For a solo HVAC technician, the refrigerant cylinders in your truck represent both your ability to complete jobs and a significant amount of tied-up capital. Carrying too much means cash sitting in your van instead of your bank account. Carrying too little means driving to the supply house mid-job, burning time and fuel while a client waits. Getting the balance right — and keeping accurate records — directly impacts your profitability and compliance standing.
What to Stock and How Much
The refrigerants you carry should reflect the systems you actually service. Analyze your last three to six months of service calls to identify your high-volume types.
The Core Inventory for Most Solo Techs
For residential and light commercial work in 2026, most technicians need:
- R-410A — Still dominant in systems installed between 2010 and 2024. Carry at least one full 25-pound cylinder and one partial for topping off.
- R-22 (reclaimed) — Needed for older systems still in service. Carry a 30-pound cylinder if you regularly service pre-2010 equipment.
- R-454B — The primary R-410A replacement in new equipment. As the installed base grows, stock accordingly. Start with one 25-pound cylinder.
- R-32 — Used in some mini-split and VRF systems. Carry a cylinder if you service these regularly.
Always carry at least two empty recovery cylinders rated for the refrigerant types you handle. Running out of recovery capacity mid-job means you cannot legally complete a removal.
Avoiding Overstock
Refrigerant does not expire, but overstocking ties up capital, adds vehicle weight, increases theft risk, and exposes you to value changes from regulatory shifts. Carry enough for three to five typical service calls without resupply, and review stock levels weekly.
Weight Tracking: The Foundation of Good Inventory
Knowing exactly how much refrigerant is in each cylinder prevents two costly problems: running short during a job and losing track of refrigerant for compliance purposes.
Why Estimates Fall Short
Many technicians eyeball cylinder weight by lifting or checking pressure gauges. Pressure varies with temperature, and your sense of weight is imprecise after handling cylinders all day. A cylinder you thought had 8 pounds might have 3 — and you will not discover the gap until you are mid-charge on a rooftop.
Practical Tracking Methods
- Weigh cylinders after every job using a refrigerant scale. Record the weight immediately — not at the end of the day.
- Record the amount added or recovered for each service call. This feeds both your EPA logs and inventory records simultaneously.
- Track by individual cylinder, not just by refrigerant type. Knowing the weight of each partial cylinder lets you grab the right one for the job.
FieldPad’s cylinder management lets you log weights from the field, scan cylinder markings with OCR to auto-populate data, and see total stock by refrigerant type instantly.
Preventing Cross-Contamination
Mixing even small amounts of incompatible refrigerants ruins the entire batch and can damage equipment. A contaminated recovery cylinder must be destroyed at significant cost.
Segregation Best Practices
- Color-code cylinders and storage areas so you can visually verify the correct cylinder before connecting.
- Use dedicated hose sets for each refrigerant type, or thoroughly evacuate hoses between types.
- Label recovery cylinders clearly with the refrigerant type and date of first recovery. Never recover a different type into a cylinder that already contains material.
- Store A2L refrigerants separately from non-flammable types in well-ventilated areas of your vehicle.
If you suspect contamination, use a refrigerant identifier to test. If confirmed, label the cylinder as mixed/contaminated immediately and arrange proper disposal through your supplier or a certified reclamation facility.
Cost Management and Smart Purchasing
Refrigerant is one of your largest variable costs. Managing it well protects your margins.
- Track wholesale prices across multiple suppliers. Costs peak in summer when demand is highest.
- Buy in bulk only for high-use types. A pallet discount saves money only if you will use the stock within a reasonable timeframe.
- Build supplier relationships. Consistent volume earns better pricing and priority service.
- Monitor reclaimed R-22 pricing carefully. Prices swing dramatically; a supply arrangement with a reclamation provider can stabilize your costs.
- Invoice every pound accurately. If you estimate “about 3 pounds” but actually used 4.5, you just gave away 1.5 pounds. Accurate weight tracking ensures every pound is billed.
EPA Documentation and Chain-of-Custody
EPA regulations require records of refrigerant purchases, usage, recovery, and disposition. For solo technicians, this paperwork falls behind fast if it is not part of your daily workflow.
What You Must Track
- Purchases: date, quantity, type, and supplier for every acquisition
- Usage: amount added to each system, tied to the specific service call and equipment
- Recovery: amount recovered from each system and its disposition
- Disposition: where recovered refrigerant goes — returned to supplier, sent for reclamation, or destroyed
Making Compliance Routine
The most effective approach is to log refrigerant data at the time of service, not retroactively. FieldPad ties refrigerant usage directly to service records, equipment profiles, and compliance logs. When you log a charge on a job, the cylinder inventory updates, the equipment’s refrigerant history updates, and the compliance trail is created — all from a single entry. This eliminates after-hours paperwork and the risk of compliance gaps before an audit.
Key Takeaways
- Stock based on your actual service mix — analyze recent jobs to determine which refrigerants and quantities you need.
- Weigh cylinders after every job and record weights immediately.
- Prevent cross-contamination through color-coding, dedicated hoses, and clear labeling.
- Carry at least two empty recovery cylinders rated for the refrigerants you handle.
- Track wholesale pricing and buy strategically to manage your largest variable cost.
- Invoice every pound of refrigerant — accurate weight tracking prevents giving away product.
- Log refrigerant data at the time of service to make EPA compliance automatic.
- Use digital inventory tools like FieldPad to eliminate tracking errors and maintain real-time stock visibility.
Sources & Further Reading
- EPA Section 608 — EPA regulations requiring refrigerant purchase, usage, and disposition documentation
