Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics are capable of diagnosing, repairing, installing and maintaining a variety of air conditioning and refrigeration systems and combined heating, ventilation and cooling systems.

As part of their job they measure cut and connect piping using welding and brazing equipment and can recharge systems with refrigerant gases as required.

Heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems consist of many mechanical, electrical and electronic components, such as motors, compressors, pumps, fans, ducts, pipes, thermostats and switches.

Air conditioning and refrigeration technicians usually work in commercial, industrial, residential and recreational sectors and can also be self-employed as contractors.

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Industry Changes

The refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic is continuously challenged by technology and industry advancement. Environmental concerns have been increasing with the types of oils and refrigerants being used in today’s market. Staying educated with constant government changes is a job in it self.

With the decrease of mechanical and pneumatic controls and the increased use of more advanced electronic monitoring equipment and control systems, the technician must constantly educated his/her knowledge with computerized diagnostic equipment and automated controls.

The technician must continue to keep up to date with product knowledge and possess a great deal of customer relations as the consumer is always in competition for energy efficient products in both cooling and heating.

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Safety

Safe working practices and accident prevention are the primary importance to the health and safety of all person(s) at any or all work place environments. All person(s) including employee, employer and government, share this responsibility in order to keep everyone free of any dangers or accidents that may cause an individual(s) serious bodily harm or death.

The Occupational Health and Safety Acts and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulations, should be consistently reviewed and enforced in every work place environment. Educating and understanding these regulations is everyone’s responsibility in order to keep a safe work place environment.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) has contributed to a safer work place environment. Health and safety has become a high priority in the workplace due to increased awareness of dangers and the identifications of hazardous materials.

Practicing health and safety is a tremendous contribution to a safe and accident free work place environment.

 

Job Tasks

• Coordinates refrigeration and air conditioning installation and maintenance

• Customer service

• Electrical components

• Install and start up refrigeration and air cooling systems

• Install and connect piping that carries all types of refrigerant

• Installs control systems

• Installs heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems

• Maintain, service, repair and replace refrigeration and air cooling systems components

• Maintain electrical and electronic components of the systems

• Performs system components, accessories and material lists and handling

• Plans installation of all control systems

• Reads and uses blueprints, codes, standards, operations and service manuals

• Service, test, adjust, commission and decommission refrigeration and air cooling systems

 

Tools

• air compressor and regulator

• air fuel equipment

• Allen keys

• bending jigs

• bending tools

• black light

• bolt cutter

• brazing equipment

• brush (wire, paint, etc)

• calculator

• carbon dioxide (CO2) cylinder and regulator

• caulking gun

• charging cylinder

• charging manifold

• chalk line

• chisels

• circulating pump

• cloths (emery, sandpaper etc)

• cutting tools (pipe cutter)

• drill bits

• hack saw

• hammer

• hammer ball peen

• safety equipment (goggles, boots, face shield etc)

• springs

• wrenches

 

Skills

• Critical Thinking

• Decision Making

• Numerical

• Oral Communication

• Problem Solving

• Reading Blueprints and schematics

• Writing 

• Computer Knowledge

 

General Wages

• Average -  $26.00

• Minimum - $15.00

• Maximum - $37.00​

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Sample Q&A

 

1. Some refrigeration codes do not require a pressure relief valve or a fuse plug on a pressure vessel not exceeding?

a. an internal gross volume of 3ft

b. an internal diameter of 3 inch

c. 30 psig working pressure

Ans. B

 

2. A relief valve protecting a pressure vessel from overpressure should start to function at?

a. a pressure not exceeding the design working pressure of the vessel

b. the refrigerant field leak test pressure of the system

c. the pressure corresponding to the cut off of the high pressure control

Ans. B

 

3. When installing a piece of air cooled refrigeration equipment on the roof, a refrigeration permits?

a. is required

b. and plumbing permit are required 

c. building permit are required

Ans. C

 

4. What circuit does the relay operate in an intermittent ignition primary control?

a. the motor and the stack bimetal circuits

b. the ignition and the thermostat circuits

c. the ignition transformer

Ans. C

 

5. Which of the following series of burner controls indicates a three wire 24 volt system?

a. series 10

b. series 20

c. series 30

Ans. A

 

6. The average temp of the air discharged from the furnace outlet duct is called the?

a. outlet air temp

b. inlet duct temp

c. stack loss

d. PSI pressure

Ans. A

 

7. What type of air pressure is measured by a differential manometer?

a. velocity pressure

b. total pressure

c. static pressure

d. hydrostatic pressure

Ans. C