HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.
HVACR stands for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration. Industrial and professional work places such as hospitals, schools, kitchens, and industry are heavily reliant on commercial refrigeration. This is why the R (for refrigeration) is added to HVAC when referring to industrial cooling needs.
The roles available in the field vary widely as the industry need sales staff, electricians, managers, designers as well as technicians. Technicians will need to be capable of manual work requiring strength and agility. HVAC equipment can be large and heavy, and it can be installed in difficult to access locations in harsh environments. Much of HVAC work both in the field and office requires a solid understanding of math and science. As the value of your work will increase if you finish jobs faster time management skill are essential.
Any industry professionals dealing directly with clients, subcontractors, suppliers, and colleagues will need excellent communications skills with strong client relationship abilities. Business owners will need to have good business skills and be able to take on staff management, accounts and sales roles.
It can take from six months to two years to become certified depending on the type of course. Longer courses may provide a qualification leading to a higher paid role. Those with military experience in HVACR may already have sufficient qualification and experience to land a job when they complete their service.
Typically apprenticeship programs last for three to five years. The types of apprentice programs available are varied depending on the employer and if the program is union or manufacturer supported.
The Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) estimates that the HVACR industry will grow by 14% in the next eight years. BLS also say that even during a construction downturn there will still be strong demand for maintenance and repair services.
Hours worked and hours of work can vary dramatically. Often clients will prefer to have their HVAC plant serviced, installed or repaired out of business hours to avoid disruption during office hours. However some areas such as residential work may be more reasonable. Often higher pay is associated with unsocial hours.
HVAC equipment contains high pressure gasses, hazardous chemicals, temperature extremes, rapidly moving parts, and high voltage electricity. Equipment can be difficult to access, may be installed at height, and may need work during weather extremes.
OSHA has stringent guidelines for general construction work as well as HVAC specific rules. The DOD also has its own rules which are similar in many ways to the OSHA rules.
Technicians following safety rules should not be placed at undue risk, however you should be aware of colleagues and companies who fail to follow safety rules as they present a hazard to you.
The highest number of HVAC technicians is in Florida, Texas, and California. However the states with the highest number of HVAC technicians per thousand jobs are Delaware, Florida, and Maine. States where HVAC technicians are paid the highest wages are District of Columbia, Alaska, and Hawaii.