Why is EPA 608 certification required to work as an HVAC technician?

 As per Federal Clean Air Act, it is mandatory for a technician, who maintains, services, repairs, or disposes of appliances containing regulated refrigerants, to have EPA 608 technician certification. This certification is a one-time test. And it doesn’t have any expiration date.

What is the clean air act?

The Federal Clean Air Act was enacted in the early 60s. It is one of the earliest legislations made to improve air quality. But with time, it has been amended several times. Its main goal is to phase out or remove ozone-depleting refrigerants and replace them with environment-friendly refrigerants. The name of the EPA 608 technician certification is derived from Section 608 of the Clean Air Act.

This act states that- “EPA regulations made under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act require that technicians who deal with maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of equipment that can release ozone-depleting refrigerants into the environment should be certified.”

What to expect with this certification?

Improper handling of refrigerants can cause damage to the systems and put a person in danger. In addition, servicing multi-family, commercial, and industrial HVAC systems are often more complicated as they are designed to sustain extremely high pressure. This is why it is important to have EPA 608 certification. It’s just not for environmental concerns but your safety as well. Hence, a person must learn the required skills and obtain certification before becoming an EPA technician.  

If you are also planning to enter this profession, you can get the related training and gain the required knowledge. What kind of EPA certification you need depends on the type of HVAC service you will be doing. 

But first of all, you must clear the core section exam essential for every type of work associated with refrigerants. In addition to the core examination, there are 4 different types of EPA certification. They include Type 1, which is associated with services of small appliances, Type 2, which is associated with servicing high-pressure or very high-pressure systems, Type 3, which is for low-pressure appliances, and a Universal exam that covers the questions from all three types. 

Are you wondering how to prepare for EPA 608 certification? Then, enroll in the best institute that prepares for HVAC EPA Certification.