An HVAC technician finds and fixes problems with furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps in customers' homes, and runs your maintenance plan tune-ups. They work alone most of the day, so they need to find the real cause, fix it safely, and explain the choices to the homeowner.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, HVAC and plumbing contractors · BLS, May 2025
Serve as a key member of the technical team by installing, maintaining, and repairing HVAC systems in residential settings. Contribute to the overall customer satisfaction and operational excellence of the company through high-quality service delivery. Operate effectively both independently and as part of a supervised team to ensure prompt and reliable service. Support the company’s commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Install HVAC systems according to manufacturer specifications and company procedures.
Repair malfunctioning HVAC equipment and conduct preventive maintenance.
Diagnose system issues and provide solutions either independently or following supervisor guidelines.
Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Conduct on-site inspections and troubleshoot HVAC system issues.
Complete service calls and scheduled maintenance visits with a focus on customer interaction.
Document service reports and update job progress in the company’s system.
Manage equipment and parts inventory to ensure timely service delivery.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
First-Time Fix Rate: 90% or higher.
Callback Percentage: Less than 5%.
Customer Satisfaction Rating: Greater than 4.8 stars.
Average Service Time per Call: Under 1.5 hours.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent with relevant technical training.
Minimum of 2 years’ experience in HVAC installation and repair.
Proficient understanding of HVAC systems and diagnostic tools.
Strong problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.
6. Preferred Experience
Prior experience working in the home services or construction industry.
Familiarity with a variety of HVAC brands and systems.
Experience with electronic control systems and modern diagnostic equipment.
Proven track record of working independently and collaboratively.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds regularly.
Comfortable working in confined spaces, elevated work areas, and varying weather conditions.
Frequent bending, reaching, and climbing required.
Capable of standing and walking throughout the workday.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work schedule of 40 hours per week with some overtime as needed.
Occasional on-call duties and weekend work during peak seasons.
Regular travel to customer sites within the assigned service area.
Work may include exposure to outdoor elements and varied environmental conditions.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate ranging from $18 to $25 per hour based on experience.
Performance bonuses available based on KPIs and customer satisfaction.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
401(k) plan with company matching.
Additional fringe benefits such as paid time off and professional development opportunities.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We are a forward-thinking company committed to innovation and high-quality service, where every team member is valued and empowered to achieve their personal and professional best.
We foster an inclusive environment that promotes continued learning, career growth, and community involvement.
Our culture is built on integrity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to exceeding customer expectations.
Join us to be a part of a dynamic team that encourages creative problem-solving and service excellence.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
What makes residential HVAC technician work different
Every service technician fixes equipment. In home heating and cooling, federal refrigerant rules, the weather and a homeowner standing a few feet away shape the job.
Refrigerant work needs EPA certification
Under federal rules, anyone whose work could open the refrigerant circuit needs EPA Section 608 certification. That includes hooking up gauges, adding or removing refrigerant, swapping parts on the refrigerant side, and cutting a line. Ask to see the card before the first day. Source: 40 CFR 82.152: who counts as a technician, and appliance definitions (Cornell LII).
Two refrigerants on the same truck
Under EPA rules, a new home AC or heat pump system installed since 2025 must use a refrigerant with lower global warming potential, such as R-454B or R-32. A system whose parts were all made or imported before 2025 can still be installed, and repair parts for existing systems aren't restricted. So techs work on R-410A and the newer refrigerants. ASHRAE classes R-454B and R-32 as A2L, meaning lower flammability: they can burn, but slowly. Techs follow each maker's service steps for them. Source: U.S. EPA: Technology Transitions HFC restrictions by sector.
The customer is standing right there
Most calls happen in a lived-in home. The tech puts on shoe covers, works around kids and pets, and explains the problem to someone who is hot, cold or worried about the bill. On an older system, they lay out repair and replacement options honestly and let the homeowner choose.
Heat, ladders and tight spaces
Furnaces and air handlers often sit in attics, crawl spaces, closets and basements. BLS says HVAC technicians have one of the highest injury and illness rates of all jobs, with hazards like burns from electrical parts or chemicals and strains from handling heavy equipment. Add summer attic heat and daily ladder work, and safety habits matter as much as skill. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers.
Licensing depends on your state and city
BLS notes that some states and cities require HVAC technicians to be licensed, and the rules differ a lot. In Texas, for example, anyone who helps a licensed air conditioning contractor with maintenance or repair work must register with the state as a technician. Before you post the ad, ask your state licensing board and your city what a tech needs to work for you. Source: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation: ACR technician registration.
Residential vs. commercial HVAC technician
Both jobs find and fix problems in heating and cooling equipment. Here is what changes between them.
