The heating, ventilation and air conditioning business is a very competitive trade, with numerous technicians and contractors vying for the most lucrative contracts and jobs. Therefore, technicians must acquire the appropriate knowledge, skills and certification to compete successfully. Various states have their own set of regulations and rules for HVAC contractors and technicians; however, there is one certification that is recognized and respected nationwide, the NATE certification.
What is NATE Certification?
NATE is an acronym for North American Technician Excellence and is the largest independent, non-profit certification body for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration technicians. Established in 1997 and headquartered in Arlington, VA, NATE depicts real working command of cooling, heating, and refrigeration systems. Established, governed, supported and operated by the entire HVACR industry, NATE certification is about much more than technician professionalism; it is also about client assurance.
What Does NATE Certified Mean?
Possession of an NATE certificate demonstrates to clients and employers that an HVAC technician has sufficient training and experience to handle any installation or service work. Although it is a voluntary certification, thousands of technicians have sat for the nationally recognized series of tests, thus demonstrating their commitment to professionalism and quality service. Not all candidates who sit for the tests achieve the required pass mark; in fact, about 35% of all candidates fail. Therefore, all NATE certified technicians can legitimately claim that they have all the skills, knowledge and experience to do an excellent job.
There are numerous advantages of having an NATE certification. A recent survey by the American Home Comfort Study shows that more than 90% of homeowners believe that hiring a certified technician to install or maintain their heating and cooling systems is essential to their home comfort. In addition, according to utility companies, poorly installed and maintained HVAC systems are responsible for increased electric bills due to energy wastage.
Many homeowners live in less than ideal conditions due to fear of hiring incompetent HVAC technicians and contractors. An NATE certification is a proud mark of competence, and any certified technician will be able to get more jobs and contracts, since homeowners tend to believe in the quality of work offered by certified professionals.
If you want to get your air conditioning system working at peak performance, hire an NATE certified technician to do a maintenance inspection.