If you have more than a year of HVAC/R experience, this course will prepare you for the next step—certification. HVAC/R technicians are in demand, but certified technicians can earn more and have better career opportunities.

This course is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to maintain and troubleshoot complex heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. You will be provided with hands-on guidance through videos, reading assignments, service call simulations, and practical applications.

With content aligning to the latest industry standards, you will be prepared for the HVAC Excellence or NATE certification exams by the end of this course. You will also receive a voucher package to take the HVAC Excellence exams. However, please research your state's requirements prior to enrollment to ensure this course is the right fit for you.

Certification Exams

By course completion, you will be fully prepared to sit for the HVAC Excellence Core and Professional Technician exams, the NATE Core and Specialty Test exams, and the EPA 608 certification exam.

Upon completion of this course, you will receive an HVAC Excellence ESCO Group Voucher Package that includes:

• 1 Principals of Electrical and Refrigeration (Core)* exam voucher
• 1 Professional Technician exam voucher (Residential Air Conditioning recommended)
• 1 EPA 608 exam voucher

*To sit for the HVAC Excellence Core exam, you must provide two years of documented work experience. Exam proctor fees may apply.

Additionally, this course aligns with the following Professional Technician specialty areas (vouchers are not included for the exams below):

• Principals of Electrical and Refrigeration Theory
• Residential Air Conditioning
• Gas Heat
• Electric Heat
• Heat Pump Installer
• Heat Pump Service
• Light Commercial Air Conditioning
• Light Commercial Refrigeration

*Proctor fees may apply

What you will learn

• Understand the procedures and criteria needed to conduct a residential energy audit
• Four basic components that make up the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle
• Functions and desired characteristics of system refrigerants
• Demonstrate piping operations typically performed by the air conditioning technician
• Properly installing and operating an air-conditioning system
• Latest advances and trends in green technology
• EPA laws governing safe refrigerant handling and transport
• Recovering, recycling, reclaiming, and retrofitting refrigerants

How you will benefit

• Be prepared to sit for the NATE Certification exams
• Be prepared to sit for the HVAC Excellence Certification exams
• Be prepared to sit for the EPA 608 Refrigerant Handling exam
• Use real-world simulations included in this course to get "hands-on" experience
• Soft skills simulations included in the course will help sharpen your customer service skills

1. Introduction
1. Heat, Temperature, and Pressure
2. Matter and Energy
3. Refrigeration and Refrigerants
2. Safety, Tools and Equipment, and Shop Practices
1. General Safety Practices
2. Tools and Equipment
3. Fasteners
4. Tubing and Piping
5. Leak Detection, System Evacuation, and System Cleanup
6. Refrigeration and Oil Chemistry and Management – Recovery, Recycling, and Reclaiming, and Retrofitting
7. System Charging
8. Calibrating Instruments
9. Simulation: Safety Quiz
10. Simulation: Soft Skills Quiz
3. Automatic Controls
1. Basic Electricity and Magnetism
2. Introduction to Automatic Controls
3. Automatic Control Components and Applications
4. Troubleshooting Basic Controls
5. Advanced Automatic Controls-Direct Digital Controls (DDCs) and Pneumatics
4. Electric Motors
1. Types of Electric Motors
2. Application of Motors
3. Motor Controls
4. Troubleshooting Electric Motors
5. Commercial Refrigeration, Part 1
1. Evaporators and the Refrigeration System
2. Condensers
3. Compressors
6. Commercial Refrigeration, Part 2
1. Expansion Devices
2. Special Refrigeration Systems
3. Commercial Ice Machines
7. Commercial Refrigeration, Part 3
1. Special Refrigeration Applications
2. Troubleshooting and Typical Operating Conditions for Commercial Refrigeration
8. Air-Conditioning (Heating and Humidification)
1. Electric Heat
2. Gas Heat
3. Oil Heat
4. Hydronic Heat
5. Indoor Air Quality
9. Air-Conditioning (Cooling)
1. Comfort and Psychometrics
2. Refrigeration Applied to Air-Conditioning
3. Air Distribution and Balance
4. Installation
5. Residential Energy Auditing
6. Typical Conditions
7. Troubleshooting
10. All-Weather Systems
1. Heat Gains and Heat Losses in Structures
2. Air Source Heat Pumps
3. Geothermal Heat Pumps
11. Domestic Appliances
1. Domestic Refrigerators and Freezers
2. Room Air Conditioners
12. Commercial Air-Conditioning and Chilled-Water Systems
1. High-Pressure, Low-Pressure, and Absorption Chilled-Water Systems
2. Cooling Towers and Pumps
3. Operation, Maintenance, and Troubleshooting of Chilled-Water Air-Conditioning Systems
4. Commercial, Packaged Rooftop, Variable Refrigerant Flow, and Variable Air Volume Systems
13. Simulation Challenge Mode: HVAC
14. Simulation Challenge Mode: Electricity for HVAC
15. Soft Skills and the HVACR Technician
1. Communication
2. Decision-Making
3. Time Management
4. Problem Solving
5. Accepting Responsibility

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Chromebook, or Mac device. 
• Optional simulations require a 64-bit operating system

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Microsoft Word Online 
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
• Other: Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

*Optional simulations are not screen reader or keyboard accessible. Simulation activities are not meant to be experienced on mobile devices. Personal computers should be used for these activities. 

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:

• Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology, by Silberstein, Obrzut, Tomczyk, Whitman, and Johnson.

The following material will be available online:

• Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology 
• EPA Section 608 Preparatory Manual  

Prerequisites:

This course is designed for HVAC/R technicians with one-to-two years of industry experience. In addition, you should have a high school diploma or GED.

However, if you do not have previous work experience in the HVAC/R industry, we recommend taking the HVAC/R Technician course.

Please research your state's requirements prior to enrollment to ensure this course is the right fit for you.

Does this course prepare for a certification?

Yes. This course prepares for the HVAC Excellence Core and Professional Technician certifications exams, the NATE Core and Specialty Test certification exams, and the EPA 608 certification exam. However, you will only be provided with an exam voucher package for HVAC Excellence exam.

Can I register for a course if I am an international student?

Yes, ed2go courses are completely online. However, keep in mind that not all certifying bodies or industry-specific certifications are recognized internationally. Please review your country's regulations prior to enrolling in courses that prepare for certification.

When can I start the course?

This course is open enrollment, so you can register and start the course as soon as you are ready. Access to your course can take 24-48 business hours.

How long does it take to complete this course?

This course is self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start when you want and finish at your own pace. When you register, you'll receive twelve (12) months to complete the course.

What if I don't have enough time to complete my course within the time frame provided?

The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact the student advising team to see what options you may have available to work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.

What kind of support will I receive?

The course instructor will be available by email to answer any questions and provide feedback on your performance. Occasionally, your course may be supported by a team of industry experts. You will also receive support from the student advising team.

What happens when I complete the course?

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.

Am I guaranteed a job?

This course will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

Can I get financial assistance?

This course is non-credit, so it does not qualify for federal aid, FAFSA and Pell Grant. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses. Additionally, some students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll, if they meet certain requirements. Financing is available from select schools. Learn more about financial assistance.

How can I get more information about this course?

If you have questions that are not answered on our website, representatives are available via LIVE chat. You can also call us at 1-877-221-5151 during regular business hours to have your questions promptly answered. If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please send us a question using the "Contact Us" form.