Quick answer: EPA defines two ways to calculate a refrigeration or AC appliance's leak rate: the annualizing method and the rolling average method, both set out in 40 CFR 84.106 and 82.152. Enter your charge size and refrigerant added below to get a leak rate percentage, see whether it exceeds the threshold for your equipment type, and what that triggers under federal rules.
Pick the calculation method EPA defines for your situation, enter the charge and refrigerant added, and choose the equipment type to check against the correct threshold.
This tool calculates the leak rate exactly as EPA defines it and reports the stated threshold and repair window for the equipment type you selected. It does not know your specific refrigerant, jurisdiction or inspection history. This tool is general information, not legal advice.
Both methods are set out in the appliance leak rate definitions at 40 CFR 84.102 (AIM Act, Subpart C) and the equivalent long-standing definitions at 40 CFR 82.152 (Section 608).
| Method | Formula | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Annualizing method | (lb added ÷ full charge) × (365 ÷ days since last addition, capped at 365) × 100 | You have one recent addition and want to project it to an annual rate |
| Rolling average method | (lb added over the trailing 365 days ÷ full charge) × 100 | You have a full year of addition records, or data since the last verified repair |
Source: 40 CFR 84.102 (definitions, "Leak rate"), 40 CFR 82.152 (definitions, Section 608), verified 9 Oct 2026.
The threshold depends on equipment type. Crossing it starts a repair clock under federal rule.
| Equipment type | Leak rate threshold | Repair window once exceeded |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort cooling and all other appliances | 10% | 30 days |
| Commercial refrigeration | 20% | 30 days |
| Industrial process refrigeration | 30% | 30 days (120 days if an industrial process shutdown is required) |
Two rules can apply depending on the refrigerant and charge size. Under the AIM Act (40 CFR 84.106), leak repair duties apply to appliances with a full charge of 15 lb or more of a regulated substance, or a substitute with a GWP above 53, as of 1 Jan 2026. Under the older Section 608 program (40 CFR 82.157), the same duties apply at a 50 lb full charge for any regulated refrigerant or substitute, regardless of GWP. Records of each calculation are kept at least 3 years.
The annualizing method projects a short period forward to a full year. A small addition made only a few weeks after installation can annualize to a high rate even though the actual yearly loss may turn out lower once more data exists. The rolling average method, calculated once a full year of records exists, gives a steadier picture.
The AIM Act's 40 CFR 84.106 applies at a 15 lb full charge for HFCs and other substitutes with a GWP above 53, in force from 1 Jan 2026. Section 608's 40 CFR 82.157 applies at a 50 lb full charge for any regulated substance or substitute, GWP aside. Many systems are covered by both; the lower threshold generally governs first.
The owner or operator must repair the leak, generally within 30 days of the calculation that found the exceedance, or within 120 days if an industrial process shutdown is required to make the repair. A follow-up verification test confirms the repair held.
No. It runs the same arithmetic EPA defines so you can sanity-check a number quickly. Keep your own dated records of every addition, each leak rate calculation and every repair for at least 3 years, as the rule requires.
If every tank, every addition and every repair deadline is tracked in a spreadsheet, a compliance system can hold the refrigerant log, the repair clock and the records together in one place, built around how your team actually works. Brixx Digital builds these systems; that is us.
