The Heating and Air Conditioning career diploma course has now been added to the growing number of certified courses offered at Ashworth College. After completing our HVAC training, you'll  be set up to take the EPA Section 608 certification exam. In fact, Ashworth College will give you:

• A 12-page EPA Section 608 study guide issued by the ESCO Institute to help you prepare for the exam
• A $75 voucher that will cover all or most of the cost of writing the core section plus sections 1,2 and 3 of the EPA Section 608 Certification exam

With this HVAC certification and your career diploma from Ashworth College, you'll be on your way to working in your dream career.  In fact, demand for heating and air conditioning specialists is rising quickly. The U.S. Department of Labor expects a 34% increase in job opportunities in HVAC careers through 2020! This means there will be 90,300 new jobs for HVAC specialists and the demand for those with HVAC certification is even higher.

With the fundamental skills you learn here at Ashworth, you could be working in a variety of career fields including:

• Building contractors
• Heating and air conditioning franchises
• Your own independent business
• Residential maintenance and service companies

Are you excited about the new HVAC Certification? How do you think this will improve your career?

Each year, many Heating and Air Conditioning specialists get together to attend the 65th Annual Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Expo. This year, the event was held at the Dallas Convention Center in Texas and roughly 51,000 people attended. The event showcased the latest in HVAC technologies with 1,951 companies attending with the latest products.

"As the largest and most comprehensive HVACR exposition, the AHR Expo attracts tens of thousands of attendees from all facets of the industry, including contractors, engineers, dealers, distributors, wholesalers, OEMs, architects, builders, industrial plant operators, facility owners and managers, agents and reps," said the event's official site.

For those taking online hvac training, like the course offered here at Ashworth College, and want to attend next year's expo, be in New York City Jan 21-23. It's a great place to expand your knowledge, network with members of the industry, learn about the latest in technology and so much more.

Would you want to attend the event?

Check out Ashworth College's site to learn more about online HVAC Training

Having heat and air conditioning in your home is an important function in most homes and because of that, choosing the right person in heating and air conditioning careers to fix your home is essential.  You not only need to trust this person to do the job they're hired to do, but have achieved the necessary schooling to know what they're doing.  What else is needed to choose an HVAC specialist?  Here are a few things:

• Sometimes the best trades workers are found by word of mouth.  Ask your friends and family who they have hired in the past to do maintence or repair work.  You know these people did a good job and have been trusted by people you know.
• Ask them about their work experience.  While the lessons the specialist learned in heating and air conditioning school are important, one the job training is a must.  Hands on experience is key to being satisfied with their work.
• More than likely, the HVAC specialist will come to your home before they do any work just to see what's wrong and give you an estimate.  If you're looking for a new technician, it's okay to get estimates from multiple people. 

Do you have any other tips?

Summer is here and that puts a lot of extra strain on your air conditioner.  Between the hot temperatures, the overuse, and countless other factors, the summer months are taxing on an AC unit - especially one that's nearing the end of it's 12-15 year life span.  There are ways to try to extend the life of your unit and make it run more efficiently while it is alive.  Here are some tips.

• Give your unit a break.  That may seem challenging in the summer months to not run the AC for a bit, but it will prolong the life of your unit.  Give it a break when you go out of town or during the day when you're at work.  By setting it on a timer, you can also have it kick on right when you're expected back so you won't be sweltering when you return.
• Make sure your unit is safe outside.  By shielding it with an awning or overhead sun protector, you'll reduce the likelihood of it becoming overheated.  Also, check to make sure there isn't any damage to the unit or any debris on it after a storm.  This could also cause problems later on. 
• "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," so make sure to get your unit checked out by someone in HVAC careers early on in the summer months.  This will catch any problems that may be there before the problems have a chance to get even bigger.  By simply giving it checkups, you can prolong the life of your air conditioner.
• When the AC starts to die, and all units will, know when it's time to give up and get a new one.  Simply trying to fix the one you have long past when it should have been retired will only damage your wallet.

Any other advice?

All over the country reports are surfacing about an unfortunate new trend in air conditioning.  Due to the high price of copper right now, air conditioning units, or pieces of outdoor units, are being stolen.  Because the units must remain outdoors, it may seem as though there is little that can be done, however, this is not the case.  One man in heating and air conditioning careers put together a list of things you can do in order to prevent your unit from theft.

• Don't put landscaping, such as bushes, around your unit.  Although it seems like this will hide the unit, it actually provides cover from thieves if they come at night.  By not hiding your HVAC unit, your neighbors have a better chance of seeing something unusual happening in your yard.

• Install lighting around the area of your AC unit.  Again, this will deter thieves who don't wish to get caught.

• Mark copper coils with ink or engrave your address or name on them.  If the thief later tries to sell these for money, it will be obvious that these pieces were stolen.  Much like writing your name in a child's coat, this will help things get returned to you, the rightful owner.

