HVAC software: F-gas records, maintenance and jobs

What HVAC software does

HVAC software manages air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump jobs, together with planned maintenance and F-gas records. It can hold job records, planned maintenance schedules, asset registers and F-gas logs in one system. For operators, the software provides a structured way to record work and equipment details. Job management covers reactive work and planned maintenance. Planned maintenance schedules set out recurring tasks and link them to the relevant equipment. Asset registers hold details of equipment and its associated records. F-gas logs hold refrigerant records for equipment within scope. Quotes and invoices can be linked to the same job record. This can reduce duplication between job administration and record keeping. For air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump work, the job record can include the equipment and the maintenance activity. Planned maintenance can be recorded as scheduled tasks and completed work. This gives a single view of the job and its records. The software can also hold documents relating to heat pump installs, including MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme paperwork where applicable. The records remain part of the operational file for the equipment and the job.

The software can bring job details, maintenance history and F-gas records together. A planned maintenance schedule can show recurring work and completed tasks. An asset register can hold the equipment record and the related job history. F-gas logs sit alongside the maintenance record for the same equipment. Quotes and invoices form part of job administration and can be linked to the job record. For heat pump installs, the job file may include MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme paperwork. This means the office record and the field record can refer to the same job. The software can hold the documents that relate to the work and the equipment. It can also hold the dates and details of planned maintenance tasks. The aim is a clear record of the job, the equipment and the maintenance activity. That record can be used when F-gas records, leak checks or paperwork need to be reviewed. The software does not replace the legal duties of the operator or the certification duties of the technician. It provides a place to keep the related records. The job record remains the point of reference for the related documents and tasks.

F-gas record rules

F-gas record rules apply to equipment holding 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent or more. Operators of such equipment must keep records and arrange leak checks. GOV.UK guidance states that those records must be kept for 5 years. The rules therefore link the equipment charge to two duties: record keeping and leak checking. The operator is responsible for the records and for arranging the leak checks. The records relate to the equipment and its refrigerant charge. Leak check frequency rises with the amount of refrigerant in the equipment. This means the check schedule is not the same for every system. The operator needs to know the charge and the applicable check frequency. The F-gas record is part of the operator's compliance record for the equipment. It is separate from the technician's certification, although both are part of the work. The record rule applies at the 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent threshold. Below that threshold, the specific record and leak check duties described here do not apply under the stated rule. Operators therefore need to establish whether the equipment meets the threshold and keep records accordingly.

Technicians handling F-gas need the relevant certification. That duty sits with the technician, while the record keeping and leak check arrangements sit with the operator. The two duties can meet in the same job: the technician carries out work on the equipment and the operator holds the F-gas record. The record must be kept for 5 years under GOV.UK guidance. The leak check frequency rises with the amount of refrigerant, so the operator's schedule depends on the charge. The 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent threshold determines whether the record and leak check rules apply. Heat pump installs may involve MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme paperwork in addition to F-gas records. HVAC software can hold the F-gas logs, leak check details and job records together. It can also hold the certification details for technicians and the paperwork for heat pump installs. The software is a record keeping tool. It does not remove the operator's duty to keep records for 5 years or to arrange leak checks. It does not remove the technician's duty to hold the relevant F-gas certification. Those duties remain with the operator and the technician respectively.

Domestic, commercial and refrigeration needs

HVAC software covers air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump work across domestic and commercial settings. The work differs by site and by equipment, so the software separates tasks that relate to installation, servicing, repair and record keeping. Domestic heat pump projects can involve MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme paperwork alongside the technical job record. Commercial air conditioning and refrigeration work can involve equipment registers, maintenance visits and refrigerant records. Refrigeration work can involve cold rooms, cabinets and plant equipment, while air conditioning work can involve comfort cooling for occupied buildings. F-gas records apply to equipment with 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent or more. Operators of such equipment must keep records and arrange leak checks, and GOV.UK guidance says those records must be kept for 5 years. Technicians handling F-gas need the relevant certification. The software can hold job details, certificates and paperwork in a shared place so that office and field staff work from the same information. The job record can link the site, the equipment and the work carried out. Different workflows reflect the different sites, equipment types and compliance duties, rather than a single process for every job.

