Every house and building on Long Island needs heat in winter and cooling in summer, so HVAC work is steady year-round. Here’s how people get into it.
What the job is
HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) techs install, maintain and repair furnaces, boilers, air conditioners, heat pumps and ductwork. Some focus on service calls in homes; others work on big systems in commercial buildings.
The certification you’ll need: EPA 608
Federal rules under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act require technicians who work on equipment containing refrigerant to be certified. There are four types:
- Type I: small appliances
- Type II: high-pressure equipment, like most home and commercial AC
- Type III: low-pressure equipment, like many chillers
- Universal: all three
You take a core section plus the type sections. Apprentices can work on this equipment under the close supervision of a certified tech while they’re learning, so you don’t need the card on day one. It’s a good early goal.
The union routes
- Steamfitters Local 638 covers New York City and all of Long Island, and its crafts include HVAC-R, welding and sprinkler fitting.
- Sheet Metal Workers Local 28 covers the New York area including Nassau and Suffolk; its work includes HVAC ductwork. It runs a five-year apprenticeship.
Like other unions, both only take applications during announced windows. Check the state’s recruitment list, and read union vs. non-union apprenticeships.
The non-union route
Many Long Island HVAC contractors hire apprentices and helpers directly and train them on the job. Ask any shop you visit whether they’ll help you get your EPA 608, what kind of work you’d start on (service, install, or both), and how raises work.
Pay
The median HVAC mechanic in the New York metro area (which includes Long Island) earned about $37.50 an hour in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Apprentices start lower. See apprentice pay on Long Island.
What you can do this week
- Start studying for the EPA 608 core section.
- Visit an HVAC shop at an open house and ask what a first-year helper does.
- Start a log of any hours you work. It counts later.