Certification
What is F-Gas certification and why does it matter for air conditioning?
3 min read · updated 2026-07-06 · Reviewed for accuracy before publishing
F-Gas certification is the legal licence to work on the refrigerant circuit of an air conditioning system. The gas sealed inside is a fluorinated greenhouse gas — a strictly controlled substance — so UK law restricts installing, servicing, repairing and decommissioning that circuit to certified companies and qualified engineers. It isn't a badge of excellence; it's the legal minimum. Anyone offering to install or 'regas' air conditioning without it is breaking the law, and usually cutting other corners too. CFM Cooling is F-Gas certified under ref 1021416 — ask to see the certificate, from us or from anyone else you're considering.
Why the law cares about a sealed circuit
Refrigerants are potent climate gases — kilo for kilo, far more damaging in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. So the regulations control who may open the circuit, how leaks are found and fixed, and what happens to the gas when a system is worked on or scrapped. Venting refrigerant to the air is illegal: when a circuit has to be opened, the gas must be recovered into a cylinder by a certified engineer, not released and shrugged off.
What a certified company does differently
The visible differences on your job: pressure-testing the pipework and pulling a proper vacuum before any refrigerant goes in, so the install is leak-tight from day one; recovering gas rather than venting whenever the circuit is opened; weighing refrigerant in and out; and keeping records — larger commercial systems legally require a leak-check log. The difference you feel later: a leak-tight system holds its charge and its performance for years, instead of quietly losing both while your electricity bill covers the gap.
Red flags when you're hiring
No certificate produced when you ask — walk away; a legitimate company shows it without hesitation. 'Regas special' vans — a healthy system never needs topping up, because the circuit is sealed; if it's low, it's leaking, and the fix is finding the leak, not selling you the same gas every summer. And quotes with no survey and no mention of pressure testing or commissioning — that's the paperwork of a job done properly, and its absence tells you how the job will go.
CFM Cooling's engineers install, service and repair air conditioning and refrigeration across Essex and Suffolk. Guides are written from real jobs, not brochures — F-Gas certified (ref 1021416).