LeakLedgerPart 84 guide
The 30-Day Repair Clock: Verification Tests, Extensions and Follow-Up Inspections
When a leak rate calculation comes back over the threshold, Part 84 starts a clock: find and repair the leaks, prove the repair held, and prove it again under normal operating conditions — within 30 days for most appliances (40 CFR 84.106(d)–(e)). Here's the sequence, the exceptions and what follows.
When the clock starts
The clock starts at the refrigerant addition whose leak rate calculation shows the appliance over its threshold — 20% commercial refrigeration, 30% industrial process refrigeration, 10% comfort cooling and other (§84.106(c)(2), (d)). Owners or operators then have 30 days, or 120 days if an industrial process shutdown is required.
Step 1: find and repair the leaks
A certified technician performs a leak inspection to locate the leaks (§84.106(d)(1)). The repair must bring the leak rate below the threshold, confirmed by the calculation at the next refrigerant addition (§84.106(d)(2)). Repairs are presumed successful if there is no further addition for 12 months after a successful follow-up test, or if required inspections or automatic leak detection find no leaks.
Step 2: initial verification test
Within the same 30 (or 120) days, an initial verification test must show that the repairs held (§84.106(e)(1)). Without opening the system, test after the repair and before adding refrigerant; when the repair needed an evacuation, test before adding refrigerant. A failed test can be followed by more repairs and tests within the time period.
Step 3: follow-up verification test
Within 10 days of a successful initial test — or of the appliance reaching normal operating characteristics and conditions if it was evacuated — a follow-up verification test must show the leaks are repaired (§84.106(e)(2)). If it fails, more repairs and verification tests can be made within the applicable time period; if the appliance still leaks above the threshold after the required repairs and tests, a retrofit or retirement plan is due within 30 days (§84.106(h)(1)(iii)).
Extensions and pauses
More time is available only if one of three conditions applies (§84.106(f)(1)):
- the appliance is in an area of radiological contamination, or shutting it down would cause it;
- other Federal, State, local or Tribal regulations make repair in time impossible; or
- replacement components aren't available in time — then up to 30 days after delivery, but no more than 180 days (270 with an industrial process shutdown) from the exceedance.
Even then, leaks that significantly contribute to the exceedance and don't need extra time must be fixed within the original period; repair efforts and reasons must be documented; and the extension must be requested from EPA electronically within the 30 (or 120) days (§84.106(f)(2)–(4)). Separately, mothballing the appliance pauses the clock until refrigerant is added again (§84.106(d)(3)).
After the repair: leak inspections
Once the follow-up test passes, the appliance gets periodic leak inspections (§84.106(g)):
- Commercial and industrial process refrigeration, 500 lb or more: every three months until four consecutive quarters stay under the threshold.
- Commercial and IPR from 15 to under 500 lb, and comfort cooling and other appliances: once a year until a year stays under the threshold.
Inspection records need the date, the method, the location of each leak found and a certification that all visible and accessible parts were inspected (§84.106(l)(5)).
A worked timeline
- Oct 6 — 40 lb added, rate 22.7% (over 20%)Clock starts
- Oct 14 — leak found and repaired, initial verification test passesInitial test
- By Oct 24 — follow-up verification test (10 days)Follow-up
- Nov 5 — 30-day limit for repair and initial testDeadline
- Then — annual (or quarterly for 500 lb+) leak inspectionsInspections
LeakLedger opens these items automatically from your service records and closes them as test results come in. See what a calculation starts with the leak rate calculator.
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This guide summarizes 40 CFR 84.102, 84.106 and 84.108 as published in the eCFR. It is not legal advice; where the rule is unclear we say so. Read the rule: 40 CFR Part 84, Subpart C.