Keeping the HVAC/R Support Network Safe and Compliant During the COVID-19 Pandemic

1. Installs – you will need to record all the needed data about the appliance, and anything 5# an over should be documented. If you live in Southern California, it needs to be registered with the county. If you live in California (and soon other states), you might need to register it with state officials.  Make sure the install data is complete and get the date right since the date sets the clock for the compliance tracking.
2. Shutdowns or Mothballing – if you are shutting something down, then it is important for you to record what you do with the gas as well as all the operating parameters at time of shutdown ( we call these vital stats).  Also when you go to start things up, you might need more refrigerant, and later the new additions will need to be documented properly. These additions will likely be related to a leak, and leaks can be harder to find on shutdown systems.
3. Retrofits – usually part of planned maintenance. You might find yourself changing refrigerant since the gas you are using is obsolete, or it is just leaking too much (this is a story for a later date). *Special Note: There is a worst case scenario here. If you had a leaky system and you determined that the system needed a retrofit, and the retrofit was scheduled for any time during the virus, then you are obligated to retrofit as scheduled OR you must notify the EPA about the cause for the delay. Make absolutely sure to send the letter and call us if you need any help with this.
4. Leak Inspections – a key component to any preventative maintenance program, and also a REQUIREMENT that must take place periodically. If you live in California, then the clock resets about every 90 days (not quarterly). The regulations remain in full effect during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, so be aware of which sites are on target and which are not. If you missed a leak inspection in March due to the change caused by COVID-19 and April is not looking any better, then you will need to communicate that to your client and let them make the decision about the best way to cope/plan for the repercussions.
5. Service where refrigerant is needed or the AC/refrigeration circuit is opened – this is the most basic of needs and our best practices guide can act as a friendly reminder of the things you need to record. It is easy to forget when times are this stressful!

The Refrigerant Geeks Understand   

There is a high likelihood that COVID-19 will result in deferred maintenance due to the limitations in resources (people and materials), unusual needs, and in some cases layoffs that were caused by the virus, are very high. The outcome will likely lead to higher leaks, poor performance, and in some cases early retirement of equipment due to failure. This will impact your company’s environmental footprint, and may delay some corporate sustainability initiatives.

In this industry, the business as usual process is to get an invoice paper and to document the activity, and then issue an invoice. Now, it doesn’t have to be that way because almost everyone has access to a smart phone and the smart phone can replace most if not all of the documentation process, relieving the need for potential virus ridden paperwork to travel between potentially contaminated people.

In a day and age where we are all being asked to “do what we can” to slow the spread of this virus, we need to remember that Paper Based Systems are in the Past and there is a better way to do our jobs that’s simple, easy and in most cases doesn’t require us to buy anything, all you need is a smart phone – nothing fancy just a phone that’s 2014 or later. If you don’t have a smart phone we can still help, click here and follow the directions.
 

The Refrigerant Geeks are Doers

From our earliest days, we have always believed that you do your job and don’t complain, you focus on the work and goal at hand when it comes to refrigerant tracking. With that mindset, we are relaunching the ECOTEC program and launching a Digital Refrigerant Journal called Trakref Pro. Trakref Pro is free – no strings attached. You can look up more about the product on the web site, but here is what you need to know:

1. Sign up with an email (its in the link).
2. We will send you an excel sheet, enter the names of the locations where you work to the sheet.
3. Send the sheet back to us via email and we will upload the locations to your Trakref Pro account.
4. After the sites are all activated, we will send you your log in (usually takes 1-2 days).

The product will remain FREE until the virus is under control, and the sooner the better is what my accounting people are telling me. Each month on the first, if our kids are not in school then no bill for that month.

Every one of us will be impacted in some way by this awful virus.  At Trakref, we are a team of dedicated, seasoned, and caring people. Many of us came from the field services industry, and we want to do our part. The app will help you cut down on the paperwork, reduce the potential for spreading the virus and together we hope to be a productive part of your teams success in slowing the spread of this COVID-19 pandemic.

And if you want to up your game and have all the bells and whistles of Trakref, get in touch with us. We’re a software corporation that has been in the regulatory compliance software and environment compliance calendar software space for years. As an environmental software provider, we make sure our refrigerant capabilities will keep you sustainable and in compliance, as well as help with ESG reporting and answering sustainability audit questions. Get in touch with a Refrigerant Geek today. 

Keep your HVAV/R support network safe and compliant with Trakref Pro: Digital Refrigerant Journal

The challenges of running a business in the HVAC/R industry are becoming more complex due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You need a solution that works as hard as you do to keep your network safe and compliant.