16 Reasons to Love your HVAC Career

We’re headed into summer and it’s hot. The hours are daunting. Customers’ tempers are short. Some contractors might find themselves second guessing their decision to enter the HVAC industry during this busy time of year, but here are 16 reasons to fall in love with your HVAC career all over again.

1. Technology – Thermostats and controls are becoming more intelligent and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) has made its way into the residential market.
2. Tech are Heroes – There is no one more heroic than an HVAC technician coming to the rescue on a 100 degree day when the A/C is broken!
3. “Subscription Revenue” – Monthly service agreement billing, or monthly billing, has a huge impact on the bottom line. It’s like Netflix’s or Hulu’s recurring subscription revenue, and it will put more money in your pocket!
4. A Jack or Jill of All Trades – Being an HVACR tech requires you to work with piping and electrical components.  It also involves refrigeration and controls. With so many different components involved, it’s more diverse and less monotonous than other trades.
5. Big Industry with a Close Network – Based on yearly revenue, HVAC is a major industry, but it doesn’t quite feel that way.  If you reach out to the legends of the trade, they will likely respond. Try that in the tech or automotive industries.
6. Going Green – Everyone talks about saving the environment, but if you really want to make a positive impact, try HVAC. One of the greenest actions a home or building owner can take is getting an energy-efficient system installed.
7. Skip College Debt – There’s nothing wrong with college, except for the outrageous tuition and debt students go into to get their degree. HVAC is one of the industries where a college degree isn’t a prerequisite to get started or become a success at what you do.
8. Travel via Incentive Trips – Contractors can often earn free trips via incentive programs with their distributor.  You can’t beat a free vacation!
9. The Perfect Time for a Day Off – In some industries, people get their time off when it’s miserably hot or unbearably cold.  But for HVAC contractors?  They get time off when things slow down, and that’s usually when it’s in the 70’s… the perfect temperature!
10. Career Paths – Start out as a technician in HVAC and open up a world of possibilities. Options include: service manager, sales, building or plant maintenance, become your own business owner; you can also transition into distribution or work for the big manufactures!
11. Performance-Based Pay – This type of payment rewards techs for thinking and acting like businesses owners; they can increase their income by increasing their value to the company.
12. Freedom – Once you’re through your apprenticeship and have some experience under your belt, no one is looking over your shoulder.  That’s freedom.
13. Alliances – Never before has there been more, larger, or better contractor business alliances than there are today.  That means there are more business resources out there for contractors.  HVAC is also one of the few industries where you can call a competitor to ask for help and you will likely get it with no strings attached.
14. Job Security – HVAC service can’t be exported. Service jobs have never left the U.S. like some other industries have, and they never will.
15. Become a Millionaire – A lot of contractors are young millionaires because HVAC is an industry where it’s possible to go from mechanic to millionaire in less than a decade.  The American dream!
16. Prospects – HVAC is an honorable profession with hot job prospects.  There will always be a job for you as the industry is expanding year after year.