HVAC Technician

An HVAC Technician works with heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) units to install, diagnose, repair, and maintain these systems. An HVAC Technician job is on-site, in a variety of spaces; houses, businesses, public buildings, cars, and boats all have systems that moderate the temperature. If you like working with your hands and solving problems, this might be a job for you.

Your responsibilities as an HVAC Technician vary from project to project. One week you may replace a thermostat, the next crawl through the framing of new construction to install ductwork, and the next, go to several houses to evaluate problems. Common problems include inefficient furnaces, faulty pilot lights, or clogged filters.

When you are called to make a repair, you evaluate the situation. You check for loose connections, test wiring, and inspect parts. Once you locate the problem, you order new parts and install them once they arrive. Good communication is key at all parts of the process as you inform the customer about the system, ways they can maintain it, what work you are performing, and how long it will take. Throughout the project, you record each step of your work.

In new construction, you carefully analyze blueprints, prepare the space, and install your HVAC systems. This involves cutting, hammering, and mounting ductwork within the framework of the walls. Then, you attach the ductwork to the furnace and install the vents. When you are done bending the pieces around corners and securing brackets to support beams, you test the system and make any necessary adjustments.