HVAC Maintenance

The HVAC Maintenance Technical Certificate Program is designed to help students develop advanced technical skills and competencies related to the installation, repair and maintenance of residential heating and air conditioning equipment. Students will learn details about HVAC equipment, but with an emphasis on making repairs in a safe, efficient, and productive manner. Students will learn what failed, why it failed, and how the failure can be prevented. Understanding these principles will increase worker productivity and reduce overall maintenance and capital expenditures. Students will also develop skills in recognizing and testing the components, interpreting the schematic wiring diagram, tracing the sequence of operation, cleaning the equipment, adjusting settings for optimum efficiency, and planned maintenance activities.

This program consists of 5 courses.
GEN102 - Basic Electricity
HEA101 - Electric Furnace Maintenance
HEA102 - Gas Furnace Maintenance
HEA103 - EPA Technician Certification
HEA104 - Air Conditioning Maintenance
HEA105 - Heat Pump Maintenance

There are no prerequisites… but we recommend that students pursue the courses as sequenced above, and mainly because, the set of courses are designed to build upon each other.

AC/C TECH utilizes the Carnegie clock-to-credit hour conversion for academic purposes; and therefore, the following is a breakdown of our HVAC Maintenance program:

HVAC Maintenance
Technical Certificate Program
Lecture
Hours
Lab
Hours
Externship
Hours
Total
Hours
Clock Credit Clock Credit Clock Credit Clock Credit
Basic Electricity 20.0 1.33 10.0 0.33 15.0 0.33 45.0 2.0
Electric Furnace Maintenance 20.0 1.33 10.0 0.33 15.0 0.33 45.0 2.0
Gas Furnace Maintenance 20.0 1.33 10.0 0.33 15.0 0.33 45.0 2.0
EPA Technician Certification 20.0 1.33 10.0 0.33 15.0 0.33 45.0 2.0
Air Conditioning Maintenance 20.0 1.33 10.0 0.33 15.0 0.33 45.0 2.0
Heat Pump Maintenance 20.0 1.33 10.0 0.33 15.0 0.33 45.0 2.0
Totals 120.0 8.00 60.0 2.00 90.0 2.00 270.0 12.0

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • Summarize how HVAC equipment operates.
  • Classify the components of various HVAC equipment.
  • Interpret the schematic wiring diagrams and trace the sequence of equipment operation.
  • Make use of HVAC diagnostic and repair procedures.
  • Develop professional documentation of tasks completed and customer relation skills.
  • Apply HVAC maintenance skills within industry standards and governmental regulations.

Graduates will be awarded a Technical Certificate in HVAC Maintenance Technology, and EPA Technician Certification as approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Academic Calendar

Students are assigned one course monthly until graduating from the program. No courses will be assigned during the months of June, July, and August because administrators from the apartment industry prefer 100% participation towards restoring vacated apartment units during summer months. In contrast, if a student fails a course, he/she may retake the course during June, July, and August. This waiver allows everyone to remain on schedule towards pursuing subsequent courses and graduating together.

The table below represents how a typical student will progress through the program.

Course Date Location
GEN102 - Basic Electricity December, 2023 Online Training
HEA101 - Electric Furnace Maintenance January and September, 2024 Online Training
HEA102 - Gas Furnace Maintenace February and October, 2024 Online Training
HEA103< - EPA Technician Certification March and November, 2024 Online Training
HEA104 - Air Conditioning Maintenace April, 2024 Online Training
HEA105 - Heat Pump Maintenace May, 2024 Online Training

Course Descriptions

GEN102 - Basic Electricity

This course develops skills in understanding electrical fundamentals. Specifically, the students will learn electrical theory, electrical terminology, ohms law, and electrical formulas. From a practical standpoint, students will learn how electricity is produced and distributed from the utility company, the demand for electricity in a home or apartment, how to diagnose failures using a volt-ohm meter, how to interpret diagrams and schematic, plus more. The program will conclude with basic points of electrical safety.

HEA101 - Electric Furnace Maintenance

This course develops skills in servicing electric furnaces. Students will learn electric heating principles; how to interpret the schematic wiring diagram; how to trace the sequence of operation; and how to test and evaluate the heating elements, fusible links, limit switches, sequencer, and more. Also, the students will learn how to make repairs in no heat situations, and more importantly, how to make those repairs in safe, efficient and productive manners.

HEA102 - Gas Furnace Maintenance

This course develops skills in servicing gas furnaces. The students will learn to recognize the components, interpret the schematic wiring diagram; trace the sequence of operation; replace defective parts; and adjust the furnace for optimum efficiency. Also, the students will learn to make repairs in no heat situations, clean the furnace, check for gas leaks, check for carbon monoxide leaks and verify that a furnace is safe to operate.

HEA103 - EPA Technician Certification

The primary objective of this course is to prepare students for the EPA Technician Certification exam. It does not require a highly skilled service technician to pass the exam, but some background and experience will be helpful. The students will learn the potential of releasing CFC's and HCFC's into the environment, and information that will encourage them to comply with the Refrigerant Recycling Rule, which is section 608 of the Clean Air Act 1990, as amended CAA.

HEA104 - Air Conditioning Maintenance

This course develops skills in servicing air conditioners. Students will learn how to diagnose the electrical system, the refrigeration system, and the mechanical devices. Specifically, they will develop skills in recovery and evacuation, leak testing, troubleshooting the compressor for mechanical or electrical problems, charging and/or recharging the system, adjusting the unit for optimum efficiency, and making repairs in safe, efficient and productive manners.

HEA105 - Heat Pump Maintenance

This course studies the basic approach to servicing heat pumps. The students will learn principles of a reverse-cycle heat pump; identify and test the components; determine if the unit is heating or cooling by measuring line temperatures; adjust auxiliary heat; and various techniques that will improve the efficiency of a unit. In addition, the students will gain exposure to causes of failures, preventive maintenance techniques, safety information, tools, testing equipment, and most importantly, how to make all repairs in safe, efficient, and productive manners.

Tuition & Fees

Item Description Cost
Tuition 6 Courses @ $250 Each $1,500.00
Required Books Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology 8th Edition
by Whitman, Johnson and Tomczyk
ISBN 978-130-557-8296
$163.75
Required General Tools Plastic Tool Box with Lock, 25 Ft. Tape Measure, 16 oz Hammer, Utility (Box) Knife, 15" Utility Bar, Phillips & Standard Screw Driver Set, 6 in 1 Screw Driver, 12" Adjustable Wrench, 12" Channel Locks, 10" Slip Joint Pliers, 8" Needle Nose Pliers, 8" Lineman Pliers, Torpedo Level, Wire Strippers, Wire Rippers & Gauge, GFI Receptacle Tester, 6" Drywall Taping Knife, and Hand Sander or Sanding block. $218.43
Required Specialty Tools VOM Meter - fused protected, 2 Pocket Thermometers (range -10 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit), Manifold Pressure Gauge Set, Refrigeration Service Wrench, Telescopic Inspection Mirror, and Furnace Brush. $210.12
Required Safety Equipment Cloth Gloves, Eye Protection and Dust Masks $10.52
Uniforms Recommended $160.00
  Total Cost $2,262.82
Note: Students are responsible for acquiring books, tools, and supplies. Acquiring uniforms is optional. The fees are based on pricing from Menards website, however, the items can be obtained from any source. There are no other fees.