Going HVAC at 55 years old

[marvin]

at 55 i was still going strong & the grey hair factor made the customer more comfortable but i had a lot of experiance behind me.
most guys are starting to slow down at 55/60 so if you get a lot of
service work the next few yers & attend a few sales classes you
may be lucky & get in a an estimator/ salesman & get the
easy money. parts counter would also be a good gig.

[volcool]

Id say age is just a number. Age does catch up with you,but im 50 little slow in some areas. Great Tech school im going to,but like a lot of people say and i agree,school just teaches u the basics,and theres gonna be problems you run into that you never saw. I plan on working parttime with a company starting out with and get my hands dirty.

[wahoo]

I'd have no problems hiring a 50 yr. old non-smoker to help install, and train for service. If you're a smoker, then 50 is nearing where the "problems" may start and would then have to seriously think about it. Frankly, we don't like to put smokers into customer's homes because of the customer follow-up sheet complaints. But a healthy 50 yr. old who wants to work and learn the business? No problem. Can they physically do the work? Since they'll show up on time and ready each day, it'll be much easier than a "kid"!! Years ago I had an installer who retired at 68, and worked every day until then. He's now in early 80s, and still healthy!! I hired him when he was in 50s, and trained him after hiring from construction business. He simply got tired of getting laid off each winter, he never got laid off with us.

[73Stingray]

Amen brother!

I am only 40, but I will give you an Amen too!!

[Tommy1010]

lets put it this way;

you can't buy experience!

1 out of 10,000 may be able to do what you propose at your age

good luck!

[acguytx]

its not your age or enthusiasm that will be the issue, IMO the issue is in a small way you are disrespecting our trade by thinking its so easy that you will take a short course and then start a business and all will be easy street from there..

if you are doing this for the money and think it will just start raining cash in a year or two stop now and find something else to do..

Seriously ive been doing this 15 years and 5 years going on 6th on my own and until the last 5yrs i really didnt realize all that went into this until recently. Its not only tough on the body and mind but takes a lot of experience and most of it learning the hard way. I was really just a technician all learned on the job from good teachers, saw a few installs, dropped a few condensers and coils in but even after all of that when i went out on my own and go into attics, crawl spaces and started seeing equipment ive never come across before I realized this takes a lot of hard work and experience to master and i still have a long way to go.

everyday is a learning day and not knowing what you are doing will fast track you right out the door..

I wish you the best but please make sure you are ready before you start full throttle.

If you have some money, get a license, start a small business with a 5 yr pan, hire someone with a lot of experience and pay them well and learn from them and as you get more comfortable and learn the ins and outs and decide what direction to go from there.

we dont need more hacks and guys who feel an epa cert and a truck makes them an HVAC Pro.. good luck

[marvin]

i agree with acguy to an extent but if a guy thinks
he is qualified after a short schooling & can swing getting
all the needed lic. & ins. why not try it .
some guys are a natural & do well others dont do as well.
i know first hand about age discrimination & honestly wouldnt
hire myself. if i were in the job market.
when we were young the employers wanted exp. techs
& now we have the exp. we are too old
dont know where the time went but i have to say it has been
a great ride & if i could re do it i think id make all the same mistakes
again. your only 55 i say dive in & give it your best shot.
if your in the dfw area & run in to swift one from this site he
is a good source of info. & one great guy who may be able to
use you as a helper now & then.

[allenrobinson2269]

I have this contractor who did my kitchen and is getting ready to rebuild a big protion of my house destroyed in Sandy (NJ here). This guy is 76 and is going strong. He is a GC, but does most of the work himself. He dosen't do much painting, but everthing else he is a master. He could probably paint too if he wanted to. He has been in the business for 50 something years and I would use him for anything you can think of. I guess it just depends on who you are and what you want to do.

[butternut]

What I would like to do is start my own full-time HVAC maintenance and repair business after I receive my associates. I will be 57 years old, with 2 years experience as a "freelance" HVAC tech. I was wondering if I am will able to meet the demands of repairing split units and in some cases crawling under homes to get to a discharge line. Also, can I realistically compete as a middle ages guy with no real track record. Am I being realistic at all?

What is your opinion about my plan?
What are some of the obstacles I might encounter?
What are some of the advantages?

hvac1232

I think you are being unrealistic and unless you are going to work for a company till your 60 (before trying this idea) you wont have the background to risk a start up. Think about it... you start this up and get a few that you can't do or can't do properly. word of mouth will make or break you. You don't have the background for this and no school can prepare you for what you are going to encounter in the field.

