Character and Personality Traits Required to Be a Successful HVAC Tech

| Last Updated: June 11, 2021

Being a heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC) technician is a great job with many benefits. However, it takes a particular person to become an HVAC mechanic.

Here are a few necessary personality traits one must have in order to become an HVAC technician. Do you have what it takes?

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Reliability

HVAC technicians fill an important roll. If a store’s air-conditioning system breaks down in the middle of the day, they will need help fast. No one will want to shop in a store that is sweaty and stuffy. If an HVAC technician is not timely, that store could lose a whole day’s worth of sales.

Also, many people count on HVAC technicians to install things. Perhaps a new restaurant is waiting on a refrigeration system before they can order food and finally open up their doors. This is another example of a time in which an HVAC technician’s reliability goes a long way.

Technically Minded

It is important for an HVAC technician to be technically minded because there are so many complicated systems the technician will have to work on. An HVAC mechanic will have to be familiar with motors, fuel and water supply lines, air ducts, thermostats, vents, pumps, compressors, fans, ducts, pipes, and switches.

They also have to know how to operate testing instruments like carbon monoxide testers, combustion analyzers, oxygen testers, voltmeters, thermometers, pressure gauges, manometers. Also, they must know how to use tools such as pipe cutters and benders, hammers, metal snips, wrenches, electric drills, measurement gauges, and acetylene torches.

Patience and Composure

Nothing is more frustrating than a problem that insists it can’t be fixed. Many times an HVAC technician will find themselves in wonder of a broken system. No matter how many different things the technician checks, no answers come to him.

In these situations it is important to let the stress roll off of you. Take a few deep breath, break for a few minutes, and come back to the project fresh. Acting out on that particular system or appliance will not fix anything and will likely make the customer uncomfortable. Nothing is impossible. With the right mind and attitude, every problem has a solution.

Good Communication Skills

A good HVAC technician has good communication skills. The HVAC mechanic must be able to talk to customers. If the HVAC technician is doing an installation job, than it is necessary that they have a good rapport with the customer so they may be able to sell them a maintenance package. If the technician is doing a maintenance job, they want that customer to call them again. Both situations require an HVAC technician who can explain problems easily and create a friendly environment in which the customer feels comfortable.

Active Personality

Finally, an HVAC technician must want to live an active lifestyle. Technicians who take HVAC classes work with their hands and change their location frequently. If you are a person who likes to sit in one place all day, an HVAC career is not for you. HVAC technicians love diversity and variety in their life. Every day an HVAC technician encounters new people and new obstacles. If you are an active person who loves variety in your day, than you are fit for starting a career by attending an HVAC technician school.



My name is Bob Wells and I am a retired HVAC tech from Washington state. I am currently retired and no longer do much with HVAC, however, I feel like I have a lot of knowledge in the subject and I wanted to create a website where I could talk about what I've learned and help upcoming HVAC techs. Find more info about me and HVAC Training 101.