• Place a cage around your unit.  This does cost more money, but it's nothing compared to the cost of a brand new air conditioner.  Not only will this help your HVAC unit from getting stolen, it will also prevent children and pets from getting into it as well.

Do you have any other advice?

Heat pumps are vital sources of both air conditioning and heat.  Using two units, one indoor and one outdoor, the heating system draws heat in the winter and cooler air in the warmer months from outdoors while distributes it through your home.  For these reasons, it is important to fix the heat pump asap if it breaks.  You can call an hvac specialist or attempt to do it yourself.  eHow has tips for how to fix it no matter who's doing the fixing:

1. Unplug the unit from its power source.
2. Determine if the pump is powered. Open the small box located by the outside heat pump to access two circuit breakers protecting the electrical circuits which provide power to the air handler and heat pump condenser. If the unit does not heat, one of these circuits may have tripped. Check both the main electrical panel and any subpanels that supply power to the pump.
3. Reset the breaker that has tripped if needed, by switching it on to the 'Off' position and then to back on the 'On' position
4. Remove any debris, leaves or dirt around that unit that may clog its system with a rake or broom.
5. To clean inside the pump, open the blower access door located on the outside of the unit. Slide the filter from the unit and vacuum inside the compartment with a hand-vacuum hose attachment.
6. Discard of the older filter and replace it with a new one. Slide it back inside its harness until it stops at the end of the compartment. Change the filter on a monthly basis.
7. Remove any obstruction like debris from the vents. Shut the access door panel firmly.
8. Restart the heat pump from a low temperature by turning the system selector knob to emergency heat located in the outside, small box compartment. Wait six hours before returning the unit to its factory setting or normal heat setting.

Would you attempt to fix this?

When the seasons change, the weather can leave some people sneezing, coughing, and rubbing their eyes.  Allergy triggers can get in your home through vents, windows, and doors and offer no relief once the sufferer is inside the home.  Perhaps the trigger is inside the home already like a cat or a carpet cleaner.  Whatever the case, sometimes people need an air purifier.  But what are air purifiers and how do they work?

Air purifiers clean out the air in three ways.  Filters have small holes that allow air to pass through, but block some particles that are in the air like  foam, fiberglass, cotton and synthetic fibers.  Ionizing purifiers give every particle that passes through it a positive or negative charge and then holds on to them like a giant magnet.  Finally ozone generators turn oxygen particles found in the air into ozone.

Now you know the three kinds, how do you pick which one is right for you.  Consider these questions before you ask an HVAC specialist.

1. Performance. Look for a unit that removes a high amount of particles from the air, including smaller-sized pieces.
2. Air volume capacity. Choose a unit that is recommend for your size room. This is usually expressed as square feet.
3. Particular health concerns. Consider what substances you want to be removed from the air: smoke, germs, bacteria, etc.
4. Manufacturer. Choose a purifier that has a reputable manufacturer. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers is a great source.
5. Indoor factors. If there is a particular pollutant affecting your health, look for a unit that works best at eliminating it.
6. Cost of operating. Replacement filters do cost so make sure to look at the replacement interval and the cost of filters.
7. Quality of construction. Make sure the warranty covers the internal parts of the unit.
8. Ease of use. Make sure the unit is easy to operate, clean and change the filter
9. Noise while operating. Is the unit considered ‘whisper quiet’? You can request its operating noise values before you make a purchase. Quieter units are around 35 decibels.
10. Warranty. Look for a long-term and comprehensive warranty

Do you own an air purifier?  Would you buy one?

As it gets farther and farther into autumn, we continue to discuss making that transition between relying on your air conditioner, to warming up your heating.  Every part of your hvac system needs to be altered to coincide with the changing of the seasons.  This includes your heating ducts. How do you change them from cooling to warming?  eHow shows us some simple steps.

1. Open room low -duct air returns to collect cold air at the floor.
3. Adjust the air supply for winter. The best way to do this is to adjust the small dampers in the heating duct in the basement. Look for these dampers where the round supply duct connects to the main rectangular ducts. Look for a small, threaded rod and a wing nut. You can adjust the damper by turning the screwdriver slot on the small rod. When the slot is parallel to the duct, the damper is open. Do not adjust the wing nut as it merely locks the damper into position.
4. Heating ducts vary. Some have levers indicating the direction of the damper. Some rectangular ducts have dampers and levers. Note that closing the duct 50 percent or to 45 degrees will only partially slow the heated air flow. Often even if you close the damper 100 percent you will still have air flow because they fit very loosely in the ducts. Try several settings over a few days and check the response on each floor.
5. Close first floor dampers to direct heated air to the second floor. Once you achieve a comfortable balance, mark the position of dampers and baffles with a marker.
6. For systems with central air conditioning, reverse the above steps for summer cooling. Mark the damper with the correct position for each season.

What else needs to be done to warm up your house?