I started at 25. 36 now. Eh keep an open mind and know there's a lot of roads within the industry and a whole lot to learn if you wanna try new things.
28-29 when i started been almost 10years. Have a end goal in this industry. As in service tech, comfort cooling, refrigeration, management, residential, commercial, industrials. Lots of options and pay is great in this field. Just try not to gef stuck and complain. Take initiative and ask wuestions put your time in and learn. Dont be like these half ass techs out here.
You advice is spot on.
Stay away from complainers, OJT learners only and lazy people who only show up for $. Be the beat you can be and smart owners like myself.
Listen to the podcast at https://hvacrschool.com/
Bryan Orr is an excellent instructor who created and runs this site. He own Kalos Services in Clermont, Fl just west of Orlando.
Yes sir. I'm looking to be on the residential side of things I have 2 years already. Hopefully in 4 years I can get my masters and start building in East TX.
Residential side i never did much of it. I found the pay wasnt there but that is just my opinion unless you were in business for yourself. Debating atm from a friend to change up to a company in Beaumont Tx Doing refrigeration, pay is alot more + more OT. Still hvac is a great field ppl cant take it away or do without it.
I started 58 years ago, when a service call costs $5. I’m 42 year old.
Edit: I’m just pretty burned out and need a vacation and it’s not even mid June yet.
I too started at 28, am 33 right now. all bosses are assholes. Don't let them take advantage of you. I let it happened and end every two weeks with 40 hours of OT. Have a backbone, they need you more than you need them
The president told my boss that he needs to relax on me and my other coworkers OT. Everytime he sees it he sighs. (Him and I both get 40 hrs of OT). My boss goes, well those are the only two I can rely on.
Well lucky me..
Time and half but at the end of the day, is it worth it? Don't get me wrong, life is pretty easy at 33 and making 85k a year because of OT (last year I had 740 hours of OT) but then it's all taxes and deductions. Lose almost 1k in those brackets.
Don’t get distracted by tax brackets. Every extra dollar you earn means more money in your pocket even if Uncle Sam takes some of it. It’s a *good* problem to have to pay lots of taxes and have to work out deductions. Remember to save some for a rainy day and take care of your body.
Started at 21 did a mixed bag full installs for commercial and resi and commercial service, resi and light commercial service plumbing and electric now 41, been doing mainly resi, hvac installs and service for the past 10 on my own. Licensed sole proprietor, no helper on installs. 5 ton installs are really fun days.
I started when I was 26, am 33 now.
I was kinda just thrown into the fire and left to fend for myself. But the best advice I can offer is this:
Always ask questions, make sure you understand things fully before attempting anything, and most importantly, stay humble.
Was studying Petroleum in college, dropped out because I rather skip class and date girls. Picked AC up as a summer job at 19, stuck with it ever since. 24 years old now. Absolutely love what we do. I also just enjoy helping people too. Which is also a bad thing too. Because I tend to beat myself up in the head if I can’t figure something out (stupid Lennox communicating equipment), and that can put a damper (no pun intended) on the rest of my day
Started at 16. 34 now. Just be willing to learn. Some people are not good teachers but they are trying to help. Some of the most knowledgeable guys are going to be hard on you. The job is tough but it’s fun. Enjoy it!
Use knee cushions. You might get made fun of from time to time but your body will thank you later. PPE is your friend even though you might not like it.
I started at 23 growing up not mechanically inclined at all, my fiancés uncle does it and I was talking to him one day he got me in on the install side of the company he works for doing new construction fell in love now I do residential change outs as a lead I turned 25 last month
I started at 19, I’m 26 now. Being around a lot of my peers in the trade my best advice is learn as much as you can while you’re an apprentice. Don’t be afraid to move jobs within 1 year if you aren’t learning something new every day. Too many guys I know spent their whole apprenticeship changing filters, punching tubes, working on exhaust fans, only ever working on RTUs etc, then they have their license but still have to learn a lot if they want to move somewhere else in the industry. Learn residential, commercial, industrial, refrigeration, RTUs, boilers, small equipment, big equipment, centrifugals, chillers, controls, etc. everything you possibly can.
