Certification website: Section 608 EPA Certification (escogroup.org)
More information can be found here.
HVAC/EPA Section 608 Certification
Credential Summary:
For working on stationary HVACR equipment. Section 608 of the Federal Clean Air Act requires all persons who maintain, service, repair or dispose of appliances containing ozone depleting refrigerants be certified in proper refrigerant handling techniques.
Overview:
• Related Instructional Hours: No requirement
• Exam details: EPA Section 608 exam
• Third party testing provider: Proctor U
• Exam cost: $85
• Renewal details: Certification does not expire; renewal not required
Job Opportunities:
• Relevant SOC codes
o Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 49-9021
o Home Appliance Repairers 49-9031
o Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 49-9071
• Demand Information
o Average flame ranking = 3.58/5
• Average Wages
o Ranges from $43,000 (20.67 per hour) to $56,120 (26.98 per hour)
(Average wages pulled as of October 2023)
Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies:
• Federal Regulations
• Format Vapor-Compression
• Refrigeration Cycle
• How to Use the Pressure-Temperature Chart Refrigeration Service Gauge
• Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
• Global Warming
• Potential Refrigerant Characteristics & Identification
• Bubble and Dew Points
• Low, Medium, High, and Very High- Pressure Refrigerant Oils
• Montreal Protocol and Clean Air Act Recovery
• Recovery Devices
• Leak Detection
• Dehydration Safety/General Safety/Cylinder Shipping
• Refrigerant Characteristics Chart
• Recovery Equipment
• Recovery Requirements
• Recovery Techniques Safety
• System Classifications
• Determining System Charge
• Leak Repair Requirements
• Leak Repair Time Frames
• Section 608 Leak Repair Regulations
• Record Keeping
• Leak Detection Recovery Techniques: Before You Recover
• Recovery Techniques: Enhancing the Process
• Recovery Techniques: Required Evacuation Levels During Recovery
• Refrigeration System Liquid-Line Accessories Refrigeration System Suction Line and Compressor Accessories
• System Evacuation System
• Charging and the Pressure-Temperature Chart Leak Detection
• Recharging Techniques
• Safety Saturation Chart
Post Secondary Relevance:
• Next level programs of study
o Principles of HVAC
o HVAC Fundamentals
o HVAC Service