Careers in HVAC: An Overview
Are you wondering if you have what it takes to find success as a heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician? This is a career that offers steady employment, advancement, job satisfaction and great pay. There are advancement opportunities available in the HVAC industry that will bring you more responsibility and additional money. You may even want to become a private contractor and open your own business once you get your certification and some experience performing this type of work.
If you have a natural ability when it comes to problem solving or working with machinery then you will probably feel very comfortable as an HVAC technician. You should have a little experience and familiarity with hand and power tools. Having a working knowledge of graphs, electronics and schematics are other helpful skills that you should possess. While some people are already well versed in these areas, others will sign up for classes that can teach them the basics that they need to know. These are all skills that will give you an advantage over a number of other applicants.
It is important to point out that this type of work involves a great deal of physical activity. You should be prepared to climb, crawl, bend and lift. If you are a physically fit individual and have been used to doing work in some less than perfect environments then this job will present less challenge for you than it will for others.
Companies promote their best techs to management and supervisory positions. There are also jobs available in the service, sales and marketing fields for top workers. The HVAC industry is a gold mine of opportunity and you can take advantage of the potential that it offers beginning very early in your career.
The HVAC field is continuing to show growth and expansion even though some of the new construction may have a slower pace at the present time. Pay scales generally range from $25-65K per year, and in many places the rates can be higher. One of the areas that always has a strong demand for experienced and qualified technicians is that of repair and maintenance. While new installations and sales may show periodic drops depending on the amount of construction being done, this is not true for workers who specialize in fixing heating and air systems. As people try to save money and work with tighter budgets the repair requests for techs will constantly increase.
HVAC Technicians: Must-Have Skills
- Mechanical aptitude
- Using hand and power tools
- Problem-solving and trouble-shooting
- Working well with customers
- Understanding technical drawings, diagrams, graphs, and charts
- Logical thinking
- Bending, stooping, and carrying
- Being consistently pleasant and polite
- Understanding the output of gauges and other instruments
- Understanding and using electronics
- Following safety precautions
HVAC Technicians: Where Do They Work
Approximately 15% of all HVAC mechanics workers are self-employed. More than half of those employed by others work for cooling and heating contractors. The rest work in a wide variety of industries, including refrigeration and air-conditioning service and repair businesses, fuel oil dealers, schools, hospitals, office buildings and other organizations operating large heating and air-conditioning systems.
HVAC Technicians: Outlook
Prospects for skilled HVAC technicians are expected to be very good, particularly for those with technical school or formal apprenticeship training. In addition to job openings created by employment growth, thousands of openings will result from the need to replace workers leaving the field.
As the population and economy has grown, so has the demand for new residential, commercial, and industrial climate-control systems. Technicians who specialize in installation may suffer unemployment when the economy slows down and cuts the level of new construction, but maintenance and repair work usually remains pretty stable. People and businesses depend on their climate control systems and have to keep them running no matter what the economy is like.
Rising energy costs will encourage the development of new energy-saving heating and air-conditioning systems and also encourage home and business owners to replace old systems with new more efficient ones. Demand for maintenance and service work should also increase as owners try to keep systems operating at peak efficiency. In addition, the continuing focus on improving indoor air quality should contribute to the growth of jobs for HVAC technicians.
HVAC Technicians: Earnings
In most states, most heating and air conditioning technician earned between $24,000 and $55,000 a year. Experienced techs and those who chose to start their own business can earn more.
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