule. Charge size and customer consent are not defenses.

   2. 2. Owner of a 100-lb commercial refrigeration system measures an annual leak rate of 22%. Required action?

      • A.No action required below 30%
      • B.Repair within 30 days of discovery✓ correct
      • C.Replace the equipment immediately
      • D.Notify EPA in writing

      40 CFR 82.157 sets the commercial-refrigeration leak threshold at 20%. At 22% the owner must repair within 30 days of discovery. Replacement is not required if the leak can be fixed. EPA notification is not the trigger; the repair-within-30-days rule is.

   3. 3. A small refrigerator (<5 lb) has a working compressor. What recovery level does Section 608 require?

      • A.80%
      • B.90%✓ correct
      • C.99%
      • D.25 mmHg absolute

      For small appliances with an OPERATING compressor, recovery to 90% is required. If the compressor is non-operating, the standard drops to 80%. The 25 mmHg absolute spec is for low-pressure (Type III) systems — different track.

2. 02Type I — Small appliances (≤5 lb)

   ~45min

   Domestic refrigerators, window AC units, dehumidifiers, vending machines, packaged terminal AC. Type I is the most-taken track because it gates Best Buy / appliance-repair work.

   • What counts as a Type I appliance

     A small appliance is hermetically sealed, factory-charged with five pounds or less of refrigerant, and manufactured for end-use. Examples: residential refrigerators and freezers, room air conditioners (window units), packaged terminal AC, dehumidifiers, under-the-counter ice makers, and vending machines. Once a system needs more than 5 lb to charge it, you are out of Type I and into Type II.

     Reference: 40 CFR 82.152

   • Saddle valves and access ports

     Most domestic refrigerators ship without a service port. To recover, the tech installs a self-piercing 'saddle' or 'tap' valve. Always use a valve rated for the refrigerant you're working with; the saddle must be permanent or removed before disposal so the system stays sealed during recovery and the appliance is left empty per disposal rules.

   Practice questions (1)

   1. 1. A residential refrigerator with a non-operating compressor needs to be disposed of. Recovery level required?

      • A.80% of nameplate charge✓ correct
      • B.90% of nameplate charge
      • C.No recovery if compressor is dead
      • D.25 in. Hg vacuum

      When the compressor is NOT operating, the recovery requirement for a small appliance drops from 90% (operating) to 80%. Recovery is still required even with a dead compressor — the refrigerant must be recovered before disposal under 40 CFR 82.156.

3. 03Type II — High-pressure systems

   ~60min

   Residential central air, heat pumps, supermarket refrigeration, light commercial AC. Most HVAC techs need Type II to do residential / light commercial service.

   • High-pressure refrigerants and the 5-lb threshold

     High-pressure systems use refrigerants with boiling points below -50°F at atmospheric pressure. Common Type II refrigerants today: R-410A (HFC blend used in modern residential AC), R-22 (phased-out HCFC, still common in older systems), R-134a, R-407C, R-454B (the next-gen low-GWP successor).

   • Recovery vacuum levels by charge size

     For systems containing more than 200 lb of refrigerant, recovery to 10 in. Hg vacuum is required (older equipment) or 0 mm Hg gauge for newer recovery devices. For 0–200 lb systems, the targets vary by HCFC vs HFC. The exam tests the table — bring it up in your prep, screenshot it, memorize the columns.

     Reference: 40 CFR 82.156, Appendix A

   Practice questions (1)

   1. 1. A 3-ton residential heat pump uses R-410A. Which type certification covers servicing it?

      • A.Type I
      • B.Type II✓ correct
      • C.Type III
      • D.Universal only

      R-410A is a high-pressure HFC blend used in modern residential AC. Charge size on a 3-ton system is well over 5 lb (typically 6–10 lb factory charge), so it is NOT a Type I appliance. Type II covers high-pressure systems above the small-appliance threshold. Universal works too but is not required.

4. 04Type III — Low-pressure systems

   ~30min

   Centrifugal chillers using R-11, R-123, R-1233zd. Less common than Type II — large commercial / institutional cooling tower systems.

   • Low-pressure refrigerants and rupture discs

     Low-pressure systems run BELOW atmospheric pressure on the suction side, which means a leak draws AIR INTO the system instead of refrigerant out. Air contamination and moisture are the main service issues. Rupture discs protect the chiller barrel from over-pressure during shutdown — never disable them.

   • Required final vacuum

     Low-pressure recovery target: 25 mm Hg absolute pressure for newer recovery devices, or 25 in. Hg vacuum for pre-1993 equipment. The number stays — write it on a sticky note above your study desk: TWENTY-FIVE.

     Reference: 40 CFR 82.156, Appendix A

   Practice questions (1)

   1. 1. A chiller using R-123 is being decommissioned. Required final recovery vacuum?

      • A.25 in. Hg vacuum
      • B.25 mm Hg absolute✓ correct
      • C.10 in. Hg vacuum
      • D.0 mm Hg gauge

      Low-pressure (Type III) refrigerant recovery targets 25 mm Hg absolute pressure for recovery equipment manufactured after Nov 15, 1993. The 25 in. Hg vacuum spec applied to older equipment. The number is the same (25) but the unit and reference matter.

External resources

• Official
  EPA Section 608 Stationary Refrigeration Page ↗

  EPA homepage for the program. Links to the regulation text, list of approved certifying organizations, and the technician database.

• Official
  40 CFR Part 82 Subpart F — Recycling and Emissions Reduction ↗

  The actual regulation. Read 82.152 (definitions), 82.154 (prohibitions), 82.156 (servicing), and 82.157 (leak rates) — that's 80% of the Core exam.

• Official
  EPA HFC Phasedown under the AIM Act ↗

  Background on the 85%-over-15-years HFC production phasedown. Helps you reason about WHY the leak/repair rules now apply to HFCs.