Heating and Cooling Technicians

Employment in the heating and cooling field is expected to increase much faster than the average for all occupations through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). An increase in commercial and residential construction is expected to drive the growth in employment. Some openings will occur when experienced workers retire or transfer to other work. Other openings will be generated because of a demand for new climate-control systems for residences and industrial and commercial users. The DOL reports that residential HVAC systems need to be replaced every 10 to 15 years, which means that a large number of homes recently built will need replacement systems by 2025. In addition, many existing systems are being upgraded to provide more efficient use of energy and to provide benefits not originally built into the system. There is a growing emphasis on improving indoor air and making equipment more environmentally friendly. Systems that use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) need to be retrofitted or replaced with new equipment, since regulations banning CFC production became effective in 2000. In addition, more people are concerned about improving indoor air quality, which could also lead to more jobs for heating and cooling technicians.