Heat pump: is maintenance and a logbook mandatory?

More and more homes and businesses are getting a heat pump. And with that comes the question: do I have to maintain it, and do I have to keep a logbook for it? The short answer: that depends on your refrigerant and the quantity. Below we explain what exactly it depends on — and how to work it out yourself.

Maintenance and a logbook are two different things

They are two separate matters that often get lumped together:

• Maintenance keeps your heat pump clean, economical and reliable. It is good for your efficiency and service life, and manufacturers often tie their warranty to it — but it is not a legal obligation for every heat pump.
• The logbook is the legally required F-gas record-keeping: a file with your refrigerant, the leak checks carried out and every change. That obligation is tied to a clear threshold.

The rest of this article is mainly about the second one: the logbook obligation.

When is a heat pump subject to the logbook obligation?

The limit is 5 tonnes CO₂ equivalent per installation. You work that out like this: charge in kilograms × the GWP of the refrigerant. If you come out above 5 tonnes, a periodic leak check and an installation logbook apply.

What that means depends heavily on your refrigerant:

• Propane (R-290), GWP 3 — a natural refrigerant; you practically never reach the 5-tonne limit.
• R-32, GWP 675 — only subject to the logbook obligation from around 7 kg of charge. A typical domestic heat pump with a few kilos is well below that.
• R-410A, GWP 2,088 — already subject to the logbook obligation at around 2.4 kg. Three kilos of R-410A, for example, is 6.3 tonnes CO₂ equivalent, well above the limit.

Note two things: for hermetically sealed systems a higher limit applies (from 10 tonnes CO₂ equivalent), and the charge on the nameplate is what counts — not a rule of thumb. Want certainty for a specific installation? The logbook-obligation check works it out for you in two minutes.

How often does the leak check have to happen?

If you are above the limit, the check frequency scales with the size:

• from 5 tonnes CO₂ equivalent: annually;
• from 50 tonnes: every six months;
• from 500 tonnes: a fixed leak detection system, in addition to the six-monthly check.

An approved leak detection system can halve the required frequency. The full explanation, including worked examples per refrigerant, is in F-gas leak checks: how often are they mandatory?.

What goes in the logbook?

For an installation subject to the logbook obligation you record, per installation:

• the refrigerant type and the total charge;
• every leak check, with date and outcome;
• every change — topping up or recovery — with quantity;
• who did the work, with their F-gas certificate.

You keep that record for at least five years, even after the installation has been removed.

And if my heat pump is not subject to the logbook obligation?

Then the statutory F-gas logbook obligation falls away — but two things still apply:

• Maintenance still pays off. A clean, well-adjusted heat pump consumes less and lasts longer, and your warranty often depends on it.
• You cannot simply top it up. As soon as refrigerant needs to be added, that has to be done by someone with a valid F-gas personal certificate — and you still record that operation.

Do you work as an installer yourself? Then your own work order and refrigerant records remain relevant in any case for BRL 100 and STEK, regardless of whether the customer is subject to the logbook obligation.

How Koldwerk handles this for you

Per installation you record the refrigerant and the charge; Koldwerk calculates the CO₂ equivalent and immediately shows whether the installation is subject to the logbook and leak-check obligations. The installation management module schedules the leak checks at the correct frequency, the refrigerant module keeps the balance adding up, and the reports module delivers the logbook audit-ready. What that costs is on /prijzen.

Further reading

• F-gas leak checks: how often are they mandatory? — thresholds and frequency worked out.
• GWP values of refrigerants — the table behind every CO₂ equivalent calculation.
• Natural refrigerants: R-290 for heat pumps — a future-proof alternative beyond the phase-down.
• F-gas logbook: what needs to be in it? — the complete list of fields per installation.
• Work out your situation with the logbook-obligation check.
• European F-gas Regulation 2024/573 — the rules behind the thresholds.
• Applying for an F-gas certificate — what your technician and your company need.
• Refrigerant balance: a practical guide.

Disclaimer: thresholds and rules can change, and the exact charge and the type of refrigerant determine your situation. The logbook-obligation check gives an indication, not a legal judgement. If in doubt, consult the F-gas Regulation or your certification body.