Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.
The daily duties of heating, air-conditioning mechanics and installers include testing electrical circuits or components for proper functioning. They service heating, ventilation or air-conditioning (HVAC) systems or components and repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts. They then replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts and confer with customers or users to assess problems.
Technicians aspiring to get into HVAC jobs are required to pursue postsecondary education from technical and trade schools or local colleges that offer programs in heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration. These programs generally last from 6 months to 2 years and lead to an associate degree or certification.
HVACR career technicians mostly begin by working alongside experienced technicians. They perform basic tasks such as insulating refrigerant lines or cleaning furnaces. With experience, they move on to more difficult tasks that include cutting and soldering pipes or checking electrical circuits and good HVAC technician salary.
By working in HVACR careers, you can consider jobs as a sales associate, wind turbine technician, refrigerator technician, fabricator, solar technician and air conditioning engineer.
Becoming an HVACR career technician is a promising choice and to succeed in this, one needs to possess in-depth knowledge of HVAC systems and methods. They should ace acute troubleshooting and problem-solving skills and know safety standards and protocols.
Qualifications
Every career requires an element of study and academic qualification, and there can be several study routes and pathways you can take. In following any academic pathway you will study subjects that contribute to the specialised knowledge required to achieve your career goals. These qualifications provide a future employer with the evidence that you have the desired knowledge, understanding and experience of their industry, so it’s important to consider the various types of qualifications available to you and to understand how they can boost your career and create opportunities for you.
- NSQF Level 4 Field Technician Air-Conditioner
- NSQF Level 4 Field Technician-Refrigerator
- ITI Course AC Technician
- ITI Course Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Technician
Tasks
- Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
- Repair or replace defective equipment, components, or wiring.
- Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
- Connect heating or air conditioning equipment to fuel, water, or refrigerant source to form complete circuit.
- Install, connect, or adjust thermostats, humidistats, or timers.
- Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area.
- Study blueprints, design specifications, or manufacturers' recommendations to ascertain the configuration of heating or cooling equipment components and to ensure the proper installation of components.
- Install auxiliary components to heating or cooling equipment, such as expansion or discharge valves, air ducts, pipes, blowers, dampers, flues, or stokers.
- Braze or solder parts to repair defective joints and leaks.
- Lay out and connect electrical wiring between controls and equipment, according to wiring diagrams, using electrician's hand tools.
Progression Routes
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