HVAC Training And Jobs

About HVAC Installers

HVAC is an acronym that stands for "heating, ventilating, and air conditioning". The term is nearly synonymous with climate control and applies to all types of structures where humidity and temperature must be closely regulated and safe and healthy conditions maintained. Included in this large list are homes, office buildings, retail establishments, hospitals, and factories. Refrigeration is generally accepted as an addition element encompassed by the term, and is sometimes reflected by the alternate abbreviation HVACR (R standing for "refrigeration").

HVAC Mechanics are responsible for installing and/or maintaining the wide array of mechanical, electrical and electronic components that comprise an HVAC system. Using special tools and equipment, the mechanic needs to be able to maintain, diagnose and correct problems that may occur throughout the entire system. Mechanics often specialize in either installation or maintenance and repair, although most of them are trained to do both. Many of them specialize in a singular element of HVAC (e.g., heating work or air-conditioning) or in one type of equipment (e.g., solar panels, commercial refrigeration, or water-based heating systems). Despite their specializations, mechanics are trained to install and service both residential and commercial systems. Mechanics typically work independently, but depending on the job, may work with others, including sheet metal workers and/or electricians. Larger projects tend to require a greater variety of workers to cover the various specialties of the system.

HVAC Mechanic Responsibilities

The installation of an HVAC system is usually started via the process of following blueprints or other specifications. Once the equipment has been put in place, the mechanic will install the fuel and water supply lines, pumps, air ducts, vents, motors, compressors, condensing units, evaporators, piping, and other system components. In many cases, the mechanic will be the one who connects the electrical wiring and fixtures as well. For refrigeration systems, mechanics will also charge the system with refrigerant. Once installed, the unit needs to be checked for proper operation. Mechanics do this by using test equipment such as oxygen testers, carbon dioxide testers, carbon monoxide testers, and combustion analyzers. Successful testing ensures that the system will operate safely and at peak efficiency.

Post-installation, mechanics often perform routine maintenance and repair work to keep the systems operating efficiently. During the summer, when heating systems are not being used, mechanics perform maintenance work such as replacing filters, ducts, and other parts of the system that build up dust and impurities during the operating season. Similarly, air-conditioning mechanics will perform their inspection and maintenance work (e.g., overhauling compressors) in the winter months.

HVAC mechanics are proficient at the use of a wide variety of tools to check and troubleshoot things like airflow, refrigerant pressure, electrical circuits, burners, and other functional elements of a system. Some of the more common tools they use include hammers, wrenches, electric drills, metal snips, pipe cutters and benders, measurement gauges, thermometers, pressure gauges, voltmeters, manometers, and acetylene torches.

There is no "typical" work setting for an HVAC mechanic. Their work takes them anywhere there is climate-control equipment that needs to be installed, serviced, or repaired. They can work in homes, hospitals, office buildings, retail establishments, and factories. They are often subject to uncomfortable working conditions, needing to work outside in cold or hot weather, or indoors in buildings whose air-conditioning is not functioning in the summertime or whose heating equipment is broken in winter. They are also subject to hazards such as electrical shock, burns, muscle strains, and injuries caused by the handling of heavy equipment. Contact with or inhalation of toxic refrigerants is also a concern, despite the availability of appropriate safety equipment.

Most mechanics work at least a 40-hour week. During peak seasons, they can expect to work irregular hours with a high probability of overtime. Those who perform mostly maintenance work are generally on call and often work evening or weekend shifts. Employers who service both heating and air-conditioning equipment tend to provide stable work throughout the year. The proliferation of year-round service contracts keeps mechanics busy at all times of the year by the judicious scheduling of both installation and maintenance work.

Courtesy and tact are important traits for HVAC mechanics, who frequently deal directly with the public and often interface with workers in the construction trades. Mechanics should also be in good physical condition so that they can lift and move heavy equipment. Knowledge of plumbing and a basic understanding of electronics are becoming increasingly important, especially as the use of electronics is becoming more widespread in equipment controls.

Employment Outlook

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (USDL BLS), employment of HVAC mechanics is projected to increase at about the same rate as the average for all occupations over the upcoming decade. Job growth in this field will reflect a general growth in population and stock of buildings over this timespan. A contributing factor to the anticipated job growth is the increased complexity of HVAC systems, which is expected to result in more system malfunctions, thereby creating increased opportunities for service mechanics.

More factors which should lead to wider demand for HVAC mechanics include the following:

• A increased emphasis on improving indoor air quality;
• A widespread increase in use of refrigerated equipment by a growing number of establishments;
• An emphasis on better energy management which will lead to the replacement of older systems with newer, more efficient systems;
• Awareness and concern for the environment which will result in the development of new energy-saving heating and air-conditioning systems;
• Regulations prohibiting older types of polluting refrigerants will lead to a need to replace many existing air conditioning systems or to modify them to use new environmentally-safe refrigerants.

Job opportunities should generally be best in the fastest-growing areas of the country. Employment in maintenance and repair work is expected to remain relatively stable, whereas mechanics who specialize in installation work may find their work more sporadic and subject to fluctuations in the changing levels of new construction activity.

HVAC Training, Certification, and Licensing

Although there continue to be mechanics who learn their trade informally on the job, most employers prefer to hire those who have completed formal training and/or an apprenticeship. The U.S. Armed Forces, as well as many junior/community colleges and technical/trade schools, offers 6-month to 2-year programs in heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration. Three agencies have set academic standards for accrediting HVAC educational programs: the National Center for Construction Education and Research; HVAC Excellence; and the Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Accreditation. Completion of these programs along with several additional months of field experience is usually needed to establish proficiency in the trade.

Formal apprenticeship programs, frequently sponsored by local chapters of associations and trade unions, normally last three to five years and combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Applicants for apprenticeships must possess a high school diploma or equivalent. Classes cover subjects such as safety practices, blueprint reading, proper care and use of tools, and the theory and design of HVAC systems. Mechanics also learn about refrigerant products and the regulations that govern their handling and use. Apprenticeship programs are usually a pathway to certification and licensure.

Some states and localities require HVAC mechanics and installers to be licensed. Requirements for licensure vary widely but always include passing some type of test, the contents of which vary by state or locality. Another common requirement for licensure is completion of a formal apprenticeship program or two-to-five years of experience. In addition, those whose job requires working with refrigerants must be certified in their proper handling. Certification for purchasing and handling refrigerants requires mechanics to pass a written examination specific to the type of work in which they specialize.

Resources for HVAC Mechanics

• Air-Conditioning Contractors of America
• Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute
• Home Builders Institute, National Association of Home Builders
• HVAC Excellence
• Refrigeration Service Engineers Society
• United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry
• North American Technician Excellence
• Carbon Monoxide Safety Association
• Mechanical Service Contractors of America
• National Center for Construction Education and Research
• Sheet Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors National Association
• The Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation (PAHRA)

Major Employers of HVAC Mechanics

More than half of all HVAC mechanics work are employed by plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors. Many others work for fuel oil dealers, stores that sell heating and air-conditioning systems, and refrigeration and air-conditioning schools and repair shops. The rest work in a variety of industries dependent on climate-control systems including hospitals, office buildings, and Federal and local government agencies. About one of every eight HVAC mechanics is self-employed.

Schools for HVAC Installers are listed in the column to the left.

The Top Cities tab shows employment statistics for HVAC Installers by major metro area.

The Top Industries tab shows which industries have the most jobs for HVAC Installers, along with salary data by industry.

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