The components of which this system is made up of are motors, compressors, pumps, fans, ducts, pipes, thermostats, and many more components. This system may dysfunction at any point of time, so you need a technician to diagnose, maintain, and correct the problem in the system. HVAC technicians mainly specialize either in installing or maintenance and repair, but they are providing the training in both fields. You can specialize in one type of equipment-for example, hydronics (water-based heating systems), solar panels, or commercial refrigeration. They even attempt to vend service contracts to their clients.
The tools the HVAC technicians use are blueprints in order to install gas, electric, solid-fuel, and multiple-fuel heating systems and air conditioning systems. After installing they have to check out the wiring and everything else so that the unit operates properly. They regularly check the system and look after its maintenance. Though the heating system is of no use in summer, the heating equipment technicians have to do their work of maintenance such as replacing filters and ducts.
There are various technicians and the working conditions of technicians may vary as per their job demand. You may have to work in all environments such as homes, retail establishments, hospitals, office buildings, cramped positions, and factories anywhere and anytime. Technicians may have to work in any time of climate whether it is hot or cold. They may be attacked by electrical shock or injury when they maintain and repair the equipment.
Hence, use of proper safety devices is recommended so that your skin does not get damaged or you do not go blind. The working hour of most of the technicians and installers is 40 hours a week. This may vary depending on the season and the calls. They may have to do overtime work at odd hours or may work in shifts. You even have the opportunity to stabilize your job throughout the year by signing a contract with an industry or a firm, which is always in need of technicians.
Due to the complexity in the system increasing day by day, HVAC training is one of the basic requirements you need to enter this career. If you have a technical training or a formal apprenticeship you will get more preference for getting HVAC jobs. There are many schools and colleges, which provide training programs for the candidates. In this training students learn theory, design, and equipment construction, as well as electronics. They even come to know about installation and maintenance.
The three main agencies that provide HVAC programs are HVAC Excellence, the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) and the Partnership for Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Accreditation (PHARA). If you are willing to enter this occupation, then the courses in various subjects such as shop math, mechanical drawing, applied physics and chemistry, electronics, blueprint reading, and computer applications will provide you
with a solid background. Throughout their course of training they have to undergo many tests, which will keep on testing their knowledge.
You can get employed in industries in any corner of the world. You even have the chance of working for fuel oil dealers, refrigeration and air-conditioning service and repair shops, schools, and stores that sell heating and air-conditioning systems. Some of them are even self-employed.
The salary of a technician varies from the specialization and the experience they possess. You can even earn on an hourly basis. The hourly earnings for heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers are usually $17.43. The income earned by most of them is between $13.51 and $22.21 an hour. So, as you can see, the pay may vary depending on the hours you work and many other things.
The job prospects for the technicians in this field are high in excellence especially for the one with formal apprenticeship or the HVAC training from reputed colleges. Many technicians are retiring and so job openings for novice job seekers are increasing. A greater importance is given to indoor air quality, more use of refrigerated equipment, and many other things contribute to the creation of more jobs for heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians.
