While some careers require a college degree, others do not. All you require is basic technical training and certifications to venture into certain occupations. To get started in your career as an HVAC technician in Texas, you will need to get certified. There are many certifications for aspiring HVAC technicians. Some of these qualifications are optional, and others are mandatory. For instance, you cannot install or repair heating and cooling systems without the EPA Certification. Sitting for this qualification allows you to start working as an HVAC technician as soon as possible.
What Is an EPA certification?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers EPA 608 Certification to qualified technicians. These are professionals who demonstrate great skill in handling refrigerants in HVAC systems. The chemicals in focus are the R-22 and R-410 A, which are present in refrigeration as well as air conditioning systems.
These chemicals are part of the greenhouse gases and are hazardous to the environment. Some of the environmental problems these pollutants contribute to include climate change. For this reason, EPA leaves nothing to chance. Due to the significance of this certification, every aspiring HVAC technician must endeavor to get it.
When Do I Need EPA Certification?
There is no perfect time to get the EPA 608 certification; anytime is good enough. Note that, if you are looking to join this lucrative profession, you must sit for EPA 608 certification. Remember, it doesn’t take long to become an HVAC technician, and you do not need a college degree.
What Certifications Do You Require?
Depending on the equipment you intend to work with, you may require a series of EPA certifications. Here’s how EPA categorizes its certifications for HVAC technicians.
- Type I – For servicing small types of equipment
- Type II – For disposing and servicing high-pressure appliances
- Type III – For disposing and servicing low-pressure appliances
- Universal- For disposing and servicing all types of appliances
As an HVAC technician, once you get your EPA certification, you do not need to renew. This qualification does not expire, meaning you can use it for a lifetime.
How to Prepare for EPA Certification?
The EPA 608 certification demands rigorous training. You will sit for a test consisting of 25 questions. If you want to obtain certifications in all four levels, you need to answer 100 questions. They are multiple-choice questions revolving around what you learned in class.
Passing these tests hinges on the kind of training you have received from the institution of your choice. Though it’s a multiple-choice test, those who do not take it seriously can still fail to qualify. A good institution covers the ins and outs of the HVAC curriculum, which helps to prepare the students for the challenging EPA certification test.
At SCI, we prepare our students with the skills they need to be EPA certified and ready to be HVAC technicians, from technical training to hands-on training. All the students who graduate from the Southern Career Institute HVAC program leave with this certification. To learn more about SCI’s HVAC program, call us at 1.883.SCI.TEXAS, today.
This article was published on: 01/19/22 1:21 AM
* SCI does not guarantee employment or a starting salary upon graduation, completion, or withdrawal from SCI. As an accredited post-secondary institution, SCI has various federal financial assistance programs available for students who qualify and are enrolled in SCI programs. This does not apply to seminar students.
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