For their first mission, we asked Blake, Brenan and Michael to tell us a little more about their interest in HVAC and perspective they have on the industry. To tell us more about how they define HVAC and why it’s important, where they got their knowledge about the industry, and even their favorite thing about studying and working in the HVAC industry. Here’s what they had to say:
Blake Hodge: HVAC is Important to Life
I would define HVAC as an ability of humans to create a customizable indoor climate. In the HVAC field, we give others the ability to be comfortable at all times whether they are at home, at work, or even at the grocery store. HVAC is important because it is a necessity in our daily lives. In the winter, we would barely survive without furnaces, boilers, or any other form of heating equipment. Through HVAC, we also have to ability to complete tasks such as keeping perishable items fresh for longer periods of time. We can do this by controlling the temperature and humidity that surrounds them. The two examples above are just a few of the many ways HVAC is important to life.
My knowledge of the HVAC industry originated through my family business. The business was started by my grandfather and has been owned and operated by my family for over 50 years. I began to work here during the summers in high school and knew that HVAC was what I wanted to pursue a degree in. I chose to further my education in HVAC to gain a deeper understanding about all the work it really takes to create a custom climate in a building. I have and am currently learning about how equipment works, how duct systems are designed, how to properly size equipment for a building, and much more. All of this knowledge will help me in my career because I will further understand how systems operate, and how they can be designed or serviced.
My favorite thing about studying and working in HVAC is the fact that the industry is always changing. As with everything else in life, new technology has really advanced the HVAC field. I really enjoy being able to learn all of the new ways we are able to control and troubleshoot systems using the new technology. HVAC is one of the largest and most important trades in the world, and new technology really gives us the upper hand in being able to control it.
Brenan Vogt: HVAC has a Promising Future
I would define HVAC as a career that has high demands to help other people. In the field of HVAC, there are high expectations to perform to the best of your ability, while also keeping your customer happy. HVAC is very important; however, people often overlook how many things play into it. This includes not only heating and cooling, but also restaurant make-up air units, kitchen hoods, etc. Without HVAC, people wouldn’t be able to be comfortable in their homes, or even go to a restaurant without being overwhelmed by smells and overall uncomfortable atmospheres to be in.
As a kid, I was always fascinated by things such as electricity, welding, and even fiber optics. Growing up around my dad who works as an electronics engineer, I knew that the right field of work for me would be to advance in a career where you are always busy and doing something with your hands. Narrowing down to a specific trade job wasn’t as hard for me because doing the same thing all the time can get boring. That being said, I knew that becoming an electrician and pulling wire every day wouldn’t be for me, so HVAC struck my interest when a few people recommended it that were already in the field.
I chose to get an education in the field of HVAC because I knew that it wouldn’t be hard to find a job coming right out of school. With HVAC being in such high demand, just like any other trade, having a background of completing school for a trade like HVAC would also allow me to branch out to other trades if necessary. My favorite thing about this field and working is the satisfaction of helping other people and the feeling of success after completing a task. Without the knowledge that I’ve gained through my time at school, none of this would have been possible to attain.
Michael Clemons: The Art of Comfort
Many people have different definitions of HVAC. I define it as the art of making people comfortable. I was recently asked why I chose to pursue a career in HVAC instead of business or another four-year program. I asked them if they wanted their house to be 100 degrees during the day. Their obvious answer was “no.” That’s why I believe HVAC is important: we are here to make people comfortable.
The first time I was exposed the HVAC field was when I helped a local contractor for a few weeks. We did a condensing unit replacement and a few no-cool calls. While doing this, I found it was different from other trades. Homeowners can’t really do our job as it’s specialized. Instead of going the apprentice route, I chose to go to a two-year trade school at DMACC to get a degree and a more diverse knowledge about this field. I believe this will help me get a better job and give me a head start compared to the apprenticeship route. One of the things I am really enjoying learning about is all the electrical components and how they work. For example, sequencers. I now know how they work and could diagnose one if it was bad. I believe going the school route helps to teach you the more in-depth about the parts of the HVAC system.