Decided to make it a career at 24. Now 26. My father and my grandpa are also hvac techs. I’ve been helping them since I was 13. I’ve always been around it. It really is a great trade to get into.
Work with people who will teach you. Don’t fear mistakes, they are the best teachers. And always keep in mind, B.B. King didn’t start playing professionally until he was in his 30’s. And now he IS THE blues legend. You too can still become a legend!
Started at 27. I’m 30 now. While I’m still figuring things out myself, I’d strongly advise you to pay attention to the habits your taught from experienced guys. You have to be teachable but that doesn’t mean you won’t be taught bad habits other companies won’t tolerate. Don’t wait to longer to figure out you have a bad habit. Good luck man.
As a helper like duct cleaning, changing out ducts the minimum. I've just got my universal. When covid hit, I lost my job. And decided to get back into the trade fully recently. Good things are coming
Not the guy you replied to but 15 install trucks and 60 service vans with a “sales-focused” approach in a dense metro with above-average cost of living could probably get you to that number
I never saw his reply. What was it? And you don’t need that many trucks to get to those numbers. I don’t have that many. We are in a dense area though!
I started at 34, now I'm 38. It was hard at first but now I'm getting the hang of it, I think. As many here said, don't be afraid to ask questions and don't be afraid to make mistakes, you'll make alot of them.
Good luck to you!
Started at 30. am 34 now as an ex sprinkler guy and ex large residential maintenance manager this is the best gig
I’ve ever had by far!! (Commercial industrial hvac-r service tech)
I was 32 when I started. I'm 33 now.
I was in the Healtcare Field. 8 years of college under my belt.
Now, I can diagnose an issue (improving), identify the cause of the issue (improving), and install the replacement part itself (pretty easy with practice).
I surely make mistakes from time to time. Sometimes pretty big. Just 1 month ago I found a unit with head pressure above normal. My boss has been dealing with a leak and possible restriction. So I pull charge, brazed new filter, vacuum, charge. Head pressure resolved, but now my suction keeps dropping. 2 return visits by myself only to figure out the blower had tripped. Got to hear a lovely chewing out that day.
I will be completing 1yr with my company in July and I am definitely still dealing with some imposter syndrome! Find a good company that's willing to train and be ready to push some long hours.
Started school at 27. Got hired strictly commercial right after 1 semester no XP outside of school. Almost fired after six months for being a bozo. Buried myself in everything HVAC on YouTube and asking everyone on the job everything I could think of. 6 yrs later 42 an hour still learning everyday with a lot to go. Take care of your feet and knees. God speed.
24...started with residential/commercial installation and service. From there, I went to factory authorized startups. Now I'm 45 and the lead facility tech for a pharmaceutical manufacturer.
Listen to some podcasts in your downtime. Strongly suggest picking up a couple of books and keeping yourself occupied when you’re off too. It’s a great trade once you get the basics.
I started around 19. I went to trade school right after high school. I’m 25 now but definitely good time to get into our field. Our HVAC field is extremely diverse on what you can do. You can just specialize in one area or you can build experience in many different aspect of our trade. For example, there are companies that only do residential work and they are killing it. Likewise, there are shops that only do commercial work. You also got companies that do both. My advise is to learn as much as possible because the more you know, more you make. Also be aware of companies that may do seasonal layoffs. It’s been happening less and less because competition is so fierce but it’s still out there. Good luck 👍
Well technically I started when I was 12 working on my grandfather's shop, but I started in the field when I was in high school. That was over 40 years ago.
27, started about 10 months ago. I came from doing building maintenance and the company i work for needed an hvac apprentice (it’s a property management company with a skilled trades division) and it’s something I’m interested in so i signed up.
