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Refrigerant Leak Rate and Repair Log Worksheet

Refrigerant top-ups are one of the most overlooked sources of scope 1 emissions, and some regulations require leak checks and repair records. This worksheet turns service records into a leak rate and tonnes of CO2e per appliance.

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Appliance	Refrigerant	Full charge (kg)	Added in year (kg)	Annual leak rate (%)	GWP (100 yr, AR4)	Lost CO2e (t)	Repair done	Technician
				11.8%		9.396
				5.5%		2.1288
				18.5%		47.064
				0%		0
				15%		1.629

Total refrigerant added (kg)

18.6

Total lost CO2e (t)

60.2178

Highest leak rate

18.5%

GWP values shown are IPCC AR4 100 year figures, widely used in inventories. Use the AR set your reporting scheme requires. Leak rate thresholds that trigger repair vary by regulation and appliance type, so check your local rule.

Connect maintenance data to emissions

Optional: ask how service records in your ERP can feed a scope 1 inventory.

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How to use the worksheet

List each appliance with its refrigerant type and nameplate charge. After each year, or after each service visit, enter the kilograms of refrigerant added. The annual leak rate divides the amount added by the full charge. The CO2e column multiplies kilograms added by the global warming potential and divides by 1,000 to give tonnes. Record the repair date and the technician so you can show follow-up on any leak.

Use the mass added to restore full charge, not the mass bought
Count recovered refrigerant separately
Keep technician certificates on file
Track appliances with no top-ups too, as they show good control

The method

The simplest approach in the GHG Protocol is a mass balance: refrigerant purchased or added, minus returned or recovered, adjusted for inventory change. Where only service top-up is known, it is treated as the loss for the year. Multiply the mass of each gas by its GWP to get CO2e. Fugitive refrigerant is reported under scope 1.

Reading the results

Rank appliances by leak rate and by CO2e. A small unit with a high percentage may be cheap to fix, while a large rack with a modest percentage can dominate the emissions. Older gases such as R-22 and R-404A have high GWP or phase-out status, so replacement planning belongs in your capital review.

Common mistakes

Mixing refrigerant blends with single components, using a GWP from the wrong assessment report, and ignoring appliances that were topped up by a contractor without a record. Ask contractors for a service report each visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is refrigerant a scope 1 emission?

Yes. Leakage from owned or controlled cooling equipment is a fugitive emission and belongs in scope 1 under the GHG Protocol. Equipment you do not control, such as a landlord's chiller, may be scope 3 or excluded, depending on your boundary.

Which GWP values should I use?

Use the values required by your reporting framework. Many programmes still use IPCC AR4 or AR5 values, while others have moved to AR6. State the source in your report and keep the same set from year to year for comparability.

How do I handle blends like R-410A?

Use the published GWP for the blend, which is already weighted for its components. For example, R-410A is a blend of R-32 and R-125. Do not add the two components again.

Do I need to repair every leak?

That depends on local rules. Many regulations set leak rate thresholds that trigger repair and re-test for larger systems, and some require leak detection. Check your jurisdiction, and keep a record of each repair attempt either way.

If maintenance work orders in your ERP already record refrigerant top-ups, we can help extract them for scope 1 reporting.

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