You want to do this in spite of your age and lack of experience ?. Find a middle age guy who wants to start a business but doesn't have the resources and partner up. Pretty crazy idea to start with so involving a seasoned technician could only help make it work,

[ga-hvac-tech]

I think you are being unrealistic and unless you are going to work for a company till your 60 (before trying this idea) you wont have the background to risk a start up. Think about it... you start this up and get a few that you can't do or can't do properly. word of mouth will make or break you. You don't have the background for this and no school can prepare you for what you are going to encounter in the field.

You want to do this in spite of your age and lack of experience ?. Find a middle age guy who wants to start a business but doesn't have the resources and partner up. Pretty crazy idea to start with so involving a seasoned technician could only help make it work,

Might want to listen to the voice of experience here!!!!!

School only teaches the basics; one needs years of hands on in the field before they know enough to not be dangerous (to themselves as well as the general public).

[hurtinhvac]

I started school at 45, I've got a year and a half in the field at 47. It can be done but it is not easy for all reasons listed. The real education starts in the field.

Going on your own is probably very unrealistic, sorry - but partnering with an experienced tech wanting to hang out his own shingle would be a great idea - you would both have a vested interest in making sure things are done right.

[Firebird A/C]

At 55 you are to OLD to get into this trade. Sorry just being honest. This is a young mans trade. Yes there are a few that can do it into there 50`s and 60`s, but not many. At 51, i am usually the oldest guy in the parts houses when i walk in. Use your mind not your back. Go to school for something in the medical field. Lab tech or what every else.

But if you must get into this trade, then look for an hvac job at a school district, hospital, airport, state or city job. A job like that is more geared toward the maintenance side and less demanding on your body. Pay will be less, but my have good benefits.

Good luck and never stop asking questions.

Mark
51 and still trying to kick A$$

[ga-hvac-tech]

At 55 you are to OLD to get into this trade. Sorry just being honest. This is a young mans trade. Yes there are a few that can do it into there 50`s and 60`s, but not many. At 51, i am usually the oldest guy in the parts houses when i walk in. Use your mind not your back. Go to school for something in the medical field. Lab tech or what every else.

But if you must get into this trade, then look for an hvac job at a school district, hospital, airport, state or city job. A job like that is more geared toward the maintenance side and less demanding on your body. Pay will be less, but my have good benefits.

Good luck and never stop asking questions.

Mark
51 and still trying to kick A$$

This is good advice!

[butternut]

Hey!... like Maine?. I am headed to Bangor to start another shop on my way out. I could use an x-tra hand

[allenrobinson2269]

I have four months before school starts. Would love to go to Maine and give you a hand.

[martinxxxxxx]

I can't really see that there is a magic number for entering any trade, it all depends on the individual, but I think coming from an allied trade such as plumbing or electrics is doable - but from a completely non tech backround. I really think you will struggle to break into of the technical trades, The theory backs up the practice- if you have plumbing behind you then you will have to learn a lot of theory but probably have good piping skills already, if like me you are coming from an electrical backround then the theory is going to be at the same level as the electrical theory you already use and most of the craftwork will be second nature, but you will need to learn how to run neat piping and brazing etc. But if you no skill set it;s not a hill it's a mountain.

[allenrobinson2269]

I have good skills. Welding plumbing electrical building ect. I just have no certs or formal training. I need schooling to get certs. That's all. I am autodidactic so I pick things up more quickly than most people. Also I sm able to perform a task longer and at greater intensity than most people. If the average HVAC tech can work say 10-12 hours a day I am able to complete 14-16 hours per day and still prepare for the next day. I only sleep about four hours per day and at odd intervals. I am able to do things like work a night shift, sleep a couple of hours and do another 8-10 hours. Also I have retired and make a deprecate income from my former employer.

[pcp]

Wow Mr. Wonderful!

[allenrobinson2269]

Thanks for the sarcastic compliment. However this comment was completely unhelpful concerning the learning of the HVAC field and running an HVAC business. What I am trying to do is provide honest information so that those of you with experience in HVAC and or business can provide answers that may help men in my business.
The idea that I am going to wait until I am seventy is both impractical and unrealistic. Is it just that this is an over hyped field and there is no money to be made here. If that is the case I’m not sure why anyone is on this site in the first place.
So here is what I need:
If you are running an HVAC business what mistakes have you made that others should avoid to maintain a competitive edge?
If there is someone who is known for being a good employer in the NYC area who and what sort of employees are they looking for?
Let’s assume by default that I am able to become skilled exceptionally quick.
I am going to apply the five year plan with the plan being to begin a company in five years 2018.
Here is my breakdown.
One year of school
One year of residential design, installation, maintenance, and repair
Two years industrial/large commercial buildings
One year industrial in maritime and offshore applications
Upon this experience start and expand a business leading to the employment and training of others.
Call it the HVAC circle of life.

[allenrobinson2269]

Hey!... like Maine?. I am headed to Bangor to start another shop on my way out. I could use an x-tra hand

Are you still looking for hands?