Welcome to all New Guests going Pro? Do not post equipment questions in this forum

[Dad]

There is a 15 post rule for the Membership Committee to process your application for Professional Membership here. "Joy" posting doesn't count.

So, how do you bring your post count up and give pertinent information for the MC to consider? Easy, post in this thread about your experiences and the jobs you have been on. Speak to each other about how and why you decided to get into this business and how you expect to advance in this trade. Tech School?? Talk about your classes and what you were taught.

Before you know it your 15 will be 60. Good luck and Welcome to H-Talk.



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[Tech23]

Well, it all started when I was just a and I would take my toys apart and couldn't figure out how to get them back together again....so I would tell mom I needed new toys. Eventually dad said to quit taking them apart unless I could figure out how to put them back together.

Many, many years later I had this same problem with my first experience with a Lennox "Whisper Heat"... Had to call a senior tech out to show me how to put that darn thing back together again.

I still love taking things apart...luckily for the customers, I can put them back together properly now!

Okay, I started for you new guys...get your posts up by sharing your experiences in the hvac field and let's get you moving toward the pro membership.

[Klay]

After earning an Associates in the HVAC program at the community college, I hit the streets and pounded the pavement. Took me 5 months to land a job in this field, and after 3 months of residential install, the company went out of business. And I was back pounding the pavement. My second job was a more stable company and things were going great. So I thought. This turned out to be another 3 month endevour for me. Soon as work slowed down, I was told I wasn't up to speed as the rest of the Installers, and let go. Last one hired, first one fired, I suppose? For the time being, I'm a delivery driver and my Boss said he doesn't want to let me go. Work is really slowing down, so we'll see how that pans out. The service manager spoke with me briefly about training as a tech, but nothing is concrete.
I believe with repetition and time, I could be a good Installer. But its not really what I want to do. I like the mental challenge and problem solving of Service. Work is work, and I'll do whatever they want me to do. I just hope that with hard work and alot of patience, I end up doing what I'd like to do. Been tougher than I thought it was going to be, having went to school for HVAC work. I am coming to understand that, this doesn't carry much weight out in the field. I plan to keep pushing, and bust my ass to get where I want to go. I'm sure I'll get there. Joining this sight is another step I'm taking to achieve this. Thank all of you for sharing knowledge, opinion, and encouragement. Pretty cool that this sight is here for us to share info. With Appreciation and Respect.

[jpsmith1cm]

When I started, I knew nothing and knew that I knew nothing.

Then I learned a little and thought I knew a little.

Then I learned a little bit more and I knew that I knew everything.

Now, I know a little bit more and know that I will never completely understand this stuff.

[Tech23]

Keep at it Klay, your determination and attitude will pay off in the long run...don't give up!

[Tech23]

When I started, I knew nothing and knew that I knew nothing.

Then I learned a little and thought I knew a little.

Then I learned a little bit more and I knew that I knew everything.

Now, I know a little bit more and know that I will never completely understand this stuff.

That pretty well sums it up...I can so relate! Everytime I start to get a little cocky....

[supertek65]

Klay,
welcome!
Nice post. I believe the HVAC degree you earned counts for a lot! It shows that you made an investment and a commitment! This field is like a marriage, the more you invest and commit, the better it gets. Installing leads to service. You install it and wire it and start it up. Then when it does not start, you troubleshoot it!

keep up the hard work and again welcome!

Frank

After earning an Associates in the HVAC program at the community college, I hit the streets and pounded the pavement. Took me 5 months to land a job in this field, and after 3 months of residential install, the company went out of business. And I was back pounding the pavement. My second job was a more stable company and things were going great. So I thought. This turned out to be another 3 month endevour for me. Soon as work slowed down, I was told I wasn't up to speed as the rest of the Installers, and let go. Last one hired, first one fired, I suppose? For the time being, I'm a delivery driver and my Boss said he doesn't want to let me go. Work is really slowing down, so we'll see how that pans out. The service manager spoke with me briefly about training as a tech, but nothing is concrete.
I believe with repetition and time, I could be a good Installer. But its not really what I want to do. I like the mental challenge and problem solving of Service. Work is work, and I'll do whatever they want me to do. I just hope that with hard work and alot of patience, I end up doing what I'd like to do. Been tougher than I thought it was going to be, having went to school for HVAC work. I am coming to understand that, this doesn't carry much weight out in the field. I plan to keep pushing, and bust my ass to get where I want to go. I'm sure I'll get there. Joining this sight is another step I'm taking to achieve this. Thank all of you for sharing knowledge, opinion, and encouragement. Pretty cool that this sight is here for us to share info. With Appreciation and Respect.

[supertek65]

true knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing!

[Eeyess]

It's funny. I'm currently attending school for hvacr. Reading this forum makes me feel better. Cause when I started I knew nothing, after afew weeks in class I thought I learned alot. But the more I learn the more I relize that I don't understand somethings that I thought I was getting proficiant in, and that I'm not alone. I also understand that there's so many different applications and systems that I could keep learning and never know it all. Thats makes me think I'll never get bored.

[supertek65]

welcome to the industry, with the rest of us dummies!!!!!!!!!!

Frank

It's funny. I'm currently attending school for hvacr. Reading this forum makes me feel better. Cause when I started I knew nothing, after afew weeks in class I thought I learned alot. But the more I learn the more I relize that I don't understand somethings that I thought I was getting proficiant in, and that I'm not alone. I also understand that there's so many different applications and systems that I could keep learning and never know it all. Thats makes me think I'll never get bored.

