What is the recommended method for venting entrapped refrigerant in a space during repairs?

• A. Uncontrolled vent to outdoors
• B. Controlled ventilation with proper exhaust to outdoors, ensuring fresh air supply and no re-entrainment
• C. Vent into adjacent room
• D. Seal room and wait

Answer: (B)

When you’re dealing with flammable refrigerant vapors during repairs, the space must be ventilated in a controlled way to remove the gas safely. The best method is to vent with proper outdoor exhaust while supplying fresh outdoor air to the room, and you must prevent the exhausted air from re-entering the space. This reduces the concentration of flammable or asphyxiating vapors and keeps the area safe for workers.

If venting is uncontrolled to outdoors, you can still end up with pockets of vapor near the building, or have exhausted air pull vapor back into the space or into other areas, creating risk. Venting into an adjacent room simply shifts the hazard rather than removing it. Sealing the room and waiting lets the gas linger and can lead to dangerous concentrations. So, controlled outdoor exhaust with continuous fresh-air supply and no re-entrainment is the correct approach.