Considerring an HVAC career need advice

[TPoz]

Hi Everyone.
I'm an airline pilot about to lose my job along with 10,000 + others. No airlines are hiring, and wont be for approximately 4 years. I need to learn a new trade in the mean time, and preferrably as a side-line when I get back to an airline job someday.

I've been wrenching on my own apartment units for years, but it would be nice to know HVAC to become a pro apartment manager myself...

I am considering an HVAC school to learn a new trade, but I want to chose wisely.

1. I live in the San Francisco Bay area. Are the prospects good for work there? .

2. What is a good school. Online vs local Jr College?

Appreciate any serious advice,
Thanks,

And don't let your kids grow up to be pilots....and if they insist, learn a trade too !!

[klee7013]

cant answer that question i dont know anything about that area. but good luck with it

edit: i would go for a more handson that is just the way i learn they can talk about it for hours but before i perform the task i dont have the attention span to pay attention on something that i know i am going to be doing handson later so i just didnt stress about paper stuff- but in the shop it all came together and your like ohhhh so that what they meant by "Flux Capacitor" (back to the future) lol

[Wheelbaron]

have to agree with the hands on tec school, but honestly, go talk to employers, and explain to them what your goal is. Ask for a installer starting position, and advise them that you will be attending tech school nights and weekends. This is the best way to get your foot in the door as it were.

[Tiger93rsl]

Hands on tech. school is the only way to go. I learned the mechanical and refrigeration side in the field doing hands on work. Got my electrical and electronics training formally in the class room. That was the best way for me to learn, however I came into the trade with a very strong mechanical back ground.

[PSYCHOBILLY]

Like everyone is saying hands on school. I started out as a installer and took evening classes. Now I work at a facility as an Operating Engineer and am happy as ever. Also starting out as an installer will allow you to appreciate being a tech when you finally become one. Also you better like being hot/cold and tired. Because that is the feeling you will experience.

[the dangling wrangler]

Hi Everyone.
I'm an airline pilot about to lose my job along with 10,000 + others. No airlines are hiring, and wont be for approximately 4 years. I need to learn a new trade in the mean time, and preferrably as a side-line when I get back to an airline job someday.

It's funny.
I was going to go from doing this work to flying.
Had starting getting my ducks in a row,I planned on doing pipe line inspection.
Fly around all day long at 1500 feet,fly someone else's plane, let them worry about fuel, maintenance,hanger rental, insurance,annuals.
Had a bunch of health issues and I'm not even going to try and pass the medical.

Good Luck to ya if this is what you want to do.
If you're gonna do residential, one easy test, would be to go sit in your attic for a few hours,(hottest time of the day) rub insulation all over yourself, and see how long you can take it.

[PSYCHOBILLY]

It's funny.
I was going to go from doing this work to flying.
Had starting getting my ducks in a row,I planned on doing pipe line inspection.
Fly around all day long at 1500 feet,fly someone else's plane, let them worry about fuel, maintenance,hanger rental, insurance,annuals.
Had a bunch of health issues and I'm not even going to try and pass the medical.

Good Luck to ya if this is what you want to do.
If you're gonna do residential, one easy test, would be to go sit in your attic for a few hours,(hottest time of the day) rub insulation all over yourself, and see how long you can take it.

That is very true.

[Cagey57]

As TDW and PSYCHOBILLY (what a name) said, you better be prepared to work in the extreams. Knee deep in snow on a RTU at -10 degrees and 105 with no shade on the same RTU in the summer. You likely wont see the -10 but humidity is KILLER !


Most people that get into this line of work either love it or hate it, there is no in between.

Talk to employers, see what they recommend.

[the dangling wrangler]

As TDW and PSYCHOBILLY (what a name) said, you better be prepared to work in the extreams. Knee deep in snow on a RTU at -10 degrees and 105 with no shade on the same RTU in the summer. You likely wont see the -10 but humidity is KILLER !


Most people that get into this line of work either love it or hate it, there is no in between.

Talk to employers, see what they recommend.

I've learned to love to hate this career.
I never really thought about your extreme.
Ten below in the snow.

[PSYCHOBILLY]

I also love this trade.
And it gets very hot on the roofs here during the summer. Sometimes up to 150*f on a day without any wind. You learn to deal with it. And kinda get used to it. When me and my buddies are at the lake and they say its hot, I laugh and say its nice outside.

[the dangling wrangler]

I try to visualize myself here,whenever I'm in an attic, or on a roof.



http://www.barefootsworld.net/sweatlodge.html

[Joe Harper]

I try to visualize myself here,whenever I'm in an attic, or on a roof.



http://www.barefootsworld.net/sweatlodge.html

Quote from sweatlodge article : A Sweat Ceremony in many traditions usually starts with the loading and offering of the sacred chanunpa ~ "peace pipe".

