What Is an HVAC Certification?
The heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) industry involves the design, production, installation and maintenance of residential and commercial building climate control systems. Those that work in the installation and maintenance end of the industry are generally called HVAC technicians, and at a minimum they must be EPA 608 certified to work with refrigerants. Most states (and some municipalities) also require that HVAC technicians be industry certified and/or licensed to work there.
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HVAC Certification and Licensing
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Most states require that HVAC technicians be licensed to work independently in that state, and licensing usually requires HVAC certification (among other qualifications). HVAC certification is offered by several private organizations, but North American Technician Excellence (NATE) and HVAC Excellence are the two largest. In all cases certain educational requirements and a minimum of two years of supervised experience are required for HVAC certification.
Basic HVAC Certification
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HVAC certification programs require that you take a required number of classes or prove you have completed the course work, as well as have your supervised work hours verified before you can even take the exam. HVAC Excellence basic professional HVAC technician certification requires passing a comprehensive closed-book exam as well as two years of work experience.
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Master HVAC Certification
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A master HVAC certification requires a more detailed comprehensive closed-book exam, as well as three years of HVAC-related experience. Master HVAC technicians are certified to wok on almost all types of heating and refrigeration equipment.
Employment Prospects for HVAC Technicians
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that HVAC technician positions will grow up to 28 percent between 2008 and 2018. This growth will be driven both by the installation of new, more energy efficient AC and heating units and the need to replace many units that were installed 10 to 15 years ago.
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