Before testing your knowledge of the different types of appliances, you need to pass the Core Section of your EPA 608 exam. The core section of this test discusses the purpose behind industry regulations and each technician’s responsibility to generate an environmentally safe result. The core exam section contains a variety of topics, including a focus on ozone depletion, the value and risks of refrigerants, the three R’s (recover, recycle, reclaim), safe practices, recovery techniques, and more.
Available online in an open-book format, the Type I EPA 608 certification enables you to service smaller appliances. This section includes proper recovery techniques and industry requirements for small appliances, including recovery in equipment made before and after November 15, 1993. Before you can service these smaller appliances, you must take the Core Section test. Although the test is open-book, if you want certifications beyond Type I, you must take the test in a proctored environment.
This EPA certification enables you to service or dispose of medium to very-high-pressure appliances, except in applications such as small appliances or air conditioners within motor vehicles. The education and training focuses more on leak detection and properly testing equipment. Type II also focuses on recovery techniques and requirements to minimize loss or cross-contamination.
The proper servicing and disposal of low-pressure appliances require Type III certification. This exam is different from Type II in that low-pressure systems work in a vacuum. Therefore, leak tests and proper pressurization are crucial components of low-pressure HVAC services.
A technician who completes and passes all three certification exams receives a Universal Certification. You are tested on each of the three certification types in addition to the core exam. Expect to answer 100 questions in total.
