What are the real work hours like for a new HVAC tech?
New HVAC technicians face brutal summer schedules with shifts stretching from 10 to 14 hours until the last job is completed, followed by a sharp drop to 6 to 10 hours a day in the winter. This extreme fluctuation leaves beginners unable to predict their weekly income or free time, making it difficult to establish a sustainable routine.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Working until the job is completed regardless of scheduled end times
- 2Transitioning between seasonal workloads like maintenance and service calls
- 3Using traditional job boards
- 4Improving resume presentation
- 5Practicing interview communication skills
- 6Opening up general availability
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Service in the summers 10-14 hour days till winter then typically 6-10 hours a day pending on the size of the company”source ↗
“What hours can you expect? Is it like any other field where the new people get the worst shifts ?”source ↗
“Whenever the shop opens until the last job is done”source ↗
“My schedule is Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:15 AM to 5:15 PM, Saturday off by 1pm and I’m off Tuesday, and Sunday.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 9Why are teachers expected to be available 24/7?
- 12Why are clients suddenly ghosting contracts and sales slowing down?
- 7How to stop teaching from taking over your entire life
- 2Employer cut my hours without warning
- 25Why do I feel so overwhelmed after starting a new job?
- 5How to work on low energy days without feeling guilty