Look for a Tech With These HVAC Certifications

Choosing an experienced and skilled HVAC contractor to repair, install, and service the HVAC equipment in your home ensures your family's comfort and safety. A reliable contractor not only stays up-to-date on industry standards themselves, they also make sure that every technician they employ has current certifications that demonstrate their knowledge, training and experience. Here are some key HVAC certifications to look for in an technician so you can have peace of mind that your costly and critically important comfort equipment is in good hands.

State Licensing

In Oklahoma, HVAC technicians must be licensed through the Construction Industries Board (CIB). Applicants must pass an in-depth exam and meet the board's strict educational and work experience requirements. The HVAC company they work for should also be licensed and have the state-required surety bond and liability insurance coverage in place. You can verify an HVAC contractor or technician's license right on the CIB's website.

NATE Certification

Reputable HVAC companies insist that their technicians are certified through the industry-leading North American Technician Excellence (NATE). To gain certification through this nonprofit testing organization, technicians have to pass a stringent core exam on their general industry knowledge, along with a specialty exam in their choice of either service or installation.

HVAC Excellence Certification

Another prominent independent testing organization, HVAC Excellence offers certification for technicians at either the professional or master specialist level. Technicians who obtain a professional-level certification have two years of relevant industry experience and have passed a rigorous exam. To achieve master specialist certification, technicians must have three years of practical experience in addition to passing the exam.

EPA 608 Certification

In order to install, repair or service air conditioners or heat pumps that contain refrigerants like R-22 or R-410A, HVAC technicians need to be certified through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the certification requirements in Section 608 of the EPA's Clean Air Act, technicians must pass core and specialty testing to assess their knowledge on industry best practices for service and refrigerant reclamation.

To learn more about the importance of HVAC certifications, contact the Broken Arrow comfort pros at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC certifications and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “ArtsyBee/pixabay”

What Certifications Should HVAC Technicians Have?

What Certifications Should HVAC Technicians Have?

Before you hire someone to work on your HVAC equipment, be sure that they have the HVAC technician certifications required by law. Looking for additional industry affiliations translates to an even higher level of competence and knowledge. Considering what’s at stake with your HVAC equipment, it's important to do your homework to find the most qualified technicians in the region.

Legal Requirements

• Licensing. At a minimum, the technician needs to have an active HVAC license from Oklahoma. Applicants must pass a test that measures their knowledge of the components of HVAC equipment. Oklahoma issues separate licenses that allow the technician to work with gas piping and sheet metal.

• Insurance and bonding. An HVAC technician who works with a licensed HVAC contractor is covered by the mandatory requirement for liability insurance and a surety bond that protects their customers from any accident or financial harm from failure to deliver on the contract between the company and the client.

Additional Certifications

Because HVAC equipment is so complex, several industry groups offer HVAC technician certifications that help consumers select professionals who demonstrate advanced knowledge of the industry.

• NATE certification. NATE (North American Technician Excellence) is a nonprofit organization that certifies only the top performing technicians in the HVAC industry. The testing is rigorous and just a small percentage of those who take the tests pass. In order to maintain NATE certification, the technician must complete continuing education credits and retest every two years.It's particularly important to use NATE-certified technicians when you're choosing and installing a new system, since the entire selection, sizing, and installation process will affect your energy costs and comfort for years to come. Contractors who have earned NATE membership follow the most current and stringent recommendations for this crucial process.

• ACCA membership. ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America) gives members access to an extensive library of technical resources, along with professional networking. ACCA emphasizes the exploration and execution of energy efficiency and environmental protection within the HVAC industry.

To learn more about HVAC technician certifications, contact Air Assurance, a NATE-certified contractor serving Broken Arrow homeowners since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).Credit/Copyright Attribution: “DeiMosz/Shutterstock”