HVACR systems have become increasingly complex, therefore, employers generally prefer applicants with post-secondary education or those who have completed an apprenticeship. Some states and localities require technicians to be licensed. Workers may need to pass a background check prior to being hired.
Education Required: A growing number of HVACR technicians receive post-secondary instruction from technical and trade schools or community colleges that offer programs in heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration. These programs generally last from 6 months to 2 years and lead to a certificate or an associate’s degree. To keep program costs lower, many schools are combining online lectures with in-class lab work.
Training: Some HVACR technicians learn their trade exclusively on the job, although this practice is becoming much less common. Those who do usually begin by assisting experienced technicians with basic tasks, such as insulating refrigerant lines or cleaning furnaces. In time, they move on to more difficult tasks, including cutting and soldering pipes or checking electrical circuits.
Some technicians receive their training through an apprenticeship. Apprenticeship programs usually last 3 to 5 years. Each year, apprentices must have at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and a minimum of 144 hours of related technical education. Over the course of the apprenticeship, technicians learn safety practices, blueprint reading, and how to use tools. They also learn about the numerous systems that heat and cool buildings. To enter an apprenticeship program, a trainee must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Pass a basic math test
- Pass a substance abuse screening
- Have a valid driver’s license
High school students interested in becoming an HVACR technician should take courses in vocational education, math, and physics. Knowledge of plumbing or electrical work and a basic understanding of electronics is also helpful.
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers—often called HVACR technicians—work on heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems that control the temperature and air quality in buildings.
Some of the duties: Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers typically do the following:
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- Use blueprints or design specifications to install or repair HVACR systems
- Connect systems to fuel and water supply lines, air ducts, and other components
- Install electrical wiring and controls and test for their proper operation
- Inspect and maintain customers’ HVACR systems
- Test individual components to determine necessary repairs
- Repair or replace worn or defective parts
Determine HVACR systems’ energy use and make recommendations to improve their efficiency
Heating and air conditioning systems control the temperature, humidity, and overall air quality in homes, businesses, and other buildings. By providing a climate-controlled environment, refrigeration systems make it possible to store and transport food, medicine, and other perishable items.
Although HVACR technicians are trained to install, maintain, and repair heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems, many focus their work on installation, maintenance, or repair. Some technicians specialize in one or more specific aspects of HVACR, such as radiant heating systems, solar panels, testing and balancing, or commercial refrigeration.
When installing or repairing air conditioning and refrigeration systems, technicians must follow government regulations regarding the conservation, recovery, and recycling of refrigerants. The regulations include those concerning the proper handling and disposal of fluids and pressurized gases.
Some HVACR technicians sell service contracts to their clients, providing periodic maintenance of heating and cooling systems. The service usually includes inspecting the system, cleaning ducts, replacing filters, and checking refrigerant levels.
The median annual wage for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers was $45,110 in May 2015. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,790, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $71,690.
Apprentices usually earn about half of the wage paid to experienced workers. As they learn to do more, their pay increases.
The vast majority of HVACR technicians work full time, with occasional evening or weekend shifts. During peak heating and cooling seasons, they often work overtime or irregular hours. Although most technicians are employed by construction contractors, about 1 in 10 are self-employed workers who have the ability to set their own schedules.
Technicians who service refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning equipment generally have stable employment throughout the year, particularly because a growing number of manufacturers and contractors now provide or even require year-round service contracts.
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers held about 292,000 jobs in 2014, of which 63 percent were in the plumbing, heating, and air conditioning contractors industry. About 1 in 10 were self-employed in 2014.
HVACR technicians work mostly in homes, schools, stores, hospitals, office buildings, or factories. Some technicians are assigned to specific jobsites at the beginning of each day. Others travel to several different locations, making service calls.
Although most technicians work indoors, some may have to work on outdoor heat exchangers, even in bad weather. Technicians often work in awkward or cramped spaces, and some work in buildings that are uncomfortable because the air conditioning or heating system is not working properly.
