HVAC Technician (Heat Pump Comfort Advisor Specialty Only)

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) technician that focuses on heat pump design and customer interactions, including in scenarios where an existing fossil fuel heating system is replaced in part or in full by a heat pump.  The heat pump comfort advisor specialty curriculum equips an HVAC contractor to understand customer needs and to specify and design an adequately sized heat pump system for both heating and cooling.

The curriculum begins with a general overview of heat pumps, variable speed heat pumps, and heat pump retrofit options (including retrofitting existing fossil fuel heating systems to use heat pumps) in Introduction to Heat Pumps. Electrical Panel Assessments covers the basics of assessing an existing electrical panel size which may be required when retrofitting from fossil fuel systems. Duct Leakage Testing is necessary when determining the home's heating and cooling loads, which is essential to correctly sizing all systems, even during retrofits. Thermostats for Heat Pumps and Dual-Fuel Heat Pumps covers dual fuel heat pump control including balance points. Cold Climate Heat Pump Sizing provides guidance on sizing a heat pump for heating, with strategies for covering partial or full heating loads with heat pumps. Lastly, the curriculum covers Business Development topics which provides contractors sales and business planning strategies to use heat pumps to increase their business and ensure customer satisfaction.

This curriculum is recommended for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers, US Department of Labor SOC 49-9021.00, and supports the Heat Pump Comfort Advising Recognition Program.