what kind of license should a HVAC technician have

[smr]

I am thinking of hiring a technician to check my heating machine. A guy have a EPA license. Does this enough to show his capability?

Thanks for any input in advance,

[LazyPup]

Current International Treaties and Federal Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) Regulations require that anyone who possess, transports or dispenses refrigerants must complete an EPA approved training course and carry a certificate on their person when handling refrigerants. Failure to have the prescribed certificate can result in a fine of $10,000 per day for every day of proven offense.

In order to obtain the EPA refrigerant handlers card you must attend a class and take an approved written exam covering the safe storage, transport and dispensing techniques.

These regulations are only designed to insure the safe and proper handling techniques to insure the refrigerant will not be inadvertantly released into the atmosphere. These regulations effect warehousemen, truck drivers, retail store operators as well as the HVAC technicians and as such they do not confirm any specific knowledge of the Refrigeration, Air Conditioning or Heating Trades.

The actual practice of licensing Refrigeration or HVAC techs varies greatly from state to state, county to county, or municipality. Some require a formal apprenticeship which includes both a certificd number of hours(usually 40 hrs per week for 2 to 4 yrs) in the trade as well as an approved Technical School or college course and the applicant must pass a very comprehensive written exam covering therory, practice and applicable code standards, while in other regions it may be as easy as going to city hall and simply providing proof of liability insurance and paying an annual fee. To make matters worse, in some areas there is absolutely no licensing required.

You can contact your local building inspector or zoning commission office to find out what the requirements are for your location then follow that guideline,,,in addition..If you are considering hiring an HVAC tech, or any tradesman for that matter, you should begin by asking them:

1. How did they learn the trade? If they completed a college or tech school course they will be more than happy to tell you that fact. If they learned by working under a master for a year or so, they will also be glad to tell you that. If they seem hesitant to answer the question, they may be learning at your expense.

2.As them how much hands on experience they have in the trade? HVAC is not really difficult to learn, therefore if they have 6 to 12 months experience and are working for a company that has other techs they can consult with you should be ok. If they are self employed I would expect a minimum of one year.

3. When hiring an HVAC tech, ask to see their EPA certified refrigerant handlers card. (They are required to have a card on their person and make it available for inspection when asked.) Be very careful about that because if they dont have it, and they get caught working on your house, the homeowner can be held jointly liable for the offense.

Absolutely do not allow an HVAC tech to disconnect any refrigerant lines unless he (or she) has the proper EPA Certified refrigerant recovery equipment on site, and uses it. Again, the homeowner can be held jointly liable for an offense.

[Dean]

Good information but just to clairify one little point, refrigerant recovery equipment is not always needed to disconnect refrigerant lines.
Refrigerant can be pumped down and stored within the system on most any system that has decent pump down valves.

I hold class I, class II & class III certifications but I don't carry them with me due to the fact that they don't hold up very well in my wallet when I sit on it so much. No one has ever asked to see one but if they did I would have to make a trip to the house.
You never know, it may happen some day.

[LazyPup]

Dean,,I made a point of having my Refrigeration Service Engineers society EPA card heat laminated.

although it doesnt really mean much, also have the cloth patches sewn on my uniforms.

You are correct in that it is possible to pump a system down, but no doubt you do have the equipment on the truck in those instances when you must open the condenser side.

[Dean]

Yep, couldn't do HVAC business without the recovery unit, have worn out one so far and working on the second one.

Good idea about having the cards laminated, I just have too much junk already with my daily lunch allowance and like I said, nobody has ever even inquired about them plus I don't ever get much farther than an hour or so from home.

I do have to carry Master Plumber, Master Mechanic, Warm Air Supervisor cards for a couple of cities but I get new ones every year to replace the tattered ones.

Actually I'm semi retired now since I turned the business over to my son.