AHAM: guidance for safe servicing Non-HFC Refrigerants

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AHAM, the North American Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, develops guidance for Safe Servicing of Appliances with Non-HFC Refrigerants. The home appliance industry, in fact, is living the transitioning phase to the use of non-HFC refrigerants in refrigerators, freezers, ice makers, beverage coolers, room and portable air conditioners, and dehumidifiers. The Association guidance is intended to train the service personnel to follow certain safety procedures when performing maintenance and repairs on these products. The home appliance industry has already begun producing appliances that utilize these newer refrigerants, which have a lower global warming potential. However, they also are flammable, which is why the new procedures are necessary.
AHAM has developed Safe Servicing of Household Appliances with Flammable Refrigerants: Recommended Practices to assist manufacturers and service personnel with adopting the proper safety procedures and precautions necessary to mitigate the potential hazards related to the higher flammability of the new refrigerants. The document includes guidance for a pre-service safety check, leak detection and coolant-line repair, recharge and replacement of refrigerants, refrigerant removal, and post-service procedures.