What do you do in the Industry.. and do you still enjoy it?

[JusTRANEing]

Hello all, just curious as to why many of you have gone into the HVAC line of work? whats the best and worst thing about working in the Industry?

[HVAC-matt]

I have only been working in the HVAC trade for 3 years but I went into in because I like to solve problems, you see something new every day and learn something new every day. You are not sitting in an office, although I am right now taking a break hahaha and the pay isnt bad either. The worst is cleaning coils on a roof when its 90 out.

[JusTRANEing]

Desk jobs do make you fat.

[trey r]

I got into the trade 14 years ago because, I enjoy being overworked. Oh and the money ain't bad either.

[dandyme]

they told me I'd be cool in the summer and warm in the winter
















and when I remember who told me that, I'm gonna fix them

[darooo]

Great job I have over 23 years in commercial air conditioning, every day is something new, I can work the walkins for the shuttle tire tester, or a chiller the next, every day is a learning experience. The knowledge never stops.

[stonewallred]

I do everything except boilers and chillers. Sort of transitioned to the industry after working for the state as a Maintenance Mechanic-IV (if it was on, owned or used by the facility, I was expected to be able to repair, replace, and maintain it). And that ran from changing a faulty receptacle, phone systems, plumbing, 14' shears capable of cutting 5/16" stainless steel, to gates, fencing, and HVAC/R equipment and even stuff like hydraulics for the farm equipment and the pumps for irrigation. After I was promoted to a level where politics came into play, I ended up out of there when the administration changed.
Went looking for a new career, and HVAC/R seemed to the best choice. The guy that owns the second or third (varies with who has the most projects) is someone I have known sine I was 7 years old, and when I told him I needed a job, he hired me on the spot.

Best thing? I don't need any reviews to tell me how I am performing. And the immediate gratification from fixing the equipment.
Worse thing? Hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and overworked for all but a couple of months of the year.

[johnbeck1000]

I kind of had a calling to it after high school. I liked fixing things and I've always been a problem solver so it seemed to fit plus I was told I could make good money doing it. Plus I wanted to piss my parents off by going to a trade school instead of a 4 year college, LOL! The money is good, the demand for you is good and I love working outside. You will never know it all in this trade and like that about it. I came into the trade with a good knowledge of computers and that has helped me pass older guys with all the new control systems out there and not having a fear of technology.

working outside can also be a negative but I wouldn't trade my job for an office job anyday. Being oncall sucks also but it comes with the territory and I get paid handsomely to deal with it

I work on everything residentially and commercially except low temp equipment, my company isn't in that market.

[yellowirenut]

I needed a job after college. Started out as a helper in sheet metal. Owner saw something in me and moved me to the service side (commercial)
It was there I learned that i loved to solve problems and was mechanically inclined. I never knew I had it in me. 11 yrs later I have imagined doing other things and got board with them at just the thought.

[Tech Rob]

There are a lot of times that I wish I had some other job, but I guess this business is tolerable for now. If it was so great, they wouldn't pay people to do it.

FWIW, I'm going into my 10th year of apprenticeship. I work on everything that is commercial/industrial HVAC.

[Baloo2327]

Book coming, lol! I got into this industry just out of high school knowing I needed to learn a skill, and I couldn't see myself busting knuckles on cars, and I didn't think I could handle staying cooped up in an office all day. Half way through Tech school it dawned on me that I would be working the hardest when it is the hottest or the coldest out. I was an installer right out of school, and the money was pretty good for a wet nose kid.

Other career opportunities came along and took me other directions, but 18 years ago I came back to this trade for the money as a service tech, then service manager. Last month I celebrated my 15th year being in business for myself, and found myself in a position financially to have some options, which got me wondering what I wanted to do for the second half of my life.

To be honest I am content and grateful to be in this trade. I'm sure I will be complaining when it gets hot out here, but being A.D.D., I know this trade is perfect for me because of all the variety from the jobs I'm on, to the people I meet. This trade is great also because not just anyone can do this (Properly), and the demand is only going to get stronger.

[lortech]

I am not in the industry yet but it just depends on how much of a demand there is for apprentices. I am not a young guy by any means. Been a heavy aircraft mechanic to auto mechanic. I am big into troubleshooting and diagnostics so enjoy it. We will see how this pans out once is starts getting hot in Vancouver BC and get hired.

Now if I did helicopter maintenance like I did long time ago, I would do it again.

[FlyersFan]

I got into the industry sort of by accident. I went from being a plumber's helper to working at an auto repair shop. My old plumbing boss was starting an HVAC division and wanted to hire me on as an apprentice and my old house didn't have air conditioning. My plan was to learn enough to get my own AC installed then go back to working on cars. I fell in love with the troubleshooting side of HVAC and I've been doing it for 12 years now.

You'll never get bored doing this work if you keep trying to learn. And the look of gratitude on a customer's face when you ring the doorbell at 8 o'clock on a Friday night in the summer makes it kiinda cool too.

[JusTRANEing]

WOW.. no 2 paths are the same. lots of good stories and thank you all for sharing. I have had many Office jobs and have done mostly sales. HVAC seems like a great fit and so far so good. Its a long road

[joemach]

What I do is to make people comfortable. That is really the product that I produce. Fixing the stuff is just the necessary evil. Although that is all part of the fun.

I will say that for as much as you have to endure to get the job done that pay is way low.

[brahern]

I am a building engineer and work on all kinds of hvac related stuff. Myself and the rest of our staff is responsible for all aspects of climate control for a 1.5 million square foot corporate office center. 9 chillers of various tonnages and 5 300 hp hot water boilers split over 2 central plants. Plus emergency generators, around 60 air handlers, 16 vane axial fans, more exhaust fans than I can even count, plus kitchen refrigeration equipment. Critical facility with chillers running year round. Have worked in other facilities over the last decade, but this is something else. So far I love it.

[blitz]

I need to put food on the table and money in the bank. simple enough. oh, and it's a demanding, interesting and fun place if you like working with your hand and by your self or a regular work partner/helper. I still enjoy it.

the downside is there isn't pretty girl in powersuit that you can gawk at like in the office. or u know the office bicycle that everybody has a ride at . the only entertainment I have at work is the morning talkshow and the news radio. and being on call on peak season sucks, although it put money into the bank a lot quicker.