This explains a lot about the Dangling Wrangler

[mikesands]

There was just a flight where the pilot died, put in an app there.

[the dangling wrangler]

Quote from sweatlodge article : A Sweat Ceremony in many traditions usually starts with the loading and offering of the sacred chanunpa ~ "peace pipe".

This explains a lot about the Dangling Wrangler

That reminds me of something Iggy Pop said many,many years ago,
"I might be sober,but I can still think stoned thoughts."

[Cagey57]

I've learned to love to hate this career.
I never really thought about your extreme.
Ten below in the snow.

Oh Yea, I was thawing water lines under a mobile home once at -15. We had the fire Sprinkler Lines Freeze once inside a building, the walk in cooolers were the only heat and they all locked out on low pressure. I don't know how Psychobilly does it in AZ, that is just Too hot ! I've been in Phoenix at 112 and could not conceive working on anything to do with A/C (except turning the t-stat down and having a nice cold beer).

It's not uncommon for us to see -10 to 105 around here (Colorado) but we don't get humidity. People complain when it get to 65% Rh. I was in the Little Apple (Manhattan KS) once when I swear that I could see the humidity, felt like it was 105 %, I hate humidity!!!!!

[Dirty-SMW265]

I would suggest checking out some of the pipefitter or sheet metal union apprenticeship programs....that's how I got my start....good luck.

[rojacman]

I also love this trade.
And it gets very hot on the roofs here during the summer. Sometimes up to 150*f on a day without any wind. You learn to deal with it. And kinda get used to it. When me and my buddies are at the lake and they say its hot, I laugh and say its nice outside.

how do you learn to deal with those conditions , i read a trade paper on working in Vegas and it said you have to wear long sleeves , start early inna a.m. and drink a ton of water as you lose it so fast u don't even sweat. True???????? and that was for the install guys , we service techs can't control what part of the day calls come in .............Jack

[AtticAce]

Let me give you some advice given to me by my father. Whatever position you end up in, make yourself indispensable.

As a father in these modern times I passed that advice on to my children, but I also added in my advice "whatever you do just don't Suck at it" and you will make a good living, maybe even get rich.

I am not saying that I am some knight in shining armor, but 80% or more of what I see done in the mechanical trades in my area is done by folks who work only for money, and hate their jobs. These folks run from every challenge, they just want to hump a new unit into place and have no care if their work adds any value to the customer.

10 years ago I stopped all advertising, not one of our trucks is lettered, and I don't have a web page. My phone rings about 30 times a day, I get 99.9% of all my sales.
We are in most cases the highest bidder or the only bidder, my suppliers are paid instantly.
We never return any material unless the supplier made the mistake.

Most days I really love to go to work, especially when I walk into a call that 5 other guys gave up on. I know when I fix that unit the customer will not care how much I charge them, and that is good.

Btw, if I walk into a property that has an install like the ones I see on the "wall of shame"
I will quote the rip out the entire job and redo it or I will walk away from the customer.

So if you want to get into HVAC just to have security, then just don't suck and you will have it. I personally could not work for anyone, I have in the past, but couldn't get any satisfaction in doing half a s s work, and going behind an installer that needs a bullet.

[citywide service]

Preface this by saying I have not read the first part of this thread but.....


If I had it to do over again I WOULD NOT have gone into HVAC. The wages (for the most part) are so low you can not support a family and there usually is no benefits.

My area (midwest) pays a 10+ yr service tech an average of 12-15 dollars an hour, no truck to drive home, no health benefits and on call 1 week per month minimum with no compensation other than the O.T. for the calls...all this to usually get laid off during the "slow periods". Happens all the time here and they get away with it! Now you know why there are so many "hacks"! (Translation: Guys trying to get by).

Had I to do it over again I would have gone to sparky school...those guys can make the money man!


Just my opinion...


CW.

[Joe Harper]

Preface this by saying I have not read the first part of this thread but.....


If I had it to do over again I WOULD NOT have gone into HVAC. The wages (for the most part) are so low you can not support a family and there usually is no benefits.

My area (midwest) pays a 10+ yr service tech an average of 12-15 dollars an hour, no truck to drive home, no health benefits and on call 1 week per month minimum with no compensation other than the O.T. for the calls...all this to usually get laid off during the "slow periods". Happens all the time here and they get away with it! Now you know why there are so many "hacks"! (Translation: Guys trying to get by).

Had I to do it over again I would have gone to sparky school...those guys can make the money man!


Just my opinion...


CW.

I have to say, your outlook on things suck..

I make good money, and drive my truck home. There is always something to do if you are thorough and keeping your eyes open. The hacks get laid off all the time beacuse they are hacks. Why keep a bad technician on the payroll when he cant do good work? You might be working for the wrong company.