Refrigeration needs differ from comfort cooling and from domestic heat pump work. Different workflows can have different stages, forms and evidence requirements. A refrigeration job can centre on cabinets, cold rooms or plant equipment and on the refrigerant record for the system. An air conditioning job can centre on occupied spaces, service visits and leak checks. A heat pump job can centre on installation evidence and scheme paperwork. Domestic work can involve handover information, and commercial work can involve planned maintenance and site access. HVAC software can model these as separate job types while sharing a common asset register and document store. The record for each job can link to the site, the equipment and the technician. Where F-gas applies, the software can hold the refrigerant record and the leak check history. Records must be kept for 5 years under GOV.UK guidance, so the software needs to retain them for that period. Technicians handling F-gas need the relevant certification, and the software can store certification details with the technician record. MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme paperwork can sit with the heat pump job. The aim is a clear audit trail for each workflow.

Asset registers and planned maintenance

An asset register gives HVAC software a structured record of the equipment that is installed, serviced and monitored. For F-gas equipment, the register can link the asset to the refrigerant record and to the leak check history. F-gas records apply to equipment with 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent or more. Leak check frequency rises with the amount of refrigerant, so the maintenance plan can reflect the equipment record rather than a single fixed schedule. The software can use the matrix to group assets by site, system or equipment type and to show the planned maintenance tasks for each group. The matrix can also show where a record is incomplete, such as a missing certification or a missing scheme document. Technicians handling F-gas need the relevant certification. Heat pump installs may involve MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme paperwork. The register can include the site, the equipment and the responsible operator. It can support planned maintenance visits and record completion. The asset register can hold these documents against the relevant asset or job so that planned maintenance and compliance checks use the same source.

Planned maintenance depends on a reliable asset list and a clear view of the tasks due. HVAC software can generate planned maintenance jobs from the asset register, then record the visit, the technician and the evidence. Where F-gas applies, the job record can include the leak check result and the refrigerant record. Records must be kept for 5 years under GOV.UK guidance, so the software needs to retain the maintenance and compliance history for that period. The matrix can provide a view of assets, tasks and records so that gaps are visible before a maintenance visit. It can also connect a heat pump install to MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme paperwork. Operators of equipment holding F-gas of 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent or more must keep records and arrange leak checks. Technicians handling F-gas need the relevant certification. The matrix can be filtered by site or equipment type, and it can show the next planned task for each asset. The result is a planned maintenance process that uses the asset register as its base and keeps job records, certificates and scheme documents together.

Heat pumps and new paperwork

HVAC software manages air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump jobs, planned maintenance and F-gas records. For heat pump work, the software can hold survey, design, installation, commissioning and handover records in one job file. Heat pump installs may involve MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme paperwork, and the software can store those documents against the relevant job. It can link scheme documents to dates, site details and customer records. A plumbing guide is the related resource for pipework and associated plumbing content, and the software can cross refer to that guide where a heat pump job includes plumbing work. The system can show outstanding documents and completed documents for office and field staff. It can keep a job history that includes maintenance visits and compliance records. The software does not replace scheme rules or certification requirements. It provides a structured record for the business. For equipment holding F-gas of 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent or more, the software can hold records required under GOV.UK guidance, and those records must be kept for 5 years. It can also flag leak check dates where the amount of refrigerant sets the frequency.

MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme paperwork may be required for heat pump installs. The software can store certificates, declarations and customer details against the job. It can track document status and revisions. It can produce an audit trail for scheme documents and maintenance records. The link to the plumbing guide supports cross referencing of plumbing work within a heat pump job. The software can manage planned maintenance and F-gas records for equipment holding 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent or more. GOV.UK guidance says those records must be kept for 5 years. Leak check frequency rises with the amount of refrigerant. Technicians handling F-gas need the relevant certification. The software can flag certification and record checks. It can keep job history with compliance documents. The business can review the job file before handover. The software can show which scheme documents are present and which are outstanding. It can hold maintenance schedules and service visits in the same record. The record can be available to office and field staff. It can record dates for document issue and receipt. Job notes can refer to the plumbing guide where pipework is part of the installation.

