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Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.
Related: Control & Valve Installers & Repairers  Home Appliance Repairers  Plumbers, Pipefitters, & Steamfitters  Solar Thermal Installers & Technicians  Stationary Engineers & Boiler Operators 
Industries: Construction 

  • Summary

  • Details

    • Work Activities

    • Record and report time, materials, faults, deficiencies, or other unusual occurrences on work orders.
    • Supervise and instruct assistants.
    • Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area.
    • Repair or replace defective equipment, components, or wiring.
    • Install or repair self-contained ground source heat pumps or hybrid ground or air source heat pumps to minimize carbon-based energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions.
    • Measure, cut, thread, or bend pipe or tubing, using pipe fitter's tools.
    • Install auxiliary components to heating or cooling equipment, such as expansion or discharge valves, air ducts, pipes, blowers, dampers, flues, or stokers.
    • Estimate, order, pick up, deliver, and install materials and supplies needed to maintain equipment in good working condition.
    • Install expansion and control valves, using acetylene torches and wrenches.
    • Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
    • Mount compressor, condenser, and other components in specified locations on frames, using hand tools and acetylene welding equipment.
    • Estimate, order, pick up, deliver, and install materials and supplies needed to maintain equipment in good working condition.
    • Lay out reference points for installation of structural and functional components, using measuring instruments.
    • Keep records of repairs and replacements made and causes of malfunctions.
    • Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
    • Study blueprints, design specifications, or manufacturers' recommendations to ascertain the configuration of heating or cooling equipment components and to ensure the proper installation of components.
    • Connect heating or air conditioning equipment to fuel, water, or refrigerant source to form complete circuit.
    • Recommend, develop, or perform preventive or general maintenance procedures, such as cleaning, power-washing, or vacuuming equipment, oiling parts, or changing filters.
    • Inspect and test systems to verify system compliance with plans and specifications or to detect and locate malfunctions.
    • Repair or replace defective equipment, components, or wiring.
    • Install or repair self-contained ground source heat pumps or hybrid ground or air source heat pumps to minimize carbon-based energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions.
    • Braze or solder parts to repair defective joints and leaks.
    • Measure, cut, thread, or bend pipe or tubing, using pipe fitter's tools.
    • Schedule work with customers and initiate work orders, house requisitions, and orders from stock.
    • Install dehumidifiers or related equipment for spaces that require cool, dry air to operate efficiently, such as computer rooms.
    • Install or repair air purification systems, such as specialized filters or ultraviolet (UV) light purification systems.
    • Install or repair air purification systems, such as specialized filters or ultraviolet (UV) light purification systems.
    • Supervise and instruct assistants.
    • Cut or drill holes in floors, walls, or roof to install equipment, using power saws or drills.
    • Estimate, order, pick up, deliver, and install materials and supplies needed to maintain equipment in good working condition.
    • Adjust system controls to settings recommended by manufacturer to balance system.
    • Repair or replace defective equipment, components, or wiring.
    • Install, connect, or adjust thermostats, humidistats, or timers.
    • Lay out and connect electrical wiring between controls and equipment, according to wiring diagrams, using electrician's hand tools.
    • Perform mechanical overhauls and refrigerant reclaiming.
    • Lift and align components into position, using hoist or block and tackle.
    • Install, connect, or adjust thermostats, humidistats, or timers.

