Identifying a leak as quickly as possible is absolutely vital, as exposure to such gases can be extremely harmful, with symptoms ranging from irritation of the throat, eyes and skin to frostbite, chemical burns and even lung or brain damage. Meanwhile, the Carbon Trust estimates that a leak of 1kg of refrigerant gas can have the same impact as a van driving continuously for approximately 10,000 miles. For businesses, gas leaks also lead to spiralling energy costs. Refrigerant gas leaks are the foremost contributor to energy loss in modern heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, because when a leak occurs the system has to work harder to maintain the temperature, using more costly energy. While being highly valuable assets, there are a number of safety concerns with HVAC and refrigeration units. The primary issue is with gas leaks. According to The Carbon Trust, refrigeration systems within the UK have an average annual leak rate of up to 20%. With 60% of leaked gas escaping before detection, this poses a serious risk to personnel. Some refrigeration gases are toxic while the flammable nature of some class A_2L refrigerants means leaks present a threat of ignition.
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