If you're looking for a career in a booming industry, consider getting certified as an HVAC technician. In Texas and the surrounding states, HVAC techs are in high demand. It's also a high-growth trade that pays well and offers the opportunity to advance your career. Various HVAC certifications available can help launch your career and give you a competitive edge over others in the field. In this blog, we highlight six HVAC certifications in Texas that can provide you with everything you need to launch your career.
HVAC techs must pass an EPA-approved test to be certified as a Section 608 technician. These tests are specific to the equipment the technician wants to use. Testing must be performed by an EPA-approved certification body. Section 608 Technician Certification certificates do not expire.
EPA regulations define a technician as an individual who performs any of the following activities:
- Install and remove hoses and gauges on equipment to measure the pressure inside.
- Adding refrigerant to or removing refrigerant from the device.
- Any other violation of the integrity of Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning (MVAC) class equipment or small equipment (other than disposal)
- Apprentices are exempt from certification requirements if they are closely and continuously supervised by a certified technician.
The EPA has developed four types of certifications:
- Type 1: For maintenance of small equipment.
- Type 2: For maintenance or disposal of high or extra high voltage equipment, excluding small appliances and MVAC.
- Type 3: For maintenance or removal of low-voltage equipment.
- Universal: For maintenance of various types of equipment.
Obtaining EPA Section 608 certification is an essential first step to becoming a competent HVAC/R technician and is required for purchasing refrigerants in the United States. However, you need more than just being a good technician. Quality HVAC technicians use their extensive knowledge and experience to solve problems and help unit owners save money.
Therefore, good HVAC technicians will take every opportunity to hone their skills and expand their knowledge of the equipment and the industry. After earning EPA Section 608 certification, the next step is to become certified as a Preventative Maintenance technician.
Becoming a PM tech will help you become the best HVAC technician you can be. As part of the certification process, you will learn the latest preventive maintenance techniques for HVAC equipment. You will be trained to diagnose problems, perform repairs to correct them, and provide service to prevent further issues.
NCCER is a nonprofit educational foundation founded in 1996 as the Center for Nation Building Education and Research. It was developed with the support of more than 125 construction industry CEOs and various association and academic leaders who have come together to revolutionize education in the construction industry. These companies share a common goal of developing a safe and productive workforce and have therefore developed standardized training and certification programs for the industry.
NCCER offers standardized construction and maintenance courses and assessments. These credentials are tracked through NCCER's registration system, which allows organizations and companies to track the qualifications of their craftsmen and review the qualifications of potential new hires. NCCER's registration system also supports craft professionals by maintaining their records in a secure database. This advanced program has grown into more than 70 courses in trade and maintenance areas and a full suite of more than 70 assessments offered at NCCER-accredited training like Austin Career Institute.
North American Technician Excellence (NATE) Ready-to-Work Certificate is for technicians new to the HVAC industry and needing more training. It is designed for technicians who have worked in the field for 6 to 12 months. It covers topics related to the NATE professional-level certification but at a more fundamental level. Earning this credential demonstrates advanced knowledge and skills and reinforces the foundations needed for professional accreditation.
Many refrigerants, like R-410A, operate at significantly higher pressures than others, so safety training is essential. R-410A systems require service professionals to use various tools and equipment when installing, upgrading or servicing these systems.
R-410A is not subject to the Clean Air Act sales restrictions, and the EPA does not currently require or mandate certification to handle it. However, many equipment manufacturers know the concerns and safety issues associated with using HFC refrigerants. They need service personnel purchasing their R-410A systems to be certified through an independent program or show proof of training.
In recent years, evidence has shown that indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air and that HVAC systems are the primary mechanism for conditioning and cleaning indoor air. Likewise, problems in the HVAC system are a significant contributor to indoor air quality problems. In a properly constructed building, the HVAC system impacts indoor air quality and cleanliness.
Therefore, HVAC technicians are ideal candidates for implementing indoor air quality improvements in structures. After training on IAQ issues, it is evident that HVAC technicians are best suited to maintain, adjust, inspect and clean HVAC networks of ducts, heat exchangers, condensate pans, humidifiers and fans. Technicians with this certification install or repair equipment to produce the highest quality air and troubleshoot systems that contribute to pollutants in the air.
As the demand for indoor air quality increases, an IAQ certification should become standard in the HVAC field.
HVAC is a growing field. Each certification tests specific knowledge. Knowing what you want to achieve is the first step. To learn more about HVAC certification in Texas and how to prepare for it, visit our website and learn how we can help you. Get the top HVAC training in Texas at ACI. We can help prepare you for your future.
- 720-hour (8-month) Certification Program
- Receive ACI's nationally accredited HVAC-R Technician Certification
- Graduates are qualified to apply for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) Registered ACR Technician License
- EPA License training and testing
- Graduates of this program will find entry-level positions in the Residential and Commercial HVAC-R industry
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