What would those living in Chicago do without heating, those in Miami do without air-conditioning, or blood banks in all parts of the country do without refrigeration? People always have sought ways to make their environment more comfortable. Today, heating and air-conditioning systems control the temperature, humidity, and the total air quality in residential, commercial, industrial, and other buildings. Refrigeration systems make it possible to store and transport food, medicine, and other perishable items. Heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians install, maintain, and repair such systems.
Heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration systems consist of many mechanical, electrical, and electronic components, including motors, compressors, pumps, fans, ducts, pipes, thermostats, and switches. In central heating systems, for example, a furnace heats the air that is then distributed throughout the building via a system of metal or fiberglass ducts. Technicians must be able to maintain, diagnose, and correct problems within the entire system the ducts as well as the other components. They adjust system controls to recommended settings and test the performance of the entire system using special tools and test equipment.
Technicians may specialize in installation or in maintenance and repair. They may further specialize in one type of equipment, such as oil burners, solar panels, or commercial refrigerators. However, more and more technicians do both installation and servicing, and work with heating, cooling, and refrigeration equipment. The following describes some of the specific jobs in this field.
Furnace installers, also called heating equipment technicians, follow blueprints or other specifications to install oil, gas, electric, solid-fuel, and multifuel heating systems. After putting the equipment in place, they may install fuel and water supply lines, air ducts and vents, pumps, and other components. They may connect electrical wiring and controls and check the unit for proper operation. To ensure the proper functioning of the system, furnace installers often use combustion test equipment such as carbon dioxide and oxygen testers.
After a furnace has been installed, technicians often perform routine maintenance and repair in order to keep the system operating efficiently. During the fall and winter, when the system is needed most, they service and adjust burners and blowers. If the system is not operating properly, they check the thermostat, burner nozzles, controls, and other parts in order to diagnose the problem and then correct it by adjusting or replacing parts. During the summer, technicians do maintenance work, such as replacing filters and vacuum-cleaning vents, ducts, and other parts of the heating system that may accumulate soot, ash, and dust during the operating season.
Air-conditioning and refrigeration technicians install and service central air-conditioning systems and a variety of refrigeration equipment. Technicians follow blueprints, design specifications, and manufacturers' instructions to install motors, compressors, condensing units, evaporators, and other components. They connect this equipment to the duct work, refrigerant lines, and electrical power source. After making the connections, they charge the system with refrigerant and check it for proper operation.
When air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment breaks down, technicians diagnose the problem and make repairs. To find defects, they test parts such as compressors, relays, and thermostats. During the winter, air-conditioning technicians inspect the systems and do required maintenance, such as overhauling compressors. When servicing equipment, heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians must use care to conserve, recover, and recycle chlorofluorcarbon (CFC) refrigerants used in air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. The release of CFC's contributes to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects plant and animal life from ultraviolet radiation. Technicians conserve the refrigerant by making sure that there are no leaks in the system; they recover it by venting the refrigerant into proper cylinders; and they recycle it for reuse with special filter-dryers.
Heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians use a variety of tools, including hammers, wrenches, metal snips, electric drills, pipe cutters and benders, and acetylene torches, to work with refrigerant lines and air ducts. They use voltmeters, thermometers, pressure gauges, manometers, and other testing devices to check air flow, refrigerant pressure, electrical circuits, burners, and other components.
Cooling and heating systems sometimes are installed or repaired by other craft workers. For example, on a large air-conditioning installation job, especially where workers are covered by union contracts, duct work might be done by sheet-metal workers; electrical work by electricians; and installation of piping, condensers, and other components by plumbers and pipefitters. Room air-conditioners and household refrigerators are serviced by home appliance repairers. Additional information about each of these occupations appears elsewhere in the Handbook.
Air-conditioning mechanics diagnose the problem and make repairs.
Heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians work in homes, supermarkets, hospitals, office buildings, factories anywhere there is climate control equipment. They may be assigned to specific job sites at the beginning of each day, or they may be dispatched to jobs by radio or telephone.
Technicians may work outside in cold or hot weather or in buildings that are uncomfortable because the air-conditioning or heating equipment is broken. In addition, technicians often work in awkward or cramped positions and sometimes are required to work in high places. Hazards include electrical shock, burns, muscle strains, and other injuries from handling heavy equipment.
Technicians usually work a 40-hour week, but during peak seasons they often work overtime or irregular hours. Maintenance workers, including those that provide maintenance services under contract, often work evening or weekend shifts, and are on call. Most employers try to provide a full workweek the year round by doing both installation and maintenance work. Therefore, in most shops that service both heating and air-conditioning equipment, employment is very stable throughout the year.
Heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians held about 212,000 jobs in 1992. One of every 2 worked for cooling and heating contractors. The remainder were employed in a wide variety of industries. Some worked for fuel oil dealers, refrigeration and air-conditioning service and repair shops and schools. Others were employed by the Federal Government, hospitals, office buildings, and other organizations that operate large air-conditioning, refrigeration, or heating systems. Approximately 1 of every 8 technicians was self-employed. Jobs are found throughout the country, reflecting the widespread dependence on climate control systems.
Because of the increased sophistication of heating, air- conditioning, and refrigeration systems, employers prefer to hire those with technical school or apprenticeship training. A sizable number of these workers, however, still learn the trade informally on the job.
Many secondary and postsecondary technical and trade schools, junior and community colleges, and the Armed Forces offer 1- to 2-year programs in heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration. Students study theory, design, and equipment construction, as well as electronics. They also learn the basics of installation, maintenance, and repair.
Apprenticeship programs are frequently run by joint committees representing local chapters of the Air-Conditioning Contractors of America, the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, the National Association of Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling Contractors, and locals of the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association or the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada. Other apprenticeship programs are sponsored by local chapters of the Associated Builders and Contractors and the Home Builders Institute of the National Association of Home Builders. These programs generally last 4 or 5 years and combine on-the-job training with 144 hours of classroom instruction each year in related subjects, such as the use and care of tools, safety practices, blueprint reading, and air-conditioning theory. Applicants for these programs must have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Those who acquire their skills on the job usually begin by assisting experienced technicians and doing simple jobs. They may carry materials, insulate refrigerant lines, or clean furnaces. In time, they do more difficult jobs, such as cutting and soldering pipes and sheet metal and checking electrical and electronic circuits. In 4 to 5 years, new technicians should be able to do all types of repair and installation.
Courses in shop math, mechanical drawing, applied physics and chemistry, electronics, and blueprint reading provide a good background for those interested in entering this occupation. A basic understanding of microelectronics is becoming more important because of the increasing use of this technology in solid-state equipment controls. Because technicians frequently deal directly with the public, they should be courteous and tactful, especially when dealing with an aggravated customer. They also should be in good physical condition because they sometimes have to lift and move heavy equipment.
Provisions of the Clean Air Act require that all air-conditioning and refrigeration technicians be certified by November 1994 to work on systems involving refrigerant recovery or recycling. Training programs designed to prepare workers for the certification examination, as well as for general skills improvement training, are provided by heating and air-conditioning equipment manufacturers; the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES); the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA); the Mechanical Service Contractors of America; local chapters of the National Association of Plumbing, Heating-Cooling Contractors; and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters. RSES also offers a basic self-study course for individuals with limited experience.
Advancement usually takes the form of higher wages. Some technicians advance to positions as supervisors. Those with sufficient money and managerial skill can open their own contracting business.
Job prospects for air-conditioning, heating, and refrigeration technicians are expected to be very good. In addition to jobs created by economic growth, thousands of openings will result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. Although relatively few heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians transfer to other occupations reflecting their lengthy investment in training and the relatively high wages and benefits in this trade the number of retirements is expected to rise as more of these workers reach retirement age.
Employment of heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005. As the population and economy grow and new residential, commercial, and industrial structures are built, more technicians will be needed to install and maintain climate control systems. A growing concern about energy management and conservation also should prompt installation of new energy-saving heating and air-conditioning systems in existing homes and buildings. Regulations in the 1990 Clean Air Act prohibiting the intentional discharge of CFC refrigerants and banning CFC production by the year 2000 could result in additional retrofiting and replacement of existing equipment and create more jobs for heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians.
Those who specialize in the installation of new systems may experience periods of unemployment when the level of construction activity declines. On the other hand, employment of those doing maintenance work is relatively stable people and businesses depend on their climate control systems regardless of economic conditions.
Median weekly earnings of air-conditioning, heating, and refrigeration technicians who worked full time were $474 in 1992. The middle 50 percent earned between $356 and $596. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $280 a week, and the top 10 percent earned more than $743 a week.
Apprentices usually begin at about 50 percent of the wage rate paid to experienced workers. As they gain experience and improve their skills, they receive periodic increases until they reach the wage rate of experienced workers.
Heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians enjoy a variety of employer-sponsored benefits. In addition to some typical benefits like health insurance and pension plans, some employers pay for work-related training and provide uniforms, company vans, and a few tools.
Heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration technicians work with sheet metal and piping, and repair machinery, such as electrical motors, compressors, and burners. Other workers who have similar skills are boilermakers, electrical appliance servicers, electricians, plumbers and pipefitters, and sheetmetal workers.
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Reprinted with Permission of U. S. Department of Labor