When you’re looking to hire an HVAC technician, you should pay attention to their qualifications and credentials. But it’s more than just education or experience that makes for an excellent heating and cooling technician. Find out what five skills a technician should have, and make sure you work with a company that has technicians with these traits.
What Does an HVAC Technician Do?
If you want to understand what skills a heating and cooling technician should have, you need to know more about their day-to-day duties. A technician has the role of installing, repairing, and maintaining heating, ventilation, and AC systems. In addition to needing hard skills, like heater repair skills, they also need a long list of soft skills.
This is because a technician isn’t only working with machinery. While dealing with HVAC equipment is a major part of the job, it’s not the only part. On a daily basis, these technicians deal with customers, colleagues, and more. The exact duties vary by specialization, but that doesn’t mean there are no basic skills a technician should have.
Whatever a technician specializes in, they should possess all of the traits listed below. This means they are more than qualified to handle the job; you can trust that they’ll do the best possible job with your HVAC needs.
The Five Skills Every Technician Needs
Here’s a closer look at what skills your HVAC technician should have:
Problem Solving Abilities
Because HVAC systems are complex pieces of machinery, there’s a lot that can go wrong. No one job is the same, whether it’s an installation or a simple repair. When you call someone for heating and cooling services, they need to diagnose the problem and consider all of the possible ways to repair it.
There’s no one single blueprint for handling HVAC repairs. For this reason, a technician needs to be able to solve problems. They might come across a system with a unique design or a malfunction they’ve never seen before. In any case, it’s up to them to determine the problem and the best repair. Oftentimes, this takes some creative thinking.
If a technician has several years of experience, you can bet that they know how to solve problems. To make it in the industry, a technician needs problem-solving skills. When you work with an HVAC technician in Sterling who has the experience, it’s likely that they can solve problems.
Excellent Communication
If it weren’t for customers, an HVAC repair technician wouldn’t have any work to do. When a customer calls for help, they play a crucial part in the repair, installation, or maintenance process. The technician needs to communicate with them to find out the problems and goals.
Furthermore, the technician needs to work with the customer to communicate important information. For instance, they should tell the customer how to maintain a system after they install it. If you called for a repair, the technician should explain what they need to do and give you an accurate timeline and cost of the repairs.
A reputable technician is able to clearly communicate with their customers. In order to do this, they need to work well with people and have a friendly disposition.
Time Management
In every part of the country, people in heating and cooling services are in high demand. Whether it’s the winter or the summer, a home or business owner could experience any number of issues with their heating and cooling system. There’s always a need for HVAC techs.
Due to the demand, HVAC technicians have very busy schedules. They might need to work long hours, evenings, and weekends. They need to be able to finish their jobs in a timely manner. And, while working quickly matters, a good technician can work quickly while doing a great job.
It’s not just about getting from one job to the next. At times, customers can’t wait for a repair. In the dead of winter, a broken heater could leave a homeowner in danger. The same is true of a broken AC in the summer, as heatstroke poses a serious threat. Technicians need to be able to maintain a schedule and get to customers on time.
Love of Machinery
Would you want someone who doesn’t care about people to be your therapist? Or someone who doesn’t enjoy the outdoors to be your hiking guide? If you want your HVAC system to have the best care, you need a technician who loves working on heavy machinery.
At any given time, an HVAC tech might need to lift a heavy object or move a big piece of equipment. Technicians should be willing and eager to move heavy machinery. Although they might not always need to move heavy objects, a technician always must be ready to do some lifting.
Similarly, technicians should enjoy working with computers. Years ago, there was limited to no computer technology in HVAC systems. But today, most systems have at least a few computerized components. The technology has gone digital, so HVAC techs should enjoy and be capable of working on computer software.
Focus on Safety
There are several dangerous components of an HVAC system. For example, most systems rely on electricity. If a technician doesn’t put safety first, they could end up shocking themselves or leaving your home in danger of a fire. Every technician receives safety training, and it’s essential that they rely on that training to keep everyone safe.
Another danger comes from the refrigerant. If your HVAC system has a refrigerant leak, you could be in danger. Your technician must be able to identify leaks and know how to safely work with the refrigerant. With a safety-first approach, the technician can ensure that no one is hurt.
Who’s Your HVAC Repair Technician?
If you’re looking for an HVAC company that has all of the skills mentioned above, you should work with us at Cardinal. Our technicians have the training, experience, and passion you want in your HVAC technician. Call us today and make your first appointment. (703) 721-8888