MA The Maintenance Academy Maintenance 215 · Black Boots Initiative · shared with Foundational Fundamentals

HVAC

HVAC Technician

14 weeks · 23 lessons · 8 section tests · 10 written questions · final exam · 15 hands-on skills

A full heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration course, following the topics of first- and second-year HVACR training and reviewed by licensed HVAC technicians.

What you will be able to do

  • Work safely with electricity, gas, refrigerants (including new A2L refrigerants) and combustion.
  • Follow a furnace's sequence of operation and measure gas pressure, temperature rise and carbon monoxide.
  • Read wiring diagrams and trace 24-V controls; test capacitors, contactors and compressors.
  • Explain the refrigeration cycle and charge a system correctly by weight, superheat and subcooling.
  • Measure static pressure and airflow, and understand load calculations.
  • Braze with nitrogen, flare, pressure test, evacuate to 500 microns and recover refrigerant legally.
  • Install and start up ductless mini-splits, and maintain and troubleshoot residential systems.

How the course works

Lessons and check questions online, a test at the end of each section, and a final exam drawn from every section (80% to pass). Hands-on skills are signed off by an Academy instructor in the field or shop and listed on your certificate.

EPA 608

This course covers what the EPA Section 608 exam tests (Core, Types I, II and III). The certification itself comes from passing an EPA-approved, proctored exam; ask us about testing.

A note on credentials

This course covers topic areas of NCCER HVACR Levels 1 and 2 but is not accredited by NCCER. Pennsylvania has no statewide HVAC license; Philadelphia and other cities require licensed contractors and permits for mechanical and gas work.

Course outline

  1. Weeks 1-2

    Introduction to HVACR

    The trade and career paths, EPA 608 certification and refrigerant rules, and safety.

    1. The HVACR trade Video 25 min
    2. EPA 608 certification and refrigerant rules Video 35 min
    3. Safety in HVAC work Video 30 min
    4. Section test (7 questions)
    5. Written answers (1 question)
  2. Weeks 3-4

    Trade Math, Electricity and Controls

    HVAC math, electricity for HVAC, and reading wiring diagrams and thermostat controls.

    1. HVAC math Video 30 min
    2. Electricity for HVAC Video 35 min
    3. Reading wiring diagrams and thermostat controls Video 35 min
    4. Section test (8 questions)
    5. Written answers (1 question)
  3. Weeks 5-6

    Heating Systems

    Gas furnaces, boilers and hydronic heat, electric heat, and combustion, venting and carbon monoxide.

    1. Gas furnaces Video 40 min
    2. Boilers, hydronic and electric heat Video 35 min
    3. Combustion, venting and carbon monoxide Video 35 min
    4. Section test (9 questions)
    5. Written answers (2 questions)
  4. Weeks 7-8

    Cooling and the Refrigeration Cycle

    The refrigeration cycle, pressure-temperature relationships, refrigerants, and superheat and subcooling.

    1. The refrigeration cycle Video 35 min
    2. Superheat, subcooling and system checks Video 40 min
    3. Refrigerants: the transition and A2L safety Video 30 min
    4. Section test (8 questions)
    5. Written answers (2 questions)
  5. Week 9

    Air Distribution, Loads and Indoor Air Quality

    Ducts, airflow and static pressure, load calculations and sizing, and filters and indoor air quality.

    1. Ducts, airflow and static pressure Video 35 min
    2. Load calculations and equipment sizing Video 30 min
    3. Filters and indoor air quality Video 25 min
    4. Section test (7 questions)
    5. Written answers (1 question)
  6. Weeks 10-11

    Piping, Brazing and Refrigerant Handling

    Copper tubing, flares and brazing; pressure testing, evacuation and leak testing; recovery and charging.

    1. Copper tubing, brazing and soldering Video 35 min
    2. Leak testing and evacuation Video 40 min
    3. Recovery and charging rules Video 35 min
    4. Section test (7 questions)
    5. Written answers (1 question)
  7. Week 12

    Heat Pumps and Mini-Splits

    How heat pumps heat and cool, defrost and auxiliary heat, and installing ductless mini-splits.

    1. How heat pumps work Video 35 min
    2. Mini-splits and heat pump installation Video 35 min
    3. Section test (6 questions)
    4. Written answers (1 question)
  8. Weeks 13-14

    Maintenance, Troubleshooting and Customer Service

    Preventive maintenance, electrical troubleshooting of capacitors, contactors and motors, and service calls.

    1. Preventive maintenance Video 30 min
    2. Troubleshooting capacitors, contactors and motors Video 35 min
    3. Troubleshooting and customers Video 30 min
    4. Section test (7 questions)
    5. Written answers (1 question)

  9. Final exam

    50 questions from every section, 80% to pass.

    1. Final exam

Hands-on skills

Show these to a Maintenance Academy instructor on a job site or in the shop. Each one they sign off appears on your certificate as a verified skill.

    1. Lock out an outdoor unit and discharge capacitors
      Opens and locks the disconnect, verifies 0 V at the contactor line side, and discharges the run capacitor with an insulated resistor tool before touching terminals.
    2. Test a run capacitor and a contactor
      Measures capacitance (after discharge) against the label tolerance; measures coil voltage and voltage across closed contacts; replaces with matching µF, voltage, coil voltage and ratings.
    3. Check a single-phase compressor's windings
      Measures C-S, C-R and S-R with leads removed, confirms S-R = C-S + C-R, checks each terminal to ground, and interprets the result.
    4. Follow 24-V controls with a meter
      Traces a cooling call from R and C at the board through Y to the contactor coil and finds an open safety or broken wire on a training board or live unit.
    5. Connect gauges and measure superheat and subcooling
      Uses low-loss fittings, sets the correct refrigerant, places probes correctly after stabilization, calculates superheat and subcooling, and compares them with the chart or nameplate target.
    6. Measure total external static pressure
      Drills test ports at the right locations, measures supply and return static with a manometer, adds them, and reads airflow from the blower table.
    7. Cut, ream and braze a copper joint with nitrogen
      Cuts square, reams and cleans, flows nitrogen at 2 to 5 SCFH, protects nearby components from heat, and makes a fully penetrated, leak-free joint (verified by pressure test).
    8. Make a flare connection
      Reams, flares with an eccentric cone tool to a smooth 45° flare, oils the back of the flare, and torques with a torque wrench to the manufacturer's value.
    9. Pressure test and evacuate a system
      Pressure tests with nitrogen to the specified pressure and checks joints; removes cores; evacuates to 500 microns or lower measured at the system; passes a 10-minute decay test.
    10. Recover refrigerant into a recovery cylinder
      Sets up the machine and a properly rated, in-date cylinder on a scale; recovers to the required level without exceeding 80% fill; labels the cylinder.
    11. Weigh in a charge and verify it
      Calculates the line-set adjustment, weighs refrigerant in as liquid where required, then verifies by superheat or subcooling at stable conditions.
    12. Check a gas furnace's sequence, gas pressure and temperature rise
      Watches and explains each step of the sequence; measures inlet and manifold pressure with a manometer; measures temperature rise and compares it with the rating plate; reads flame sensor µA.
    13. Perform a combustion and CO safety check
      Zeroes the analyzer outdoors, checks ambient CO, measures flue-gas O₂ and air-free CO, performs a spillage test under worst-case conditions, and reports results correctly.
    14. Clear and test a condensate drain and safety switch
      Flushes the drain and trap, confirms flow, and proves the float switch shuts the system off.
    15. Complete a cooling tune-up and report
      Performs the full checklist, records all readings on a report, and explains findings to the customer clearly.