What makes an HVAC technician a good HVAC technician and what are the skills of a quality HVAC technician? There are many that need to be taken into account, since the professional covers several sectors. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) facilities and technicians help us every day to keep our homes, buildings and workspaces at pleasant temperatures. However, it can be a demanding job and requires some essential skills to do it properly. We've found that there are eight essential skills as an HVAC technician that you can use to improve your career.
HVAC systems are technical and mechanical and require skills to install. HVAC technicians must have a solid understanding of the physics and mechanics that allow HVAC systems to work the way they do, including temperature, air pressure, electrical circuits, and more. These lessons will be taught in the HVAC curriculum, and it's important not to forget them as you move up your HVAC career path. Fundamental mechanical skills will help you better diagnose and solve problems, perform preventive maintenance and master electricity.
Prevention is more important than you think. Eating healthy is cheaper than seeing a doctor, and having your car serviced regularly is cheaper than paying for repairs, just to name a few examples. They are usually installed when the building is first built and are expected to operate for the entire life of the building. The control and execution of inspections, maintenance, repairs and checks and the analysis of protocols with your customer are part of preventive maintenance.
If the entire air conditioning system needs to be replaced, it can be a nightmare and affect the entire building, so being proactive and involving the customer in prevention can benefit everyone. We mentioned this briefly a little earlier. As you advance your career as an HVAC technician, you may assume more leadership and supervisory roles. You could perform administrative tasks, train apprentices, oversee projects and more.
Often, you'll gradually get used to this, so you'll have time to hone your leadership, personnel, and time management skills. The basic responsibility of HVAC technicians is to install and maintain HVAC systems and equipment. Others include diagnosing electrical and mechanical HVAC faults and repairing them. An HVAC technician must have solid knowledge of electrical systems, refrigeration, heating systems and air conditioning units.
Along with communication, good active listening skills are important for HVAC technicians when working with customers. It's important to know what the customer wants before trying to solve any of their problems. What noises did you hear? Were there any problems that led to the failure of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system? Take your time to listen to the customer and really understand the situation. Only then can you diagnose the problem and find a solution.
Read on to learn about the skills needed to be an HVAC technician and find answers to the most frequently asked questions about careers in HVAC. Whether it's good communication, active listening, or one of the other important skills you'll use every day as an HVAC technician, you have the opportunity to master these skills during an HVAC program at Interactive College of Technology.