Leak repair and verification timeline
When a refrigerant addition pushes an appliance over its leak rate trigger, a clock starts. Here is what has to happen, and by when.
The sequence
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Refrigerant added, calculated leak rate is over the trigger | Clock starts |
| Repair leaks, then run the initial verification test | Within 30 days, or 120 days if an industrial process shutdown is required |
| Follow-up verification test | Within 10 days of the successful initial test, or 10 days after the appliance reaches normal operating characteristics |
Repair window
Leaks must be repaired within 30 days of the refrigerant addition that caused the leak rate to exceed the trigger. If an industrial process shutdown is required to make the repair, the window is 120 days. The time frames are temporarily suspended while an appliance is mothballed.
Initial verification test
The initial test confirms the repair worked. It has to happen within the same 30-day (or 120-day) window. Its timing depends on the repair:
- For repairs that don't involve evacuating the appliance, run it after the repairs are finished and before any more refrigerant is added.
- If the appliance was evacuated for the repair, run it before adding any refrigerant.
Follow-up verification test
The follow-up test demonstrates that the leaks you repaired stayed repaired. It is due within 10 days of the successful initial test, or within 10 days of the appliance reaching normal operating characteristics.
Keep the dates
Write down the date refrigerant was added, the date repairs finished, and the dates and results of both tests. They go in the records you keep for three years. To find the leak rate that started the clock, use the calculation methods.
Run the numbers for your system. The calculator handles both methods, shows the repair trigger for your appliance type and the repair deadline, and prints a record for the job file. Nothing you enter is stored.
Open the leak rate calculatorSource: 40 CFR 84.106, Leak repair (also on eCFR). This guide is informational and is not legal advice. Last reviewed October 2026. Check the current regulation and your own records before relying on it.