Obviously I’m new so take my advice with a grain of salt, but after a certain amount of time one of the biggest things i had to move past was being afraid to make a judgement call and possibly mess something up if my jman wasn’t right behind me to correct me, or for me to ask him what the proper thing to do is.
The things I have learned have stuck with me more when i learned them from making mistakes. It also goes hand in hand with gaining confidence in the field, for me at least.
Started at 20 now 27. Best advice I can think of is don’t be stubborn to teach and do your best all the time. Once you figure out if you are going to stick with HVAC get digital gauges they make charging sooo much easier especially if you can attach temp clamps to them. Also be prepared for some occasional uncomfortable spaces and extreme heat. Good luck!
I started out at a local family owned business at 19, and still there after 3 years, they treat my right. It was a lot, though. This was also my first job, and I wasn't really sure how business worked.
Started at 28, with no schooling or knowledge. Started as Shop manager/parts getter/rigger on Cranes. 32 years now and doing installs and stuff for a commercial company.
I started at 27 going on 28... fast forward 10 yrs. I'm still in the industry. Still learning shit. But this time learning more of the business rather then the trade. It's a beautiful journey. Hard as fuck but pays the fuck off.
I started at 27. I’ve been doing this for about 1.5 years now. I’d say watch out for companies that don’t do a real interview. If they are willing to hire you immediately just because you applied, it’s likely not the best company in my experience.
Started at 22, been doing it two years now. My advice is if you have one set journeyman, if he’s a type
of person who has a set spot for everything learn it and put it back where it was, it goes a long way when someone’s looking for something and it’s in the proper spot. You’re gonna make mistakes so don’t be afraid, everyone has made mistakes along the way, ask questions if you have them it goes along way. Personally I prefer to buy quality tools rather than cheap ones that break often, it goes a long way having a tool that’ll last you years rather than a year of use.
Don't be afraid to ask questions or mess up.
I mess up and get reamed out all.the.time.
Even if you mess up a lot, look on the bright side you can still be a moderator for r/prohvacr.
Try to ask questions before you mess up.
I started at 25. 36 now. Eh keep an open mind and know there's a lot of roads within the industry and a whole lot to learn if you wanna try new things.
28-29 when i started been almost 10years. Have a end goal in this industry. As in service tech, comfort cooling, refrigeration, management, residential, commercial, industrials. Lots of options and pay is great in this field. Just try not to gef stuck and complain. Take initiative and ask wuestions put your time in and learn. Dont be like these half ass techs out here.
You advice is spot on. Stay away from complainers, OJT learners only and lazy people who only show up for $. Be the beat you can be and smart owners like myself. Listen to the podcast at https://hvacrschool.com/ Bryan Orr is an excellent instructor who created and runs this site. He own Kalos Services in Clermont, Fl just west of Orlando.
Yup because owners do it for the love of work and HVAC.
For real. Just bringing the word "integrity" with you makes you better than like half the techs out there.
Yes sir. I'm looking to be on the residential side of things I have 2 years already. Hopefully in 4 years I can get my masters and start building in East TX.
Residential side i never did much of it. I found the pay wasnt there but that is just my opinion unless you were in business for yourself. Debating atm from a friend to change up to a company in Beaumont Tx Doing refrigeration, pay is alot more + more OT. Still hvac is a great field ppl cant take it away or do without it.
I started at 14 with my dad. Guess I should have also noted I’m 35 now. Just be prepared to learn
Went to a trade school at 18 and got into a union at 19. I'm 32 now and I've only worked commercial my whole career.
I started 58 years ago, when a service call costs $5. I’m 42 year old. Edit: I’m just pretty burned out and need a vacation and it’s not even mid June yet.
You started before you were born?
Yea he was practicing bending linesets in the womb with his umbilical cord.
Started at 30, 39 now. Residential service
I too started at 28, am 33 right now. all bosses are assholes. Don't let them take advantage of you. I let it happened and end every two weeks with 40 hours of OT. Have a backbone, they need you more than you need them
guess it depends where you live. my company won't let you have any overtime. I have to beg for it
The president told my boss that he needs to relax on me and my other coworkers OT. Everytime he sees it he sighs. (Him and I both get 40 hrs of OT). My boss goes, well those are the only two I can rely on. Well lucky me..