Topic
Residential
Commercial
Who the customer is
Homeowners and renters, often home during the visit
Property managers, facility staff and business owners
Typical equipment
Furnaces, split AC and heat pumps, ductless mini-splits
Rooftop units, boilers, chillers and building controls
Where the work is
Attics, closets, basements, crawl spaces and side yards
Rooftops, mechanical rooms and ceilings
EPA certification
Type II or Universal covers home split systems
Low-pressure chillers also need Type III or Universal
How repairs get approved
The tech presents options to the homeowner on the spot
Quotes go to the facility contact or follow the service agreement
The closest BLS group for HVAC technicians is heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $28.86 an hour ($60,030 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $61,010 median for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in all industries. About 297,290 of the 409,670 heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in that survey work for HVAC and plumbing contractors.
Usually hourly with overtime and on-call pay. Many shops add a bonus for maintenance plans sold or for leads that turn into new systems.
HVAC and plumbing contractors
$60,030$60,030 median Middle half $47,790–$75,510 10th–90th $38,920–$93,790
All industries
$61,010$61,010 median Middle half $48,360–$77,060 10th–90th $40,050–$95,210
$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k$100k$110k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
HVAC and plumbing contractors
$38,920
$47,790
$60,030
$75,510
$93,790
All industries
$40,050
$48,360
$61,010
$77,060
$95,210
BLS reports HVAC and plumbing contractors together. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Finds the cause with meters and gauges instead of swapping parts
Checks charge by superheat and subcooling, and runs combustion tests on gas furnaces
Works safely around live circuits, gas lines, refrigerant and ladders
Explains problems and prices to homeowners in plain words
Runs a full day of calls alone and keeps job notes complete
Shows up on time and leaves the home as clean as they found it
Teach these on the job
Your field service software and price book
Your maintenance plan checklist and member perks
The brands and models you install most
Service steps for R-454B and R-32 equipment
How you want repair and replacement options presented
Techs carry a multimeter, refrigerant gauges or digital probes, a vacuum pump and micron gauge, a recovery machine, a combustion analyzer and brazing gear, plus a phone or tablet running your field service software. In the ad, say which tools you supply, whether the truck goes home at night, and which equipment brands you install.
HVAC technician interview questions
They have their own page: 6 questions that test this job, what strong and weak answers sound like, and a work exercise to run with your finalists.
The targets in the template are examples, so set yours from your own history and review them monthly. Compare techs on similar call types: a tune-up and a no-heat diagnosis aren't the same job.
First-Time Fix Rate
Share of repair calls finished on the first visit, with no return trip for a missed diagnosis, from your field service software. Count parts on back order separately so they don't hide skill gaps.
Callback Percentage
Share of the tech's calls where the customer called back about the same problem inside the callback window you set. Pull it monthly from your field service software.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Post-visit survey scores and reviews that name the tech, gathered each month. Read the comments as well as the score.
Average Service Time per Call
Time on site from arrival to completion, tracked by call type in your field service software. Use it to plan the board, not to rush a diagnosis.
Career path
HVAC apprenticeLearns on the truck beside an experienced tech.
HVAC technicianRuns service and maintenance calls alone.
For refrigerant work, federal rules require EPA Section 608 certification. Anything past that comes from your state or city. Ask your state licensing board two things: do techs need a license or registration of their own, or do they work under the company's contractor license? And does your city add rules of its own? Put the answer in the ad's requirements so applicants know before they apply.
How much does an HVAC technician make?
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $28.86 an hour ($60,030 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $47,790 and $75,510 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Which EPA 608 certification should an HVAC technician have?
Type II or Universal. Type II covers high-pressure and very high-pressure systems, and federal rules list R-410A equipment as high-pressure. Type I covers only small appliances sealed at the factory with five pounds of refrigerant or less, such as window units, so it isn't enough for central air and heat pump work. Universal covers every type. The certification doesn't expire, so an old card still counts.
Is NATE certification required for HVAC technicians?
Not by federal law, and it isn't a license. NATE, short for North American Technician Excellence, certifies techs who pass its exams. On the traditional path, that's a core exam plus a specialty exam in installation or service, in areas like air conditioning, heat pumps or gas heating. BLS notes that many industry certifications are optional, though some employers prefer or require them. List it as preferred unless you advertise NATE-certified techs.
What is the difference between an HVAC technician and an HVAC installer?
A service technician finds and fixes problems on existing systems and runs maintenance visits, usually alone. An installer works on a crew that takes out old equipment and sets new systems on replacement jobs. Some techs do both, and the template lists both. If you're hiring for service only, cut the install duty, since the skills and the daily schedule are different.
How much experience should an HVAC technician have?
Enough to run calls alone. BLS says trade school and community college programs generally last six months to two years, and apprenticeships usually take several years. The template asks for at least two years of installation and repair work. If you have a lead tech with time to train, you can lower that line and hire with less, with a clear plan to get them there.
What should an HVAC technician job ad include?
Give the pay range and how pay works: hourly, flat rate or bonus. Spell out the on-call rotation and whether the truck goes home. List the tools you supply, the certifications you require, and the brands you install. Say how much of the work is service and how much is installs. Be honest about summer and winter hours.
