If you are considering a career as an HVAC Technician then you are probably interested to learn what a typical day might look like for someone in the field. In this blog, we dive into a day in the life of an HVAC Technician. Read on to find out exactly what the daily routine of an HVAC Tech may be.
Many HVAC Technicians specialize in one aspect of the field, but for this example we will focus on an HVAC Tech who does not specialize in any one area. For this technician, the day begins by going to their workplace and learning about the tasks they are expected to perform. Self-employed contractors may be contacted directly by their clients and fulfill those duties as they see fit. Some appointments may be easy and quick to take care of while others may take a long time to complete. After determining which clients have to be served that day, the HVAC technician will gather the tools and safety gear required, and head to the location where they are needed.
For example, let’s imagine this tech’s first job of the day is the installation of a new heating/cooling unit in a residence. The HVAC technician will first study blueprints to determine where the best place to install the unit would be. From there, the technician would move their tools and materials into place and start working on connecting things like pumps, fuel supply lines, and water supply lines to the heating/cooling system. When that is done he may find himself having to connect electrical wiring to it as well. The technician would then have to run the system and make sure everything works smoothly. Such a job could take several hours and might require working with a number of colleagues to get the job done right.
When the HVAC technician has completed that first appointment, he or she will move on to another location. Let’s imagine the HVAC’s next stop is to a new restaurant in town in need of a commercial refrigeration system. Here the HVAC technician will again study blueprints and manufacturer’s instructions in order to set the refrigeration system up. This is complex work requiring knowledge of motors, condensing units, evaporators, ductwork, and other complicated and technical things. Upon installation of the equipment, the HVAC tech will likely try to sell the restaurant owner a service contract. In such a contract, the restaurant would commit to pay the HVAC mechanic to come in periodically to check on and fix the refrigeration system.
At some point of the day the HVAC mechanic may perform a simple maintenance appointment. Perhaps the HVAC technician’s next visit is to a house where the air-conditioning unit has broken. The technician would visit the home, diagnose the problem, suggest the remedy to the homeowner, and perform the repair or replace the unit in order for the cooling system to work again. Then, after ensuring everything is running correctly, the technician might recommend particular settings and/or a maintenance schedule to keep the system running properly.
Now it is time for the HVAC technician to make their last call of the day. For this example, our technician travels to a business location where he or she will run an efficiency check on that business’s heating system. The efficiency check identifies any impurities the system might have accumulated while in use last season. Doing so will help to prevent breakdowns when winter comes again. Additionally, this will save the business money because when the system is running properly, energy costs are lowered.
At the end of the workday the trained HVAC technician will pack up all his tools: hammers, pipe cutters, torches, voltmeters, pressure gauges, and the like, and head home after a long day of visiting many places and meeting with many people. While HVAC technicians mostly work indoors, they sometimes also handle outdoor equipment, sometimes under strenuous weather conditions. They also often work in uncomfortable or confined spaces. While it can certainly be an exhausting line of work, the good news is that many HVAC technicians can earn a lot of money. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS 2018), HVAC Technicians make an average of $22.64 per hour, significantly higher than the average for all occupations. Although salary can vary widely by region and level of experience, HVAC Technicians make an average of $47,080 annually. In some regions, HVAC professionals make much more.
The first step to a successful career as an HVAC Technician is to get training and certification through an accredited institution. At Lamson Institute in San Antonio, Texas, we train students just like you for rewarding technical careers. Our HVAC program is accredited through HVAC-Excellence, and graduates are prepared to test for the EPA ESCO certification. Plus, Lamson is ACCET accredited, offers financial aid to those who qualify, and provides working students with options such as evening courses. At Lamson, all programs are hands-on, practical learning courses taught by industry professionals. So if you are interested in a rewarding career as an HVAC Technician, then contact Lamson today!