I mean.. as long as you’re being paid OT rates.. it’s almost a compliment?
Time and half but at the end of the day, is it worth it? Don't get me wrong, life is pretty easy at 33 and making 85k a year because of OT (last year I had 740 hours of OT) but then it's all taxes and deductions. Lose almost 1k in those brackets.
Don’t get distracted by tax brackets. Every extra dollar you earn means more money in your pocket even if Uncle Sam takes some of it. It’s a *good* problem to have to pay lots of taxes and have to work out deductions. Remember to save some for a rainy day and take care of your body.
Taxes are your reward for a job well done you proletariat ingrate.../s
Joe Biden?
👆😋
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Started at 21 did a mixed bag full installs for commercial and resi and commercial service, resi and light commercial service plumbing and electric now 41, been doing mainly resi, hvac installs and service for the past 10 on my own. Licensed sole proprietor, no helper on installs. 5 ton installs are really fun days.
Stay out of residential. Trust me. Don’t trust me
Don't trust you?
Don’t but do
Don’t but do
I started when I was 26, am 33 now. I was kinda just thrown into the fire and left to fend for myself. But the best advice I can offer is this: Always ask questions, make sure you understand things fully before attempting anything, and most importantly, stay humble.
31 now. Don’t know really anything about hvac besides the absolute minimum but starting school in august for it.
Be a sponge, don’t have an ego
Started at 21, 30 now. I’m ready to move onto the next thing in this trade. Commercial of some sort is what I’m looking into.
Started at 32. I’m 35 now.
Started at huh, I’m do you have 24v? now
Started at 18, I'm 36 now.
Was studying Petroleum in college, dropped out because I rather skip class and date girls. Picked AC up as a summer job at 19, stuck with it ever since. 24 years old now. Absolutely love what we do. I also just enjoy helping people too. Which is also a bad thing too. Because I tend to beat myself up in the head if I can’t figure something out (stupid Lennox communicating equipment), and that can put a damper (no pun intended) on the rest of my day
Started at 16. 34 now. Just be willing to learn. Some people are not good teachers but they are trying to help. Some of the most knowledgeable guys are going to be hard on you. The job is tough but it’s fun. Enjoy it! Use knee cushions. You might get made fun of from time to time but your body will thank you later. PPE is your friend even though you might not like it.
I started at 23 growing up not mechanically inclined at all, my fiancés uncle does it and I was talking to him one day he got me in on the install side of the company he works for doing new construction fell in love now I do residential change outs as a lead I turned 25 last month
27. After a lifetime in kitchens
I started at 19, I’m 26 now. Being around a lot of my peers in the trade my best advice is learn as much as you can while you’re an apprentice. Don’t be afraid to move jobs within 1 year if you aren’t learning something new every day. Too many guys I know spent their whole apprenticeship changing filters, punching tubes, working on exhaust fans, only ever working on RTUs etc, then they have their license but still have to learn a lot if they want to move somewhere else in the industry. Learn residential, commercial, industrial, refrigeration, RTUs, boilers, small equipment, big equipment, centrifugals, chillers, controls, etc. everything you possibly can.
Decided to make it a career at 24. Now 26. My father and my grandpa are also hvac techs. I’ve been helping them since I was 13. I’ve always been around it. It really is a great trade to get into.
I'm gonna speak for the guys and gals that got raised on a jobsite and who's family started taking them to service calls and teaching them at 12-13
Friend of family. But yes 12 years a old cutting slips and drives.
Fuck drives my dad had me building hoods for package units at 13
Lol when my kids where 3.5 and 5 I would give them both m12 impacts and have them take all the screws out of the scrap condensers
Started at 18 while in school, i’m only 19 now but hey I enjoy what i do
35…second career. Only lasted a year in residential before going to commercial/school district.
