What Are the Requirements to Become an Electrician in Canada?
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What do HVAC technicians do all day? That’s a question every aspiring HVAC tech has asked or at least wondered before enrolling in an HVAC program and getting on-the-job training. You know you’ll be fixing furnaces, refrigeration systems, and AC blower fan units, testing HVAC systems, and replacing residential and commercial HVAC parts. Besides that, you might be curious how your work day will pan out.
In this blog, we look at the daily responsibilities of HVAC technicians, including the challenges and scenarios they may encounter. Find out what to expect in your on-the-job training when you start your HVAC career here.
What Does an HVAC Technician Do in the Morning?
While HVAC technicians do varying tasks in the morning, your average HVAC technician undergoes a fairly standard routine across the board. Here it goes:
6:00 a.m. — Rise and Shine
HVAC techs are early risers, their days possibly starting before sunrise. They’ll suit up, put on their uniform and head out. After a light breakfast and a cup of coffee, they prepare for the day.
6:30 a.m. — HVAC Technician Job Duties Begin
Upon arrival at the office, technicians review their schedules for the day. These can include service calls, installations, or maintenance checks. Before leaving for these jobs, they review their inventory, ensuring they have all the necessary tools and parts for each job.
7:00 a.m. — The Technician Hits the Road
Once set, they load up their service vehicle (usually a van) with tools, diagnostic HVAC equipment, and replacement parts such as filters and thermostats. To be safe, they do a final check to ensure they don’t leave anything behind. Then they’re off to meet their first client for the day.
HVAC Technician Responsibilities Throughout the Day
8:00 a.m. — The HVAC Technician Arrives at Their First Appointment
The day’s first appointment may see an HVAC technician arrive at a house for a routine maintenance check. The technician greets the customer, who explains why they called for a maintenance service, what they suspect could be a problem, and what they want to accomplish.
9:00 a.m. — Diagnostics & Troubleshooting of HVAC Units
With their troubleshooting skills, the technician uses some diagnostic tools to detect potential problems with the HVAC system. This may involve inspecting electrical components, measuring fluid levels, or troubleshooting mechanical glitches.
10:30 a.m. — The Technician Makes Repairs
If the technician diagnoses a potential issue, they do the suitable repair, usually repairing or replacing the defective part. A simple fix could be adjusting a thermostat, while a more complex fix could involve replacing more critical components, such as a heat pump motor.
Noon — Lunch Break
Assuming this takes a full morning, the tech takes a lunch break for a breather and to recharge.
HVAC Technician Responsibilities Throughout the Afternoon
Image source: Pixabay
1:00 p.m. — Next Appointment
After lunch, it’s back to business. The technician might drive across town to a client who needs more than a maintenance check—it could be a service job and maybe a part replacement.
Upon arrival at the new client’s home, the technician hears the problem out, like air conditioning systems not blowing cold air. In this case, the technician explains that it could be due to a malfunctioning or failed run capacitor—a normal and fixable problem.
The tech measures the run capacitor on the air conditioner and sees that both readings are normal. However, after further chatting with his client, they learned that the airflow stopped working yesterday, meaning our HVAC technician had to climb up through the attic to check the run capacitor on the furnace. And so they do.
2:00 p.m. — Doing the Repairs
Wiggling through the tight crawl space of the attic, the technician accesses the unit and tests the run capacitor. It’s dead. Not to fret though—they just have to determine its size and install a new one. The technician installs it, tests it with jumper wires to ensure it works, and then hears the whir of the blower—it works!
The technician asks the client to turn their AC back on to ensure the temperature split is correct. They measure the temperature going into the unit (the return) and what’s going out (the supply), looking for a 20-degree temperature differential. The numbers read well—this AC is fixed and good to go.
Learn more: How to Become an HVAC Technician
What Do HVAC Technicians Do Toward the End of the Day
3:00 p.m. — Additional Service Calls
The end of the work day arrives fast. Our HVAC technician might finish their last appointment for the day—a tune-up involving flushing and cleaning the unit. They document all work and schedule follow-up appointments on the jobs that require additional work.
4:30 p.m. — Return to the Office
After wrapping up, they return to the office with their service vehicle and equipment, checking emails and calls for new appointments.
5:00 p.m. — Review Work
At this point, our HVAC technician might handle some final items before signing out, such as updating client records and notes and ensuring all jobs are completed properly. To finish off, the technician might restock supplies and organize tools—one of the key HVAC technician responsibilities that sets them up for success the next day.
Learn more: How to Get Your HVAC License in Ontario
5:30 p.m. — Sign Out
Unless our technician works on-call or gets called in for after-hour emergency calls, it’s lights out at the office, and they get to head home after a hard day’s work.
Image source: Unsplash
Do HVAC Technician Job Duties Vary?
Absolutely. Although the structure and tasks are similar, you can expect some variations in HVAC technician responsibilities, especially when seasons change.
During the summer, HVAC technicians work almost exclusively with air conditioning maintenance. This involves cleaning units, replacing dirty filters, and checking airflow. No one wants to sleep in a scorching bedroom in the middle of July.
But when winter rolls around, heating systems need more attention. Tasks include inspecting furnaces, thermostats, and ducts and testing HVAC systems to ensure they’re functioning properly and efficiently.
Nevertheless, the job offers a predictable routine that provides a certain degree of comfort, and a variety of challenges, so you never get bored.
Start Your HVAC Pre-Apprenticeship at Skilled Trades College of Canada
Are you looking to get started in HVAC? Be work-ready in 12 weeks with Skilled Trades College of Canada. Our HVAC pre-apprenticeship course prepares you for all HVAC technician responsibilities, from safety training to hands-on work with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
Learn from industry experts and gain the knowledge you need to kickstart your trade career. Contact us to learn more about our pre-apprenticeship program and discover your future in this exciting trade!