[jtrammel]

I was lucky and had a "foot in" into the industry being that my dad owns an hvac company. He always told me to do anything other than hvac and i guess his reverse psycholgy worked... lol. He never missed a chance at getting me out working with him every summer since I was 10. Growing up he would take me on service calls on the weekends when he was on call and i thought it was so cool crawling (he crawled, i could walk) under people's houses and getting dirty. After working every summer for 6 or 7 years I went to a technical college and got my associates degree in Industrial Maintenence and HVAC. I am now coming up on my 6th year full time and I still learn something everyday. One of the things i love about my job is that i work from one end of the spectrum to the other on any given day so it never gets boring. On day I could be changing the valve plates on a 40 ton 06E compressor and the next be running a 6 inch flex branch line in a 2 foot crawlspace. My company is a small operation with only 4 techs, Me and my helper do most of the install work and when theres no install i do service. I love doing both and love the variety of jobs i do and all the people i meet along the way. I love my job and wouldn't trade it for a million dollars. Keep your head up Klay, with your determination you will get to where you want to be. Nothing is impossible, Life is what you make it.

[Eeyess]

Thanks.
Yes the versatility of this industry is one of my biggest turn ons. I like to feel like I'm actually doing something and it helps not doing the same exact thing the same exact way everytime.

[Klay]

It's funny. I'm currently attending school for hvacr. Reading this forum makes me feel better. Cause when I started I knew nothing, after afew weeks in class I thought I learned alot. But the more I learn the more I relize that I don't understand somethings that I thought I was getting proficiant in, and that I'm not alone. I also understand that there's so many different applications and systems that I could keep learning and never know it all. Thats makes me think I'll never get bored.

YES ! ! ! ! ! !

true knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing!

This is great. I am so glad I joined this sight and look forward to learning and progressing. Like I'm growing up all over again. LOL

[supertek65]

Oh. I can not take the credit for that!
a guy a little smarter than me came up with that!
Aristotle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Klay]

Oh. I can not take the credit for that!
a guy a little smarter than me came up with that!
Aristotle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

think I heard of that dude . . . . ?

[dandyme]

when I first started in this field, it didn't take but about 3 days to realize that what was taught in college was only the foundation, it was totaly different in the field.



and when I think I have it figured out, somebody builds a different mouse trap.



If you only have the vocabulary for this trade, you'll only be able to blow smoke up peoples butts for a little while, if you don't understand what you are talking about ask some one to explain.

Those sage techs that you meet are, by and large, eager to transfer knowledge to those willing to accept it............but if you act as if you know it all to begin with.......there aren't going to be many that will waste much time trying to get you to see things as they should be.



those seasoned techs didn't get that way by not knowing everything, they learned and earned on the way.

[supertek65]

figured you had!!!!!!!!!!

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

think I heard of that dude . . . . ?

[Eeyess]

I'm trying to imitate a sponge and soak every little bit of it in.

[acwizard]

Hello everyone, This is a fantastic place to share thoughts and continue learning. I got into this trade about 33 years ago. I worked for my father who owned a couple retail stores. Every summer without fail my dad had to call out a tech named Shorty to fix the a/c units.I tell you later why his name was Shorty. I would help him haul all of this equipment up to the roof and ask a million questions, and that is where it all began. Thanks alot Shorty. I then decided to enroll in a hvac course at the local community college, It was a great, loved learning something totally new. My grades were never higher , in fact I ended up on the Deans list for two years. I was then hired by a large union contractor as the assistant estimator. i knew nothing, but I learned fast, taking off high rise buildings and having to listen to the reel to reel computer as I did the takeoff. I became bored one day and decided that I needed to get my hands dirty. I got hired by a union contractor which at the time was the largest residential hvac contractor west of the rocky mtns. They were installing over 30,000 systems a year. I became one of their most versatile service techs and they threw everything at me including the owners Greyhound bus, his motor home ,and told me dont screw up on the a/c. He was going across the country on vacation and his a/c wasn't working. Literally I was thrown under the bus. I left that company after about 8 years , helped a friend start up a business, left there and started my own contracting business. 24 years later here I am. I have electrical , hvac and solar energy contracting licenses, are primary work is light commercial, large custom homes. I started out as a service company, but the bulk of our work is design build , and retrofits. When I was back in my twenties, I thought I knew everything about this industry, but today in my ripe age of 54 I realize the more you know , the less you know, and just when you thought you had seen it all ,bamm , back to the books and more learning. I love this trade and all of the challenges that come with it.

[keeplearnin]

I didn't grow up in a stable home so when I turned 18 I went straight into the Navy as a machinist mate where I learned how to drink beer and work on some pretty big equipment that took a lot of muscle. Then the navy sent me to a two week class on air cond. and refrigeration and I fell in love. I got out of the Navy with drunk diploma in hand and started working at Hussman refrigeration building cases in their s. cali. warehouse. Got layed off due to slow time where I excelled my skills building aircraft one hole at a time. I then went to work building trucks for a big company, actually stamping plant, hardest work I ever did, When after another year I was able to get a maintenace job in the hvac field because my driving record finally cleared up all of those tickets.I was a maintenance tech. for a while ,then After making lots of mistakes I finally landed a job as a tech. Hasn't been easy I still am learning today and believe me when I say this is the short version of my story.