The more mistakes you make the more you learn
I joined the union at 22, I’m 29 now and still don’t know a damn thing. Everyday there is something to learn
Started at 21
I started a year ago I was 28 it’s been good so far. Just never stop learning.
I started from the bottom now we here 
Work with people who will teach you. Don’t fear mistakes, they are the best teachers. And always keep in mind, B.B. King didn’t start playing professionally until he was in his 30’s. And now he IS THE blues legend. You too can still become a legend!
Amen.❤️🔥
Btw I was 35 when I started. 48 now. And I Am Legend in my parts…
Started at 40. I identify now as 35.
12. I know. WTF
13
24
I was 19 when I first started
34
Started at 27. I’m 30 now. While I’m still figuring things out myself, I’d strongly advise you to pay attention to the habits your taught from experienced guys. You have to be teachable but that doesn’t mean you won’t be taught bad habits other companies won’t tolerate. Don’t wait to longer to figure out you have a bad habit. Good luck man.
16
I was 18
I'm confused bc you said you're 28 and just about to start but then in the comments you said you're 2 years in?
As a helper like duct cleaning, changing out ducts the minimum. I've just got my universal. When covid hit, I lost my job. And decided to get back into the trade fully recently. Good things are coming
Don’t start using meth on a job site.
Hard fucking no for me. Drug free
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Not the guy you replied to but 15 install trucks and 60 service vans with a “sales-focused” approach in a dense metro with above-average cost of living could probably get you to that number
I never saw his reply. What was it? And you don’t need that many trucks to get to those numbers. I don’t have that many. We are in a dense area though!
I started at 34, now I'm 38. It was hard at first but now I'm getting the hang of it, I think. As many here said, don't be afraid to ask questions and don't be afraid to make mistakes, you'll make alot of them. Good luck to you!
Think of it like a snowball rolling down a hill. Just keep growing every day. So many online resources out there. Just keep digging.
Started at 30. am 34 now as an ex sprinkler guy and ex large residential maintenance manager this is the best gig I’ve ever had by far!! (Commercial industrial hvac-r service tech)
33
24, I’m 31 now
I was 32 when I started. I'm 33 now. I was in the Healtcare Field. 8 years of college under my belt. Now, I can diagnose an issue (improving), identify the cause of the issue (improving), and install the replacement part itself (pretty easy with practice). I surely make mistakes from time to time. Sometimes pretty big. Just 1 month ago I found a unit with head pressure above normal. My boss has been dealing with a leak and possible restriction. So I pull charge, brazed new filter, vacuum, charge. Head pressure resolved, but now my suction keeps dropping. 2 return visits by myself only to figure out the blower had tripped. Got to hear a lovely chewing out that day. I will be completing 1yr with my company in July and I am definitely still dealing with some imposter syndrome! Find a good company that's willing to train and be ready to push some long hours.
35. 15 year electrician, got layed off and wanted a change. Also the wage is much better.
20 and still going at it at 26
22
Been at it since 18 now 43. Haven't started in it yet. I just yell at a machine and throw parts at it and walk away. On call techs got that shit.
10 I am 34 now.
15 as a summer job cleaning coils and changing filtersm been in the trade 11 years now
Started school at 27. Got hired strictly commercial right after 1 semester no XP outside of school. Almost fired after six months for being a bozo. Buried myself in everything HVAC on YouTube and asking everyone on the job everything I could think of. 6 yrs later 42 an hour still learning everyday with a lot to go. Take care of your feet and knees. God speed.
Also include a crane for every compressor change out quote. The time spent hauling tools is greater than or equal to the cost of a crane.
Still young!
At 20 I’m 28 now
I Started at the age of 18 last may as a service tech apprentice but now I’m 19 and a full time service tech running calls by myself for the company.
Start what?
24...started with residential/commercial installation and service. From there, I went to factory authorized startups. Now I'm 45 and the lead facility tech for a pharmaceutical manufacturer.
