Beginning your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) career can be stressful. Although you learned a lot in your classes, putting your knowledge and skills into practice is not always easy. You face a variety of challenges that are unique to your field. This is especially true when it comes to diagnosing a problem. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make your job easier from the start.
Follow these guidelines to promote success when beginning your HVAC career.
Pay Attention to Detail
Learn as much as you can about each job before you arrive at the worksite. For instance, focus on your customer’s name, profile, and any previous HVAC system service history your company may have. This helps you determine what may be wrong before you arrive at the site. Also, after you examine the worksite and determine what the issue is, provide the customer with clear, direct information. Use plain language to describe the issue and how you plan to resolve it. You may want to include photos, videos, or diagrams of previous repairs you completed to help the customer visualize what you will do.
Maintain a Professional Image
Your customers and supervisor expect you to remain professional at all times. This includes maintaining a neat appearance, organizing your truck, and keeping your worksites clean. You may want to keep a spare uniform in your truck, wear boot covers, or use a tarp in your work areas to keep things clean.
Monitor Your Safety
Reduce your odds of being injured due to driving, falls, slips, or trips. For instance, pay close attention to your speed and surroundings when driving. Also, wear industrial-grade footwear and other safety gear while working. Plus, follow OSHA and CDC guidelines at all times, especially when working with electricity, chemicals, and respiratory system hazards.
Keep Your Team Informed
Regularly let your team know what you are doing. Be sure to follow any established processes and methods of communication your company has in place. If there are none, create a routine to stay in touch with your teammates and supervisor. Maintaining consistency during your day-to-day activities reduces the odds of overlooking important details or making mistakes.
Request Help
If you go through the troubleshooting process and cannot determine the problem, talk with your supervisor. Rather than guess or make a wrong diagnosis, let your customer know you are committed to solving their problem and will ask your supervisor for assistance. This ensures you follow proper HVAC servicing procedures according to company protocol. Then, you can determine your next steps to repair the heating and cooling systems. You also can let the customer know what work needs to be completed either immediately or during a future appointment. You may need to come back with additional equipment, knowledge, or support to determine and resolve the issue.
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