Required Supplies:Safety glasses
Textbook:Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology; Whitman, Johnson, and Tomczyk; 2005.
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning; Air Conditioning / Refrigeration Institute; 1998.
HVAC; Eugene Siberstein; 2005
Wages and Employment Trends:Median Wages (2004)
$17.63 hourly
$36,670 annually
Employment (2004)
270,000 employees
Projected Growth (2004-2014)
Average (10-20%)
87,000 additional employees
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
Frank Trapuzzano
ftrapuzzano@wactc.net
(724) 746-2890 ext. 148
Course Objective:
Students will obtain education and skills to work as installers, sheet metal fabricators, and service technicians in the field of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
Heating & Air Conditioning is a 3-year program that prepares tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students for employment to assist the mechanic in the servicing and installation of residential and commercial heating and cooling systems. Students are also prepared for the EPA certification exam for safe refrigerant handling.
Course Topics:
Electrical safety Basic refrigeration
Electrical calculations Refrigerant safety
Electrical measurements Central air conditioning
Magnetism Heat pumps
Panel box hook-up Indoor air quality
Pipe fitting Unit balancing
Ductwork Unit sizing
Gas furnaces Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations
Oil furnaces
Electrical furnaces
Cooperating Companies:
Climatech – Pittsburgh, PA
Csonka Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. – McDonald, PA
McMurray Cooling & Heating, Inc. – Canonsburg, PA
One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning – Washington, PA
Shearer Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. – Washington, PA
Specialized Shop Equipment:
Refrigerant recovery
Duct board knives
Ultrasonic electric detector
Vacuum pumps
Electronic leak detector
Digital electrical meter
Sheet metal machines
Certifications:
Industry Competency Examination (I.C.E.)
Environment Protection Agency (E.P.A.)
Refrigerant # 410-A Handling (E.P.A.)
Articulation Agreements: Presently awaiting approval of a flex degree through California University of Pennsylvania
Community College of Allegheny County – Heating/Air-Conditioning
Westmoreland Comunity College
Post-Secondary Training Options: Community College of Allegheny County – Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, and
Refrigeration Maintenance Technology
Penn Commercial – Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
Pennsylvania College of Technology – Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Technology
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology -- Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, and
Refrigeration Maintenance Technology
Triangle Tech, Inc. – Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, and Refrigeration
Maintenance Technology
Potential Careers: Inventory Control Technician
Building Maintenance Technician
Purchasing Agent
Building Operations Controller
HVAC Installation Mechanic
HVAC Technician
Domestic Refrigeration Technician
Job Estimator
Consulting and Design Engineer
Self Employment
Heating and Air Conditioning Skills:Troubleshooting — Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Repairing — Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Equipment Maintenance — Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Installation — Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.