Heating And Air-Conditioning Mechanic

Overview

Heating And Air-Conditioning Mechanics install and repair machines that control temperature, humidity, and air quality in residential, commercial, industrial, and other buildings. They usually specialize in initialization or maintenance and repair but are trained to do both.

Employers prefer to hire people with formal training through a school or an apprenticeship. If you were to complete Daytona Beach Community College's Vocational Credit Certification Program for Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Technology you would have to take Physical Principles, Basic Electricity, Pshycrometrics, and Heat Load Calculations. You can also learn the skills you need through an apprenticeship where you would take classes in Blueprint Reading, Theory and Design of Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration Systems.

(Acceptance to an apprenticeship program requires a High School diploma or equivalent.) If you are entering this occupation without any training you should take courses like Shop Math, Mechanical Drawing, Applied Physics and Chemistry, Electronics, and Computer Applications in High School or at a community college.

In addition, if you are a technician that works with or buys refrigerants you must pass a written certification test. The median hourly earnings of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-conditioning Mechanics and Technicians in 2000 was $15.76 an hour.

Image courtesy of Hilton Hotel Daytona Beach;
Image courtesy of Munn's Air Conditioning & Heating