    Skills

    • Critical Thinking
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    • Negotiation
      • Bringing people together to solve differences.
    • Technology Design
      • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
    • Monitoring
      • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    • Mathematics
      • Using math to solve problems.
    • Speaking
      • Talking to others.
    • Active Listening
      • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    • Learning Strategies
      • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    • Service Orientation
      • Looking for ways to help people.
    • Equipment Selection
      • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
    • Programming
      • Writing computer programs.
    • Reading Comprehension
      • Reading work-related information.
    • Writing
      • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
    • Coordination
      • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    • Management of Material Resources
      • Managing equipment and materials.
    • Systems Analysis
      • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    • Operations Analysis
      • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    • Operation and Control
      • Using equipment or systems.
    • Management of Personnel Resources
      • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
    • Repairing
      • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    • Equipment Maintenance
      • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    • Complex Problem Solving
      • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    • Systems Evaluation
      • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    • Science
      • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    • Persuasion
      • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    • Quality Control Analysis
      • Testing how well a product or service works.
    • Installation
      • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
    • Social Perceptiveness
      • Understanding people's reactions.
    • Operations Monitoring
      • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    • Troubleshooting
      • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    • Instructing
      • Teaching people how to do something.
    • Time Management
      • Managing your time and the time of other people.
    • Management of Financial Resources
      • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    • Active Learning
      • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
      • Listening and understanding what people say.
    • Time Sharing
      • Doing two or more things at the same time.
    • Speed of Limb Movement
      • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
      • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    • Fluency of Ideas
      • Coming up with lots of ideas.
    • Hearing Sensitivity
      • Telling the difference between sounds.
    • Mathematical Reasoning
      • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    • Sound Localization
      • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    • Spatial Orientation
      • Knowing where things are around you.
    • Stamina
      • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    • Extent Flexibility
      • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Dynamic Flexibility
      • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Speech Clarity
      • Speaking clearly.
    • Near Vision
      • Seeing details up close.
    • Written Comprehension
      • Reading and understanding what is written.
    • Dynamic Strength
      • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    • Number Facility
      • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    • Explosive Strength
      • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
    • Control Precision
      • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    • Originality
      • Creating new and original ideas.
    • Memorization
      • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
    • Inductive Reasoning
      • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    • Glare Sensitivity
      • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
    • Deductive Reasoning
      • Using rules to solve problems.
    • Far Vision
      • Seeing details that are far away.
    • Auditory Attention
      • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    • Visual Color Discrimination
      • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    • Wrist-Finger Speed
      • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    • Perceptual Speed
      • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    • Flexibility of Closure
      • Seeing hidden patterns.
    • Response Orientation
      • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
    • Trunk Strength
      • Using your lower back and stomach.
    • Speed of Closure
      • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    • Static Strength
      • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    • Visualization
      • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    • Rate Control
      • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    • Selective Attention
      • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    • Finger Dexterity
      • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    • Information Ordering
      • Ordering or arranging things.
    • Problem Sensitivity
      • Noticing when problems happen.
    • Peripheral Vision
      • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
    • Gross Body Coordination
      • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
      • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    • Depth Perception
      • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    • Oral Expression
      • Communicating by speaking.
    • Category Flexibility
      • Grouping things in different ways.
    • Night Vision
      • Seeing at night or under low light.
    • Speech Recognition
      • Recognizing spoken words.
    • Written Expression
      • Communicating by writing.
    • Reaction Time
      • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    • Manual Dexterity
      • Holding or moving items with your hands.
    • Multilimb Coordination
      • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    Knowledge

    • Education and Training
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    • Mechanical
      • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • Fine Arts
      • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
    • Medicine and Dentistry
      • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
    • Chemistry
      • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    • Psychology
      • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
    • Law and Government
      • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    • Communications and Media
      • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    • Building and Construction
      • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
    • Economics and Accounting
      • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
    • Administration and Management
      • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Food Production
      • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
    • English Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
    • Philosophy and Theology
      • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    • Foreign Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    • Geography
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    • Telecommunications
      • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    • Computers and Electronics
      • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    • Production and Processing
      • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    • Engineering and Technology
      • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • Design
      • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Physics
      • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
    • Sales and Marketing
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    • History and Archeology
      • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    • Biology
      • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    • Transportation
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    • Personnel and Human Resources
      • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
    • Administrative
      • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    • Customer and Personal Service
      • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • Mathematics
      • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Public Safety and Security
      • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
    • Therapy and Counseling
      • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    Education

    Education
    Postsecondary certificate
    Work Experience
    No work experience
    Training
    More than 1 year on-the-job training
    Education and Training Opportunities

    Pay

    Washington Annual Salary
    67630/yr
    Washington Hourly Wage
    32.51/hr

    Washington Employment Trends

    Currently Employed
    9,920
    Yearly Projected Openings
    990

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:
    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Innovation
    • Integrity
    • Independence
    • Persistence

