HVAC Schools Near Me in Limon CO 80826 - Become an HVAC Technician

How to Pick an HVAC Certification Class near Limon Colorado

Limon CO HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner specialist, the next action is to locate an HVAC technical school near Limon CO. But with so many to choose from, how do you decide on the best one to get the training that you need? A number of future students will make their choice based exclusively on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Even though these are important considerations, they are not the only ones to investigate. Just some of the other things that you need to look into are the graduation completion rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and additional criteria will be addressed in more detail later in this article. But before we discuss how to choose an HVAC training program, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Contractor in Limon CO

Limon CO HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, although each state and local municipality has its own requirements. Attaining professional certification is not mandatory, but an optional means for Limon CO HVAC techs to prove that they are highly proficient and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are multiple acknowledged certifications within the trade that are offered. Below are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is earned by passing a competency examination and can be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience in addition to passing a comprehensive examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are provided in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing might be required in your area, and you may also wish to acquire certification, it’s essential that you select an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will more than likely be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the school you pick prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Courses

Limon CO HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a number of choices offered for HVAC instruction in a vocational or trade school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically achieved in just six months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will train you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will provide more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a short explanation of each option offered near Limon CO.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more exhaustive understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring 2 years to complete, many degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also study how to design them.

Picking the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your future career goals are, in addition to the time and money that you have to invest. One approach is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Limon CO, subsequently going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Classes Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Limon CO Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one option in attaining your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. Many also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, this option may be a more practical solution for some Limon CO students that are pressed for time. And many online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional options. Even commuting expenses from Limon and study supplies may be reduced, helping to make schooling more economical. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family obligations have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to fit school into your busy lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Training Classes near Limon CO

After you have decided on the type of degree or certificate that you desire to earn, either online or on campus, you can begin to decrease your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Limon CO area and all over the USA to choose from. That’s why it is imperative to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school comparisons. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the initial 2 factors you will look at. Following are some additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC vocational schools in the Limon CO area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Verify that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states require that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Limon CO HVAC employers to assist grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with local Limon CO HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Limon CO HVAC contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Limon CO residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Limon CO, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Attending HVAC School near Limon CO?

Limon, Colorado

The Town of Limon is the Statutory Town that is the most populous municipality in Lincoln County, Colorado, United States. Limon is located immediately east of Elbert County. The population was 1880 at the 2010 United States Census. Limon has been called the "Hub City" of Eastern Colorado because Interstate 70, U.S. Highways 24, 40, and 287, and State Highways 71 and 94 all pass through the town.[9] The Limon Correctional Facility is part of the Colorado Department of Corrections system and is a major employer in the area with employment of roughly 350. Limon is listed as the official AASHTO control city for signs on Interstate 70 between Denver and Hays, Kansas, although westbound signs in both Colorado and Kansas often omit Limon and list the larger city of Denver.

Limon is called “Hub City" of Eastern Colorado because of its location on transportation systems. Five U.S. and state highways and two railroads converge at Limon making it the perfect stopping point for travelers and a great business location. It lies on a triangle with Denver and Colorado Springs making in an efficient stopping place and distribution site outside the congestion of Colorado’s Front Range.

Limon is connected by Interstate 70 east to Goodland (109 mi), Topeka (450 mi), Kansas City (500 mi), and west to Denver (eastern beltway-E-470 -75 mi; Interstate 25 - 87 mi), Silverthorne (155 mi), Winter Park (155 mi), Frisco/Breckenridge (160/170 mi), Vail (185 mi), Steamboat Springs (245 mi), Aspen (285 mi), and Grand Junction (335 mi). Interstate 70 is the major East-West Interstate between I-40 and I-80. The Ports-to-Plains Corridor including US 40/287 south and Colorado Highway 71 to the north of Limon connects to Amarillo (330 mi), Lubbock (455 mi) and Dallas (700 mi) to the south and Cheyenne, WY (210 mi) and Rapid City, SD and the Black Hills (390 mi) to the north without using congested highways. This corridor provides an uncongested alternative to Interstate 25 and Interstate 35 in moving freight and people north–south.

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Pick the Right HVAC Training Course near Limon CO

Choosing the ideal HVAC training course is an important beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and cooling trade. As we have covered in this post, you need to choose a technical school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other features to look for are plenty of practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to check out each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Additionally, inquire about scheduling options and whether or not evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to ask about financial assistance and student loan options too. If you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC professional in Limon CO.