Trial checklist

A trial checklist for HVAC software can follow the list of compliance and job checks. The checklist can confirm that the software holds F-gas records for equipment with 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent or more. It can confirm that records are kept for 5 years in line with GOV.UK guidance. It can check that leak check dates are linked to the amount of refrigerant, because leak check frequency rises with the amount of refrigerant. It can check that technician certification is recorded for staff handling F-gas. It can check that planned maintenance jobs and reactive jobs are held in one system. It can check that heat pump jobs can store MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme paperwork where those schemes apply. It can check that the plumbing guide is linked as a related resource for plumbing content. The checklist can record the result of each check. The trial can show whether job records, compliance documents and maintenance schedules are available to office and field staff. It can check that the job file shows outstanding documents and completed documents. The checklist can cover both heat pump work and F-gas equipment.

The checklist can also cover the link to the plumbing guide and the records that support heat pump paperwork. It can confirm that MCS and Boiler Upgrade Scheme documents are stored against the relevant job. It can confirm that document status and revisions are visible in the job file. It can confirm that the software can produce an audit trail for scheme documents and maintenance records. It can confirm that F-gas records include the equipment holding 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent or more. It can confirm that records are retained for 5 years as stated in GOV.UK guidance. It can confirm that leak check frequency is linked to the amount of refrigerant. It can confirm that technician certification is held for F-gas work. It can confirm that planned maintenance visits and service records sit with the job history. It can confirm that the plumbing guide is available as a related resource where pipework is part of a heat pump installation. The checklist can be used in a trial to compare the software against the required records. The result can show which items are present and which are outstanding.

Pricing, contracts and switching

Pricing for HVAC software can be structured around per user access, with implementation costs charged separately for configuration, data migration, integration and training. Per user pricing may vary by role, module or access level, and implementation work may be quoted as a one off project or included in a subscription arrangement. Buyers can request a breakdown that separates recurring subscription charges from one off implementation charges, so that costs can be compared on a like for like basis. Other commercial terms can include support, updates, hosting, additional modules and charges for extra users. The pricing model affects how costs change as the number of technicians, administrators or contractors using the system grows. Contract terms can set out the subscription period, renewal process, user tiers, service levels, support arrangements and exit provisions. Because HVAC software holds maintenance histories and F-gas records, contracts can also address data ownership, export formats and record retention. F-gas record obligations apply to equipment at or above 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent, and GOV.UK guidance states that records must be kept for 5 years. Contract terms can reflect those retention needs without prescribing specific prices.

Switching from one HVAC software system to another involves more than a change of subscription. The move can include exporting equipment lists, maintenance plans, job histories, certificates and F-gas records from the existing system, then mapping and importing them into the new system. Parallel running may be used for a period so that planned maintenance visits, leak checks and job records continue without interruption. The contract can define migration responsibilities, data formats, acceptance checks and arrangements for correcting incomplete or inconsistent records. Exit terms can cover the return or deletion of data, continued access for a defined period and support for a final export. Per user pricing and implementation scope can affect the total cost of switching, particularly where additional users, modules, integrations or training are required. A structured comparison can include recurring charges, implementation work, contract length, exit terms, data portability and record retention. Decision guides linked from this article can support that comparison by setting out questions on user numbers, implementation scope, contract terms and migration planning. The aim is a clear record of what is included, what changes over the contract and how records will be transferred or retained.

Frequently asked questions

When are F-gas records required?

For equipment containing F-gas of 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent or more.

How long must F-gas records be kept?

5 years, according to GOV.UK guidance.

Who keeps F-gas records?

The equipment operator, usually with entries made by the servicing technician.

Does HVAC software handle planned maintenance?

Most HVAC platforms schedule recurring PPM visits by site and contract.

Do heat pump installs need extra paperwork?

Often yes, including MCS documentation where a Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is claimed.