What Does an HVAC Technician Do?
Warm homes in January, cool classrooms in July and cold storage for food and medicine all depend on HVAC technicians. They make sure that heating, cooling and refrigeration equipment is installed to code, and that breakdowns are found and fixed before a building gets uncomfortable or a freezer warms up. Most work for contracting firms, and others keep a hospital, school district or campus running.
Also known as: Lead HVAC/Refrigeration Technician, HVAC/Refrigeration Mechanic, HVAC/Refrigeration Technician, HVAC Service Worker
HVAC Technician Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an HVAC technician include:
- Diagnose no-heat and no-cooling calls using gauges, thermometers and a multimeter.
- Recover, evacuate and recharge refrigerant, and keep the records EPA rules require.
- Replace compressors, fan motors, capacitors and contactors on rooftop units and split systems.
- Change filters and belts, clean coils and drains, and lubricate bearings on preventive maintenance rounds.
- Braze copper line sets and pressure-test joints with nitrogen before charging a system.
- Service walk-in coolers, freezers and ice machines in dining halls and labs.
- Check airflow, temperatures and pressures against the equipment's specifications, and adjust as needed.
- Install new units, duct connections and thermostats during replacements and renovations.
- Explain repairs to building staff or homeowners and write up findings in the work order.
- Cover on-call shifts for after-hours breakdowns in labs, server rooms and freezers.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an HVAC technician, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- EPA certification for handling refrigerants
- Electrical troubleshooting with a multimeter
- Brazing and soldering copper
- Refrigeration cycle and airflow fundamentals
- Reading wiring diagrams and service manuals
- Good manners in homes and busy buildings
- Comfort working on roofs, in attics and in crawl spaces
- Valid driver's license for service calls
Education and Training
A postsecondary HVAC certificate from a community college or trade school usually leads to a helper or apprentice job, and the real skill comes from long training in the field after that. To work on your own, in many states you will need a license, and anyone who handles refrigerant needs EPA certification. Apprenticeships are a paid route in.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $48,360 - $77,060 per year, with a median of $61,010.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers.
Employment of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers is projected to grow about 11 percent from 2025 to 2035, according to BLS. That is healthy growth for a trade. Demand should rise for several reasons, including new construction; the replacement of older equipment, such as systems built for phased-out refrigerants; and the move toward heat pumps. BLS also expects about 40,600 openings a year, which leaves newly certified technicians with plenty of places to apply.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers.