What are the Basics of HVACR?

One of the fastest growing professions is that of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) technician. HVACR jobs are expected to grow 8% in Michigan and 16% in Texas in the coming decade, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. This is because technical schools are providing the proper training for these programs in as little as 9 months, a fraction of the time it usually takes to complete a traditional four-year degree. Any modern building likely employs one if not all of the basic components that make up the daily tasks of an HVACR technician. So, what does a HVACR technician do?

What Does a HVACR Technician Do?

There are two main functions for an HVACR technician. The first is to perform regular maintenance on different units to ensure that they continue to run normally. The second is to troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair units which have stopped working. Many HVACR technicians do have a specialty but the best HVACR technicians are those who are able to work on any type of unit.

Where Do HVACR Technicians Work?

One of the greatest things about being an HVACR technician is that they are able to work anywhere that a large cluster of buildings exist which utilize any of the components that comprise HVACR. HVACR technicians often have to travel a great deal for work as units must be serviced where installed. Typically, an HVACR technician that has been in the field for a few years will develop a basic routine that mixes regularly scheduled maintenance with some emergency jobs as requested. With so many new buildings built each year, it is no wonder that the demand for qualified HVACR technicians is on the rise.

What is HVACR?

HVACR stands for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration.

Heating Systems

One of the most basic HVACR tasks is to install central heating in a home. Naturally, colder air will try to move to places where warmer air is located. This is the job of a heating unit. To warm the air naturally entering a home. Heating units can have a variety of different fuels such as gas, heating oil, or electricity. As with any mechanical equipment, heating units must be regularly serviced. This requires an HVACR technician to visit a home or business every so often to ensure that filters are replaced, and other critical components are still working properly.

Ventilation Systems

Without proper ventilation in a home, business or other building, the air will quickly become stagnant and the space will likely get far too cold in the winter and far too hot in the summer. HVACR technicians work to ensure that all buildings are properly ventilated without compromising what is called the \”building envelope.\” The building envelope is described as a buildings ability to keep in warm air when someone wants it to be warm and also keep in cool air when someone wants it to be cool. Without proper ventilation, both of these tasks are made much harder.

Air Conditioning Systems

Air conditioners are typically serviced seasonally as they only operate when the outdoor temperatures are consistently exceeding what someone would like the external temperature of the home or business to be. Air conditioners or cooling systems are most frequently serviced in the spring, right before the warmest months of the year. Air conditioners require basic filter changes and other refrigerant fluid refills over time. Because excessive heat is considered to be dangerous, emergency air conditioning repair phone calls may be common.

Refrigeration

While some HVACR technicians will reply to calls from single family homes that are experiencing issues with their refrigerator, the most common type of work will be for larger companies which rely on large refrigeration units to keep things cold. The most common example of this is the food industry. This includes restaurants which must keep food cold until it is ready to be cooked as well as supermarkets which must keep many foods refrigerated until someone purchases them. If these units were to fail, the probability of food spoiling is greatly increased.

Final Thoughts

Attending a trade school is one of the best ways to get all of the necessary training to begin a career as an HVACR technician. Additionally, students will be able to do so in much less time than it would take to complete a traditional four-year degree. By properly planning for the future, technical school students are much more likely to land a career that is in demand.

Did learning about the basics of HVACR interest you? 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.