Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is responsible for keeping the ambient temperature within your building nice and comfortable. Without these machines, it would be difficult to remain warm during the winter and cool during the summer. But an HVAC system isn’t something that magically appears when you want it; it’s a system that needs to be built, installed, and maintained. This is where HVAC technicians come into play.
It’s a service technician’s job to design your HVAC, equip your building with the unit, and keep it running all year long. It’s thanks to these certified professionals that we can live comfortably regardless of what the weather is like outside. HVAC techs are currently in high demand, and that demand is expected to grow in the near future. In fact, the Department of Labor Statistics predicts a 13% rate of growth between 2018 and 2028.
Why We Need HVAC Technicians
You may not realize it, but HVAC techs affect our lives in a big way. Drawing on their skills and experience, they create systems that help modulate a variety of factors within the buildings we work in. These include indoor air quality, humidity, and temperature.
Air Quality
You may not think something like an HVAC system could have an impact on your health, but it does. In fact, one of the most important functions of an HVAC system—outside of temperature control—is preventing air stagnation. When air is stagnant in an enclosed area, it raises your risk of contracting airborne illnesses. For example, when someone is sick with a cold, flu, or cough, germs are sent flying into the surrounding air. If there is poor (or no) air circulation, those germs can linger in the air, waiting to infect their next victim.
When HVAC techs build your system, they design it in a way that optimizes air circulation. The cycling air takes the stale indoor air and replaces it with fresh air from the outdoors. The result is better air quality throughout the building, which lowers everyone’s chances of getting sick.
Humidity
Another reason that HVAC techs are so important to our everyday lives is that they help to lower your building’s humidity. On the surface, humidity probably doesn’t seem like much of an issue. Sure, it’s uncomfortable, but what’s the big deal? The big deal is mold.
Mold is a fungus that consists of small organisms that can appear black, purple, white, orange, and green. Mold thrives in moist and humid environments and produces small, lightweight spores that disperse through the air. Inhaling spores or even touching mold can activate allergic reactions such as sneezing, coughing, and rashes. Even worse, a severe reaction can cause shortness of breath, which can be extremely dangerous to people with asthma.
Maintaining Temperature
One of the chief reasons HVAC technicians are so important is our need to protect ourselves from the heat and cold. The weather outside is always changing, meaning temperatures rise and fall throughout the year. There are times when the temperature is mild enough that a simple breeze and opening a window in the office (or being in the shade) can keep us comfortable. However, that’s not always the case.
More often than not, the temperature in your building will be too hot or too cold. This can present a danger to employees. If the temperature in the room gets too warm, it could cause employees to become dehydrated or overheat. Conversely, if an office room is too cold, it could cause people to become sick or succumb to cold stress. An HVAC tech’s expertise can help keep the room temperature at desired levels.
Become an HVAC Technician
If you’re looking to start a career as an industrial HVAC tech, get in touch with Southwest Pipe Trades Association. Our apprenticeship program and hands-on, onsite training provide you with the support, tools, knowledge, and experience you need to secure an HVAC tech certification. That certification is not just proof that you’re an expert in your industry; it is a badge of pride. Take your next step toward a promising career with Southwest Pipe Trades Association.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your career goals.