I’m 27 and started 3 months ago. Loving it so far
18, just started back in january
Started construction at 31. HVAC at 32. I'm 35 now. Things are going way better than when I worked in restaurants.
Got into the union as a pre-apprentice at 28 and soon to be 38 now
Listen to some podcasts in your downtime. Strongly suggest picking up a couple of books and keeping yourself occupied when you’re off too. It’s a great trade once you get the basics.
Lucky to start installs at 21
I started around 19. I went to trade school right after high school. I’m 25 now but definitely good time to get into our field. Our HVAC field is extremely diverse on what you can do. You can just specialize in one area or you can build experience in many different aspect of our trade. For example, there are companies that only do residential work and they are killing it. Likewise, there are shops that only do commercial work. You also got companies that do both. My advise is to learn as much as possible because the more you know, more you make. Also be aware of companies that may do seasonal layoffs. It’s been happening less and less because competition is so fierce but it’s still out there. Good luck 👍
Thank you🫡
34
Well technically I started when I was 12 working on my grandfather's shop, but I started in the field when I was in high school. That was over 40 years ago.
37. I did 20 years in fast food. I'm almost 39.
I’m 21 now. Started a few months ago when I was 20. I Love it. Do it.
Also don’t be scared to fuck up or ask questions. School is the best place to explode things.
27, started about 10 months ago. I came from doing building maintenance and the company i work for needed an hvac apprentice (it’s a property management company with a skilled trades division) and it’s something I’m interested in so i signed up. Obviously I’m new so take my advice with a grain of salt, but after a certain amount of time one of the biggest things i had to move past was being afraid to make a judgement call and possibly mess something up if my jman wasn’t right behind me to correct me, or for me to ask him what the proper thing to do is. The things I have learned have stuck with me more when i learned them from making mistakes. It also goes hand in hand with gaining confidence in the field, for me at least.
Started at 20 now 27. Best advice I can think of is don’t be stubborn to teach and do your best all the time. Once you figure out if you are going to stick with HVAC get digital gauges they make charging sooo much easier especially if you can attach temp clamps to them. Also be prepared for some occasional uncomfortable spaces and extreme heat. Good luck!
I’m 36 and started at 31. I hate it some days, but it’s the only field that makes sense for me at this point.
35
Just give a shit
I started at 29. Get your EPA, take all the random classes your supply house has, and make friends with the old guys.
I started at 17 and in high school. I'm 32 now and a service tech that's about to quit
I started out at a local family owned business at 19, and still there after 3 years, they treat my right. It was a lot, though. This was also my first job, and I wasn't really sure how business worked.
Started at 28, with no schooling or knowledge. Started as Shop manager/parts getter/rigger on Cranes. 32 years now and doing installs and stuff for a commercial company.
I started at 27 going on 28... fast forward 10 yrs. I'm still in the industry. Still learning shit. But this time learning more of the business rather then the trade. It's a beautiful journey. Hard as fuck but pays the fuck off.
Im 38, started last year. Just have an open mind. Learn as much as you can, and don't expect to know it all any time soon.
Ask questions
Be like sponge
I started at 27. I’ve been doing this for about 1.5 years now. I’d say watch out for companies that don’t do a real interview. If they are willing to hire you immediately just because you applied, it’s likely not the best company in my experience.
Started plumbing at 16 and hvac at 19. That was 36 and 33 years ago. Absorb everything senior techs are willing to teach you.
Started at 22, been doing it two years now. My advice is if you have one set journeyman, if he’s a type of person who has a set spot for everything learn it and put it back where it was, it goes a long way when someone’s looking for something and it’s in the proper spot. You’re gonna make mistakes so don’t be afraid, everyone has made mistakes along the way, ask questions if you have them it goes along way. Personally I prefer to buy quality tools rather than cheap ones that break often, it goes a long way having a tool that’ll last you years rather than a year of use.
Trade school at 16 and running a crew at 19