    Tools

    • Adjustable widemouth pliers
    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Air compressors
    • Air velocity and temperature monitors
    • Alignment jig
    • Ammeters
    • Anemometers
    • Awls
    • Blocks or pulleys
    • Blow torch
    • Bolt cutters
    • Calibrated resistance measuring equipment
    • Calipers
    • Capacitance meters
    • Carbon monoxide analyzer
    • Caulking guns
    • Chalk lines
    • Chart recorders
    • Chemical test strips or papers
    • Circuit tester
    • Circuit tracers
    • Claw hammer
    • Cold chisels
    • Conduit benders
    • Depth indicators
    • Desktop computers
    • Diagonal cut pliers
    • Dial indicator or dial gauge
    • Drill bit set
    • Drill press or radial drill
    • Electrical frequency meters
    • Electronic measuring probes
    • End cut pliers
    • Explosimeters
    • Feeler gauges
    • Fish tape
    • Flow sensors
    • Flowmeters
    • Forklifts
    • Frequency calibrator or simulator
    • GFI circuit testers
    • Gas detectors
    • Glue guns
    • Goggles
    • Grease guns
    • Hacksaw
    • Hammers
    • Hand reamer
    • Hand sprayers
    • Hand trucks or accessories
    • Handheld refractometers or polarimeters
    • Handheld thermometer
    • Heat tracing equipment
    • Hex keys
    • Hoists
    • Hold down clamps
    • Hole saws
    • Hydraulic pumps
    • Hygrometers
    • Infrared imagers
    • Inspection mirror
    • Jacks
    • Label making machines
    • Ladders
    • Laser printers
    • Leak testing equipment
    • Level sensors or transmitters
    • Levels
    • Lifelines or lifeline equipment
    • Liquid leak detectors
    • Longnose pliers
    • Lug crimping tool dies
    • Magnetic tools
    • Manometers
    • Manual wire straighteners
    • Medical acoustic stethoscopes
    • Megohmmeters
    • Metal band sawing machine
    • Metal cutters
    • Microcontrollers
    • Micrometers
    • Moisture meters
    • Multimeters
    • Notebook computers
    • Nut drivers
    • Ohmmeters
    • Oil gun
    • Oil pumps
    • Open end wrenches
    • Oxygen gas analyzers
    • Personal computers
    • Phasemeters
    • Pipe bending tools
    • Pipe or tube cutter
    • Pipe reamer
    • Pipe wrenches
    • Platform lift
    • Plotter printers
    • Portable data input terminals
    • Potentiometers
    • Power drills
    • Power flaring tool
    • Power grinders
    • Power saws
    • Pressure indicators
    • Pressure or steam cleaners
    • Pressure sensors
    • Pry bars
    • Psychrometers
    • Pullers
    • Punches or nail sets or drifts
    • Razor knives
    • Refrigerant compressors
    • Resistance thermometers
    • Respirators
    • Rulers
    • Safety glasses
    • Safety harnesses or belts
    • Sampling manifolds
    • Scaffolding
    • Scales
    • Scanners
    • Screw extractors
    • Screwdrivers
    • Scribers
    • Shackle
    • Shears
    • Sheet metal pliers
    • Single gas monitors
    • Slings
    • Slip or groove joint pliers
    • Smoke detectors
    • Socket sets
    • Soldering iron
    • Sound measuring apparatus or decibel meter
    • Specialty wrenches
    • Spectrometers
    • Speed sensors
    • Squares
    • Straight edges
    • Strap wrenches
    • Stripping tools
    • Surface thermometers
    • Swaging tools
    • Tachometers
    • Tape measures
    • Telescoping boom lift
    • Temperature calibrator or simulator
    • Temperature gauge
    • Temperature humidity testers
    • Tension testers
    • Thermocouple probes
    • Thermocouples
    • Threading die hand tool
    • Threading taps
    • Tinners snips
    • Tongs
    • Torque wrenches
    • Tube bending machine
    • Two way radios
    • Ultraviolet UV lamps
    • Utility knives
    • Vacuum cleaners
    • Vacuum gauges
    • Vacuum pumps
    • Vibration testers
    • Voltage or current meters
    • Water analyzers
    • Water samplers
    • Wattmeters
    • Welder torch
    • Welding masks
    • Winches
    • Wire brushes
    • Wire cutters
    • Wire lug crimping tool
    • pH meters

    Technology

    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Customer relationship management CRM software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Document management software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
    • Facilities management software
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • Industrial control software
    • Internet browser software
    • Office suite software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

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