A Day in the Life of an HVAC Technician
Are you interested in training for a career in the trades? Have you considered a career as an HVAC Technician? HVAC Technicians are skilled tradespeople with a specialized set of skills and knowledge. As a HVAC Technician, you will get to visit different job sites and tackle new challenges each day, so this is a job in which you will continually learn and grow on the job. If you are interested in learning more about what an HVAC Technician does, and what their daily work day entails, then read on to learn more about this great career, and how National Career Education can prepare you to enter this job field in as few as 10.5 months!
As an HVAC Technician, your day typically begins by going to your workplace to receive your daily tasks and job sites. After determining which clients need to be served that day, the HVAC Technician gathers the tools and safety gear required, and heads to the location where they are needed. For example, the HVAC Technician’s first job of the day might be the installation of a new heating/cooling unit in a residence. The HVAC Technician inspects the site and may even refer to blueprints to determine where the best place to install the unit would be, and then move their tools and materials into place and start working on connecting compressors, refrigerant lines, and gauges. Next, the HVAC Technician will connect any electrical wiring to the unit. Last, the HVAC Technician runs the system to make sure everything works smoothly and correctly. This type of job might take several hours and could require working with other colleagues in order to get the job done right.
When the HVAC Technician has completed their first appointment, he or she moves on to another location for their next job of the day. For example, the HVAC Technician’s next job might be installing a commercial refrigeration system at a new restaurant in town. Here the HVAC Technician will again begin by studying the blueprints and the manufacturer’s instructions in order to set the refrigeration system up. This job involves complex work, and requires knowledge of motors, condensing units, evaporators, and ductwork. Once the installation is complete, the HVAC Technician runs the system to ensure proper functioning and operation. The HVAC Technician may then speak with the restaurant owner about setting up a service contract for regular maintenance and repairs.
During the workday the HVAC Technician may be assigned a simple maintenance appointment. For example, the HVAC Technician may visit a house where the air conditioning unit has broken. The HVAC Technician visits the home, diagnoses the problem, suggests the remedy to the homeowner, and performs the repair or replaces the unit in order for the cooling system to work properly again. Then, after ensuring everything is running correctly, the HVAC Technician might recommend particular settings and/or a maintenance schedule to keep the system running properly.
For the last call of the day, the HVAC Technician might travel to a nearby business in order to run an efficiency check on that business’ heating system. The efficiency check identifies any impurities the system might have accumulated while in use last season. By performing this check, the HVAC Technician helps to prevent a breakdown when winter comes again. Additionally, this can save the business owner money, because when the system is running properly, energy costs are lowered.
At the end of the workday, the HVAC Technician packs up their tools: hammers, pipe cutters, torches, voltmeters, pressure gauges, and the like, and heads home. The HVAC Technician’s day has been a full one, but consisted of several different work sites and a variety of different tasks and challenges. The range of tasks and different clients makes each day unique, and keeps the HVAC Technician from feeling bored or stagnant in their occupation.
If this job description sounds interesting to you, NCE’s Commercial Refrigeration, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning program can provide you with the specialized knowledge and skills you need to get started in this career in as few as 10.5 months! National Career Education (NCE), in Citrus Heights, California, is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and the Accrediting Council on Continuing Education and Training (ACCET). Through hands-on, practical training, students learn the knowledge and skills to install, service, and repair residential and commercial air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration systems while maintaining EPA regulations. NCE students also learn electrical theory and controls, as well as brazing and soldering using oxy acetylene torches. Upon completion of the program, NCE graduates are prepared to test for several industry-recognized certifications, including the ESCO EPA certification, and R410A certifications.
If you are interested in training for a skilled career in the trades, NCE’s program can prepare you for professional certification and entry-level employment opportunities in this rewarding industry. With NCE, you can gain the comprehensive, hands-on training you need to pursue a career as an HVAC Technician in as few as 10.5 months. If you are ready to take the next step towards your skilled trades career, Give NCE a call today!