What does a hvac technician do?
An HVAC technician is qualified personnel who installs and repairs air-conditioning and refrigeration systems that control the temperature and air quality in both residential and commercial buildings. A technician's job may include repairing of pipe that is leaking, replacing a defective mechanical part, or adjust equipment setting for better performance. However, an HVAC technician must follow government regulations and local HVAC codes and should take the licensure examination. Some HVAC technicians are working for contractors, while others are self-employed.
Hvac technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real hvac technician resumes:
- Service and maintain HVAC systems by diagnosing and repairing/replacing motors temperatures controls control panels fans switches capacitors gas valves and filters.
- Calibrate and adjust combustion efficiency on boilers and furnaces under supervision of manager.
- Key responsibilities include repair, maintenance and installation-including electrical wiring- of various HVAC equipment, including low pressure boilers.
- Process work orders to repair HVAC systems and restore functionality to malfunctioning systems; perform preventative maintenance and routine servicing.
- Inject correct amount of freon need to properly cool.
- Debug and troubleshoot GE PLC hardware and software issues.
- Service tech for A/C equipment, returning from down range.
- Complete stucco repair work for new a/c and heating installs.
- Instruct and supervise technicians to troubleshoot and perform corrective actions.
- Repair and installation of PVC, cast iron and copper drainage.
- Inject the correct amount of freon the system need to efficiently cool.
- Work duties also include computer work on DDC application of building automation systems.
- Repair service troubleshoot replace other commercial equipment inside the stores grills fountain machines coolers freezers ice makers etc.
- Complete and submit accurate reporting of EPA documentation, time reporting, and vehicle inventory by schedule dates.
- Recognize for efficiency in troubleshooting, diagnosing, repairing and performing preventive maintenance on building faculty HVAC system.
Hvac technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Hvac Technicians are proficient in HVAC, Customer Service, and Preventative Maintenance. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Math skills, and Mechanical skills.
We break down the percentage of Hvac Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- HVAC, 15%
Recognized for efficiency in troubleshooting, diagnosing, repairing and performing preventive maintenance on building faculty HVAC system.
- Customer Service, 9%
Serviced Fireplaces* Serviced Residential/Commercial A/C Units* Serviced Residential/Commercial Furnaces* Installed all HVAC Appliances* Customer Service and Sales* Filed Warranty Information
- Preventative Maintenance, 7%
Develop work plans for non-routine/emergency/preventative maintenance/Plant outages.
- Ventilation, 6%
Perform preventive, predictive and proactive maintenance of HVAC equipment Calculated heat load for various air-conditioning areas and ventilation requirements areas.
- Hand Tools, 5%
Lay out and connect electrical wiring between controls and equipment according to the wiring schematic, using electrician's hand tools.
- Boilers, 4%
Repaired and maintained burners and boilers in residential and commercial locations.
"hvac," "customer service," and "preventative maintenance" are among the most common skills that hvac technicians use at work. You can find even more hvac technician responsibilities below, including:
Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for a hvac technician to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what hvac technicians do because "hvacr technicians must carefully maintain records of all work performed." Additionally, a hvac technician resume shows how hvac technicians use detail oriented: "have good communication skills, attention to detail, problem solving skills, and provide excellent customer service. "
Math skills. Many hvac technician duties rely on math skills. "hvacr technicians need to calculate the correct load requirements to ensure that the hvacr equipment properly heats or cools the space required.," so a hvac technician will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways hvac technician responsibilities rely on math skills: "blue print reading mathematics customer service time management troubleshooting mechanical"
Mechanical skills. hvac technicians are also known for mechanical skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to hvac technician responsibilities, because "hvacr technicians install and work on complicated climate-control systems, so they must understand the hvac components and be able to properly assemble, disassemble, and, if needed, program them." A hvac technician resume example shows how mechanical skills is used in the workplace: "repair and installation of electrical, mechanical, electronic and pneumatic control systems. "
Physical strength. For certain hvac technician responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "physical strength." The day-to-day duties of a hvac technician rely on this skill, as "hvacr technicians may have to lift and support heavy equipment and components, often without help." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what hvac technicians do: "job requires physical strength carrying heavy equipment and ladders to job sites. "
Time-management skills. Another crucial skill for a hvac technician to carry out their responsibilities is "time-management skills." A big part of what hvac technicians relies on this skill, since "hvacr technicians frequently have a set number of daily maintenance calls." How this skill relates to hvac technician duties can be seen in an example from a hvac technician resume snippet: "coordinated with other job site trades to complete all hvac work on time. "
Customer-service skills. Another skill commonly found on hvac technician job descriptions is "customer-service skills." It can come up quite often in hvac technician duties, since "hvacr technicians often work in customers’ homes or business offices, so it is important that they be friendly, polite, and punctual." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day hvac technician responsibilities: "installed, repaired and maintained heating, cooling and refrigeration systems for commercial and residential customers. "
The three companies that hire the most hvac technicians are:
- Lee261 hvac technicians jobs
- Lennox International256 hvac technicians jobs
- Tradesmen International187 hvac technicians jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable hvac technician resume templates
Build a professional hvac technician resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your hvac technician resume.
