HVACR Certifications

I am sure most professional technicians and HVACR educators consider themselves fully certified. Indeed, most of us hold multiple paper credentials awarded by different industry organizations. However, I bet I can find a few that you didn’t even know existed. That is, until someone specifically requests a particular certification for a job. So I decided to put together a list of organizations that offer credentials that you can obtain that relating to the HVACR industry. Each includes a link so you can do your own research into the credentials that organization offers. My list will not cover state and local licensure – that is another very lengthy topic. All of these certifications typically involve time and money. Some require years of documented field practice before testing. Others require membership in a particular organization. Many simply require passing a test. All strive to distinguish dedicated, trained professionals from a guy with a pickup truck and a pair of channel locks. I have tried to group them into areas of interest.

For HVACR Students there are
Air Conditioning, Heating. and Refrigeration Institute Industry Competency Exam AHRI ICE

HVAC Excellence Employment Ready

For HVACR Instructors there are
Air Conditioning Contractors of America Educators Program in Instructor Certification ACCA EPIC

HVAC Excellence Certified Master HVACR Educator CMHE

For Technicians installing and servicing HVACR equipment there are
North American Technical Excellence NATE
HVAC Excellence Technician Certification
Refrigeration Service Engineers Society Certificate Member RSES  CM and CMS
National Air Filtration Association Certified Air filter Specialist NAFA CAFS

For technicians doing testing and balancing there are
National Environmental Balancing Bureau NEBB Certified Professional
Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau TABB
Associated Air Balance Council AABC

For people involved in building performance and commissioning there are
Building Performance Institute BPI
US Green Building Council LEED
Building Commissioning Association BCA

For people involved in building design and performance there is
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air conditioning Engineers ASHRAE.

For building inspectors and code officials there are
International Code Council ICC
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials IAPMO

HVACR & Mechanical Workshop 2012

I just got home from the 2012 HVACR & Mechanical Conference in Colorado Springs. The weather was great, the location was perfect, and the conference was really one of the best I have been to. What sets the HVACR & Mechanical Conference apart from all other conferences aimed at the HVACR educational community is the presence of the industry. Not only is the conference sponsored by a who’s who list of industry organizations, industry professionals are plentiful at this conference. National training or service reps for companies like Appion, Danfoss, Tecumseh, or Genteq are there, providing plenty of opportunities to learn beyond the scheduled sessions. I frequently found myself seated next to someone who knew a great deal more about a particular aspect of HVACR than I do. Although it can be argued in my case that it is not too difficult to find someone who is more knowledgeable than I am, I think most people attending the conference picked up valuable information during breaks or downtime from the industry professionals they were around. It was really pretty hard NOT to learn something. At breakfast on Wednesday I found myself sitting with a group of people who love what they do, have years of experience, and represent the best of our industry. I realized how much I enjoyed those informal sessions with people I truly admire. So my advice to anyone fortunate enough to attend next year’s 2012 HVACR & Mechanical Conference: find someone who knows something and share a drink, a few laughs, and pick their brains. Go ahead and save the date now: March 11–13 2013 in Colorado Springs at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort.        

HCFC 22 Rising Faster Than Gold

You may wonder why HCFC 22 has suddenly spiked in price? Although we have all been expecting it to rise because of the phase-out, the rise in the beginning of this year has been dramatic. The phase-out is not all that is behind the latest price increases. Under the phase-out rules, producers and importers must have allocations from the EPA telling them how much product they are allowed to manufacture or import. The EPA has not published the allocation for 2012, so all production stopped on January 1. Nothing drives up price more than not making any more. On January 4, 2012 the EPA published a proposed rule-making that would significantly decrease the amount of HCFC-22 produced or imported compared to 2011. On January 20, the EPA sent a letter to producers and importers promising to not fine them for making HCFC 22 so long as they produced no more than 45% of the allocation set in 2011. So for the month of January, very little if any R-22 was produced or imported. Manufactures and importers can now produce R-22 in limited quantities due to the EPA letter of “No Action Assurance.” The rule may not be finalized until just before this summer. In short, the temporary halt of production and the uncertainty created by the lack of a final allocation and ruling are driving up the price. I would not recomend hoarding R-22 as a replacement for your gold investment  - prices and the market are just too unstable for anyone to predict. Once the final allocation is announced and the panic buying stops - the price may actually come down a little. For more information check out these articles
HARDI
ACHR News

Now might be a good time to look into purchasing reclaimed refrigerant.