If you’re considering a career as an HVAC technician, you may be thinking about the type of job you want. Or if you’re already a technician, you might be wondering if the grass is greener on the other side, so to speak. Are you better suited for a commercial or residential HVAC career?
Residential vs Commercial HVAC Career: the differences
There are companies that do both residential and commercial HVAC work, but most specialize in one or the other. Here’s how each type of HVAC career is different.
Residential HVAC career: the pros and cons
Here are the positive things technicians report about working as a residential HVAC service technician:
Personal connections with customers. You get to meet a lot of people and get to know your regular customers. It’s satisfying to solve problems for homeowners and experience their appreciation for your help.
The variety. You’re always on the go and working in a variety of locations each day.
Commissions. Depending on the size of your company, you may have the chance to get involved in selling service agreements and even system replacements. That can add to your income if your company gives you a commission.
These are the aspects of the job they don’t enjoy as much:
More emotions. Along with customer appreciation, you also have to deal with people’s frustrations. (Learn what to say to an angry customer).
More budget issues. You’ll encounter homeowners who can’t afford the work or new equipment they need. That problem can be handled by offering financing.
Working conditions. Residential HVAC components are often installed in attics, basements, and crawl spaces that can be cramped, hot, dark and/or musty.
Commercial HVAC career: the pros and cons
Here are the upsides technicians report about working as a commercial HVAC service technician:
Greater earning potential. This is not universally true, but commercial service providers tend to pay more than residential service companies. Plus, commercial work tends to offer more overtime, which can significantly add to your income.
Better resources for learning. Commercial service companies are generally larger and may offer more resources to help you learn and stay on top of new technology. These can include mentoring, internal training classes, online training resources, manufacturer training, and attending industry conferences.
No requirement to collect money. Commercial customers are usually billed for the work you do, so you probably don’t need to collect payment for every job.
Here are some differences that could be pros or cons, depending on your preferences:
Greater variety and complexity of equipment. You’ll work with more different types of equipment and brands, plus more complex controls, such as building management systems. That’s a plus because it’s more interesting, but it can be a lot to learn.
Less customer interaction. In commercial HVAC, you won’t interact with customers as much, which could be a plus or minus depending on your personality.
Working conditions: Commercial equipment is installed on rooftops, control rooms, and in crawl spaces. Rooftops are challenging if you don’t like heights. Crawl spaces can be difficult if you’re a bit claustrophobic or a larger person. But control rooms are typically comfortable and easy to access.
And here are the downsides commercial technicians report:
More grunt work initially. Working for a larger company and doing more complex work can come with a tradeoff when you start as an apprentice or junior technician. You may not be doing hands-on work so quickly. You’ll change a lot of filters at first.
More paperwork. You’ll be required to write detailed notes about every job. That’s important for billing the customer, ordering parts, and record keeping.
More tools to carry around. A greater variety of equipment means you need more tools and parts in your truck and your tool bag. (Learn how to organize your tool bag).
More HVAC career tips and advice
Check out more articles to help you build a successful career in the HVAC & Refrigeration industry.
HVACR Career Connect NY was created to promote the exceptional quality-of-life benefits of a career in HVAC and Refrigeration service, and also to provide a clear path for getting started in the profession. In doing so, we serve as a resource for employers in the New York City metro area to find and hire smart and capable new technicians. We also serve as an educational resource to support business growth and to help service technicians succeed in their chosen profession.