Compare different hvac technicians
Hvac technician vs. Serviceman
An HVAC installer is responsible for working on office and house appliances, including heating systems, ventilation, and air conditioning units. HVAC installers follow and analyze the item's schematics and blueprints and conduct regular maintenance to ensure the efficiency of its systems. They also advise the clients of instruction manuals, especially the proper usage and basic troubleshooting of defects. An HVAC installer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry, as well as excellent communication skills to respond to customers' concerns and resolve complaints.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a hvac technician are more likely to require skills like "customer service," "ventilation," "hand tools," and "boilers." On the other hand, a job as a serviceman requires skills like "laundry operations," "cdl," "end loaders," and "equipment maintenance." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Servicemen tend to reach similar levels of education than hvac technicians. In fact, servicemen are 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Hvac technician vs. Hvac installer
A mechanical installer uses a set of structures to maintain machinery. The primary responsibilities of this position are assembling, installing, dismantling, troubleshooting, and conducting repairs on machinery. They also requisition materials such as tools, equipment, and replacement parts. They need to perform the tasks given within preset schedules and sequences.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that hvac technician responsibilities requires skills like "boilers," "air-conditioning systems," "chillers," and "osha." But a hvac installer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "epa," "duct systems," "duct board," and "air equipment."
On average, hvac installers earn a lower salary than hvac technicians. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, hvac installers earn the most pay in the transportation industry with an average salary of $46,478. Whereas hvac technicians have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $58,260.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Hvac installers tend to reach similar levels of education than hvac technicians. In fact, they're 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Hvac technician vs. Mechanical installer
An instrument technician apprentice is responsible for performing installation and repairs on various electrical equipment and instruments such as control panels and motors, all while under the supervision and directives of a senior or master technician. Typically, their tasks revolve around conducting regular maintenance checks, coordinating with other technicians, organizing supplies, operating electrical tools, and understanding various electronic principles. Furthermore, there are also instances where one may liaise with clients to discuss the extent of damage or repairs, building positive relationships in the process to secure a client base.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from hvac technician resumes include skills like "customer service," "preventative maintenance," "ventilation," and "boilers," whereas a mechanical installer is more likely to list skills in "duct systems," "safety rules," "install equipment," and "a/c. "
Mechanical installers make a very good living in the automotive industry with an average annual salary of $46,663. On the other hand, hvac technicians are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $58,260.mechanical installers typically earn similar educational levels compared to hvac technicians. Specifically, they're 2.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Hvac technician vs. Instrument technician apprentice
Even though a few skill sets overlap between hvac technicians and instrument technician apprentices, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a hvac technician might have more use for skills like "customer service," "ventilation," "boilers," and "plumbing." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of instrument technician apprentices require skills like "diagnosis," "cleanliness," "customer vehicles," and "maintenance services. "
Instrument technician apprentices enjoy the best pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $38,671. For comparison, hvac technicians earn the highest salary in the technology industry.The average resume of instrument technician apprentices showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to hvac technicians. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 0.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.0%.Types of hvac technician
Updated January 8, 2025
