Tennessee HVAC Schools

Have you been looking for an accredited Tennessee HVAC school to get the necessary training for your new and exciting career? Learn how to properly install, maintain and repair heating and air conditioning units and find a career in this industry in Tennessee.

Most HVAC schools offer either a certificate program or diploma. The diploma program is usually 1200+ hours in length and is for those individuals who want to become a licensed refrigeration technician. Most school programs will teach you everything needed to go sit for your TN state exam and become a licensed Tennessee HVAC/R Technician. The average school will offer training programs ranging from 1800-2200 hours and typically take 2 years to complete. You’ll find schools that have had their programs accredited from HVAC Excellence as well as from PAHRA.

Topics typically covered during your training include refrigeration controls, piping, heating and cooling, safety, equipment, vents and ducts, troubleshooting, load calculations, motor controls and more

Tennessee HVAC State Exam

To take your exam in TN it requires that you successfully pass a 100 question multiple question test with a passing grade of 73%. You will take both a Business and Law exam and HVAC exam. In the state of Tennessee it is required that you are licensed if you work on any project over the price of $25,000.

The state has 3 different types of licensing

Type I – With this level you can repair and install small appliances and maintain them.

Type II – With a Type II license you can service high pressure appliances but not in vehicles.

Type III – At this level you can maintain, service all appliances.

Cool HVAC Facts

- The application fee can cost up to $250 and is subject to many rules and regulations you must follow.

- In Tennessee your license has reciprocity with Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina.

- The salary for an HVAC technician in Memphis TN makes on average $41,676 vs the national average of $38,750.

Top HVAC Schools in Tennessee

Chattanooga State Community College
You’ll get a combination of hands-on experience working with HVAC units as well as classroom learning when you enroll at CSCC. The program is offered as a diploma that is 12 months in length with a job placement rate of 88%. The average earning of their graduates is $43,880 according to their gainful employment information. They offer summer, spring and fall programs full-time but also offer evening classes for those who currently work. Don’t let another year pass without getting the HVAC/R education you always wanted. CSCC has campus locations at: 4501 Amnicola Highway Chattanooga, TN 37406 – 7158 Lee Highway Chattanooga, TN 37421 – 200 North 4th Avenue Dayton, TN 37321 – 2100 Main Street Kimball, TN 37347.

Vatterott College
Start your trade program in HVAC at Vatterott. They offer a Heating, AC & Refrigeration Technology degree as well as diploma program. The degree program is designed to take 90 weeks to complete.
Campus locations at: 6991 Appling Farms Pkwy, Memphis, TN 38133 – 2655 Divided Dr Memphis TN 38132.

Northeast State
Earn your Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning certificate from Northeast State Community College. You will need to have successfully completed both English and match entrance scores. The program covers an introduction to electricity, hydraulics and pneumatics, safety , millright principles and refrigeration and air conditioning. The total credits for the HVAC program is 30. The campus is located at 2425 Highway 75 Blountville, Tennessee 37617.

Moore Tech
The school has a 97% placement rate for graduates of their HVAC program. This is one of the highest placement rates we have seen and worth looking into. The campus is located at 1200 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38104. You must be 18 years old to apply. The school doesn’t offer financial aid to those who qualify and the college does perform background checks on all applicants. Talk to an admissions advisor today if you live in the Memphis area and looking for a good HVAC program.

Interview with Veteran HVAC Technician

We caught up with Ryan McCracken, veteran HVAC technician who worked in Memphis, TN for over 20 years as a senior HVAC technician to get his take on what qualities employers are looking for when they hire technicians and what it entry level technicians can expect during their first year on the job.

Question: How is the current HVAC industry/market for new HVAC employees in Tennessee?
Answer: The industry has always been strong and I don’t see it ever weakening. The main reason is there has never been an actual decrease in the number of homes that are being built over the past 50 years. As older homes get updated to more modern HVAC systems the need for qualified technicians in the area continue. As a new technician you’ll more than likely be working with other more experienced technicians where you can pick up some great hands-on tips and tricks of the trade. The first year is by far the most stressful for technicians as you really are being evaluated all the time from the company you are working for. They want to make sure you are offering a great service to their customers. Also that first year you’ll be learning a lot of things that you probably weren’t taught at school so I always tell technicians to just stick with it and things get easier over time.

Question: Did you ever work anywhere else besides Tennessee and how did it compare?
Answer: I grew up in Tennessee so I’m more comfortable in the state in terms of dealing with the people. I did briefly move to the west coast and couldn’t wait to get back to my hometown.

Question: What makes a good HVAC technician in your opinion?
Answer: For me that is easy..Honesty. I feel being an honest HVAC technician is what customers and employers want. For me I get tons of repeat business by being honest in regards to the services that I offer. Customers trust my opinion as I point on things for example that need repaired and give them lots of options. If a unit simply needs cleaned I don’t try to upsell them on a new HVAC unit or do repairs that aren’t necessary. For new HVAC/R technicians I would go out of my way to make customers happy. I would show up on time for an appointment and make sure to follow-up with clients throughout the year to make sure the work you did is holding up. After 10 years I ended up opening up my own HVAC business in Memphis because I had so much referral business and to this day I haven’t advertised at all and all of my business is referrals.

Resources:
http://www.hvacexcellence.org/
http://www.pahrahvacr.org/