HVACR Technician: Skills of the Trade

Technician Cleaning Air Conditioner

Are you good with your hands? Do have solid mechanical and troubleshooting skills? If so, you should consider a career in HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration)! Gaining the skills to be a successful HVACR technician is as easy as attending a nine-month HVACR technician program at your local trade school. With these skills, you can start a rewarding and challenging career in HVACR.  Are you asking yourself, “What does a HVACR technician do on a day-to-day basis?”

What Do HVACR Technicians Do?

HVACR technicians install, repair, maintain, and upgrade systems that control air temperature and quality in a variety of industrial, commercial, and residential environments. These specific environments can include medical facilities, education institutions, residential homes, multi-family complexes, government facilities, industrial complexes, stadiums, casinos, and refrigerated warehouses. HVACR technicians do the following on a day-to-day basis:

  • Install, clean, repair and maintain HVACR systems
  • Install and maintain electrical components and wiring
  • Inspect and test HVACR systems and components
  • Discuss system upgrades and repairs with customers
  • Monitor and replace worn or defective parts
  • Repair refrigeration systems in semi-trucks and warehouses
  • Recover and recycle refrigerants
  • Clean ducts, replace filters and check refrigerant levels
  • Record work performed

What are HVACR Technician Skills of Success?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are a particular set of skills necessary to be an HVACR technician. MIAT College of Technology can give you the training you need to develop these skills and be career-ready. There are many skills that help HVACR technicians become successful. They include good customer service, attention to detail, mechanical skills, physical strength, stamina, time management and troubleshooting skills. With this set of skills, HVACR technicians are set up for success.

Skill #1: Customer Service

HVACR technicians deal with unhappy customers whose heating or air conditioning is not working, so it is important that they be friendly, polite, and punctual. HVACR technicians often work in customers’ homes or business offices and they will need to be patient, attentive, clear with communication, knowledgeable about what they are doing and use positive language. They should take the time to really listen to the customer to provide great service and get feedback on the heating and cooling products in use.

Skill #2: Attention to Detail

HVACR technicians have to have patience and perseverance to pursue a heating and cooling problem until it is fixed successfully. They must pay attention to the details and carefully maintain records of all work performed. When maintaining records, the HVACR technician must include the nature of the work performed, the amount of time it took, and keep a list of specific parts and equipment that were used. They will need to follow government regulations to properly handle and dispose of fluids and gases. Ultimately, the HVACR technician must have high standards of service to be efficient and be great at identifying issues with the installation, repair, maintenance and upgrade of systems.

Skill #3: Mechanical Skills

HVACR technicians must be comfortable with installing and working on complicated climate-control systems and they must understand the HVACR components involved to properly program, assemble, and disassemble them. They will also need to know the precise tools needed to maintain and install equipment. HVACR technicians that can work on a wide range of HVACR systems, controls, and installation methods are highly sought after.

Skill #4: Physical Strength & Stamina

HVACR technicians may have to lift and support heavy equipment and components. Even HVACR technicians working in a group may have large parts, equipment and objects to move. They will also need good manual dexterity to work with small parts in small spaces. Further, HVACR technicians may spend a large portion of their time walking and standing so physical stamina is important for success in the HVACR field.

Skill #5: Time Management

HVACR technicians frequently have a set number of daily maintenance calls that need to be completed. Limiting customer interaction is important and must be balanced with creating a positive customer experience. The HVACR technician should be able to keep a schedule and complete all necessary repairs or tasks, while also remaining organized.

Skill #6: Troubleshooting Skills

HVACR technicians utilize a number of different tools to perform the tasks assigned to them. However, an extremely important skillset that every technician must have includes troubleshooting, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The Basic Electricity course at MIAT College of Technology is designed to introduce students to these important troubleshooting skills. Students are given a variety of lab assignments in order to build upon these skills, and to encourage the use of their resources to draw accurate conclusions.

Final Thoughts

As the climate gets hotter, populations continue to grow and perishable food is shipped throughout the world, the demand for HVACR technicians will continue to grow. Employment of HVACR technicians is expected to grow 13 percent in the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those graduates of HVACR technician programs that learn the skills and obtain the training in HVACR, will have many opportunities to thrive in this career field. If you have the skills or want to learn the skills to become a successful HVACR technician, then this might be the right career path for you.

Do you want to develop the skills to be a successful HVACR Technician? Does a career as a HVACR Technician interest you? The HVACR Technician Program at MIAT is 9 months in length for full time students, assuming no interruption in training, and is offered at both the Michigan and Texas campuses. The training allows students to focus on their chosen field, graduating faster than it takes to earn a traditional 2 or 4-year college degree or complete a 3 to 5-year apprenticeship. To learn more about HVACR Technician career training and to explore if MIAT is right for you, fill out the form on this page.

Contact us if you are interested in becoming an HVACR technician today!

For important information about the educational debt, earnings, and completion rates of the students who attended this program, visit the following disclosure link.