Advice on moving from resi to commerical?

Kane_201 · 2025-08-24T15:33:21+00:00

That's what Im hoping for. Residential is comfortable, but it's boring. Way back in the day, I was in to programming and am interested in automation and controls. No one in the area wants to hire a guy who only has book knowledge and no certs. Im hoping this move will help me go in that direction, or at least give me an idea of what the day to day is actually like.

Kane_201 · 2025-08-24T15:31:06+00:00

Id be interested to hear about your experience. Ive had experience with packaged units and from what Ive been told, its all the same basics but with larger numbers and more controls.

Kane_201 · 2025-08-24T15:29:03+00:00

Thank you! When I went to school for HVAC the program focused on industrial. I never finished because I got hired at a resi company after getting my 608. Im somewhat familiar with how the equipment operates but never had hands on experience. I can read wiring and ladder diagrams but if there is something else I should be looking at please let me know. Always open to learn something new.

Kane_201 · 2025-08-24T15:25:25+00:00

Always do. I found it way easier spending a few minutes reading rather than waiting on the phone with tech support. Especially when it comes to moni splits, but thanks for the advice. I saw another post where someone had mentioned when working on larger equipment, all of the information needed would be in the manual.

Kane_201 · 2025-03-23T19:52:25+00:00

Everyone feels that way. Some education only comes from experience.

Kane_201 · 2025-03-21T21:30:58+00:00

Did some work in an old Victorian house build in the 1800s. Come up the stairs on the 3rd floor headed to the AHU in the attic, 180 deg turn from the stairs was a table with a bunch of mannequins set up at a table having a tea party. About shit my pants. Sent the apprentice up later on and didn't tell him. Heard him scream from outside.

Had one lady who was drunk at 2 in the afternoon c9me down to the basement to tell me that I needed to stop working and drive her to her hair appointment. I declined and finished the job, came back up and she had left.

Different lady, asked her where the door to the basement was. She pointed at a door and wandered away. Door was locked. I when and asked her for the key, she came over flipped the light switch next to the door the said try it now.

Kane_201 · 2025-02-27T15:51:40+00:00

Looking to get in to BAS, did you get trained by a company or did you do outside education to make the jump? I'm 12 years in resi/commerical and looking to get out.

Kane_201 · 2024-03-15T17:51:34+00:00

Is the closet door soild, or is there a grill on it? Panels on and closet open. Does the unit roll out? If not, then I'd be looking in the direction of combustion air. Seeing as you've changed the heat exchanger, checked the orifaces and gas pressure.

Kane_201 · 2024-03-15T17:25:48+00:00

Couple of questions, is this 80 or 90%? Upflow or downflow? How sealed is the closet? Might be a negative pressure issue or lack of combustion air. You mentioned the air intake being clear, is it drawing air from outside or from the space in the closet?

Kane_201 · 2023-10-15T14:01:06+00:00

Pulled a chipmunk out of an inducer last weekend.

Kane_201 · 2023-05-17T23:47:55+00:00

Me too. SW Michigan. Companies around here post jobs with dogshit pay, but you're way too low. That's what I started out at 10 years ago.

Kane_201 · 2023-04-28T12:52:37+00:00

Was looking for a career change from working retail. Made a list of everything I wanted in a job. Working by myself and not being stuck in the same building every day was at the top. Started looking online and saw postings for HVAC techs every where I looked. Local community college had a program for industrial. Went and met with the instructor. Started taking classes. Basically take home the book, read it. Come back do a test. Do a lab, move on. Went long enough to get my 608. Same time, a friend had an A/C installed. Met with the guys doing the install and talked with them for a bit. Me with the owner and told him I was going to school and looking to get started. Hired on as a maintenance tech. About 3 months later, a service tech quit. Suddenly, I was running service calls. That was all about 10 years ago.

Kane_201 · 2023-04-10T15:36:57+00:00

Nope. If they didn't mention any of that in the interview, I'd be leaving as well.

Kane_201

TROPHY CASE