Like other technical fields, a variety of certifications for HVAC technicians exist to help start your career off on the right foot and give a competitive edge over others in the field. If you are interested in becoming a certified HVAC technician, let’s look at six HVAC certifications in Texas that can give you what you need to impress employers and start your career off right.
EPA Certification- Section 608
Here is the first HVAC certification in Texas worth mentioning. As an HVAC technician, leaks and negligence of safety practices can be a serious hazard for the environment. As such, when working with refrigerants, the Environmental Protection Agency offers a tiered certification to assure safe handling and technician responsibility. Section 608 certification comes in four varieties, each certifying a technician to work on different types of equipment.
- Type I: Servicing small appliances
- Type II: Servicing or disposing of high-pressure appliances
- Type III: Servicing or disposing of low-pressure appliances
- Universal: For servicing all types of equipment
NCCER Certification
The National Center for Construction Education and Research is an organization founded in 1996 to standardize training and certification across the maintenance and construction industries. The certifications they offer are typically seen as industry standards, and NCCER certified HVAC technicians potentially receive much higher wages to start than non-certified peers. The organization offers a core certification as a prerequisite for any advanced certifications, as well as four advancing levels of HVAC certification, each indicating a higher degree of expertise than the previous.
Indoor Air Quality Certification
This is another beneficial HVAC certification in Texas. Though often seen as less \”must-have\” for HVAC technicians, an indoor air quality certification adds more provable expertise to your name and resume. Poor installations and repairs of HVAC appliances can often lead to compromises in air quality that in turn can negatively affect the health of customers. Holders of this certification send a clear message to potential clients and employers that they can protect the health and safety of those who live with the results of their work.
As the demand for better indoor air quality rises, this certification will also likely rise in demand in the HVAC field. Technicians who hold this certification can install or repair appliances to produce the highest levels of quality air and troubleshoot systems that result in impurities in breathable air.
R-410A Refrigeration Certification
R-410A is a high-pressure refrigerant, commonly used in the HVAC market today. R-410A is a more eco-friendly and efficient refrigerant replacing R-22 (freon) over time. Due to its high pressure, many manufacturers and employers will require their technicians to hold an R-410A certification for safety. Though there is yet to be any legal requirement for R-410A certification, industry consensus seems to be making this one more and more mandatory every year. With R-410A only growing in use, this is a great certification to pick up.
Preventative Maintenance Certification
In an industry where routine maintenance to avoid emergencies is a standard operating procedure, a preventative maintenance certification is a great choice for any HVAC professional. This HVAC certification in Texas tells employers and clients alike that you are trained to troubleshoot HVAC systems and foresee problems before they turn into costly and dangerous emergencies. This especially tells employers that you are a master of your craft, as the ability to troubleshoot problems only improves all your abilities to provide excellent HVAC service.
North American Technician Excellence (NATE) Ready-to-Work Certificate
North American Technician Excellence is a non-profit certification organization, designed to standardize expertise in the HVAC industry. They offer rigorous tests that can certify a technician in up to 11 different areas of expertise within the HVAC field. Targeting a NATE certificate is an excellent way for a technician to influence their own career path, as obtaining certification in the expertise they\’d like to work in can make them much more appealing to employers looking for a specialist.
Become a Certified HVAC Technician in Texas
HVAC is a continuously growing field offering potential to technicians who take the time to hone their expertise. While each of these certifications tests specific knowledge and expertise about a certain aspect of HVAC work, knowing where you want to be is the first step of preparing to get there.
If you’re interested in learning more about an HVAC certification in Texas and how you can prepare yourself for it, visit us at SCI to learn how we can help. We offer the best HVAC training in Texas, and we can help prepare you for your future career!
