Air Conditioning Contractors of America
Certifications
Clean Air Act
Under this act, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has established requirements preventing the release of ozone-depleting substances. Section 608 of the Clean Air Act addresses the stationary aspect of the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry. Section 609 deals with the mobile, motor vehicle air conditioning industry. Technicians who violate the provisions of the Clean Air Act may be subject to fines, loss of certification, and may be required to appear in Federal court.
Section 608
All individuals who maintain, service, repair or dispose of appliances containing regulated refrigerants must be certified in proper handling techniques as required under the Federal Clean Air Act. The EPA limits the sale of regulated refrigerants to certified technicians.
The Section 608 Refrigerant Transition and Recovery Certification exam is a multiple choice, "closed book" proctored format. The candidate seeking certification must score a 70% (18 out of 25 correct) or better on the Core AND on each Type in which he/she is to be certified. A candidate seeking Universal certification must score a 70% or better on EACH of the four sections of the exam.
Four categories of certification:
Type I Certification
Small Appliance - Manufactured, charged and hermetically sealed with five pounds or less of refrigerant. Includes refrigerators, freezers, room air conditioners, package terminal heat pumps, dehumidifiers, under-the-counter ice makers, vending machines and drinking water coolers.
Type II Certification
High Pressure Appliance - Uses refrigerant with a boiling point between -50 degrees C (-58 degrees F) and 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) at atmospheric pressure. Includes 12, 22, 114, 500 and 502 refrigerants.
Very High Pressure Appliance - Uses refrigerants with a boiling point below -50 degrees C (-58 degrees F) at atmospheric pressure. Includes 13 and 503 refrigerants.
Type III Certification
Low Pressure Appliance - Uses refrigerants with a boiling point above 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) at atmospheric pressure. Includes 11, 113, and 123 refrigerants.
Universal Certification
Certified in all of the above: Type I, Type II, and Type III.
