Heating Contractors in Virginia

Virginia, though technically in the South, experiences several months of bitterly cold temperatures each year. Most of the state sees average temperatures in the 30s during the coldest parts of the winter, though some areas have average temperatures in the teens. Virginia encompasses more than 42,000 square miles and is the 12th most populous state with more than 7 million people. Most of those 7 million will need some type of heating systems in their homes, and will turn to heating contractors to find them.

HVAC contractors are required to hold a trade license in order to do business in Virginia. The Board for Contractors has a specific division, the Tradesman Licensing Section, which issues HVAC licensing to contractors. There are two different types of licenses, each requiring a different amount of experience: the journeyman and the master.

The journeyman license requires that the applicant have at least four years of experience in the business, as well as at least 240 hours of training. The training is exchangeable for experience, though, with one year of experience equaling 80 hours of formal vocational training. The Department must approve all experience in order for the time to qualify. To qualify for a master license, the applicant must have at least a year of work experience with a journeyman's license, or the applicant can substitute 10 years of trade experience. The exam for each license is $25, and the exam is $80. The tests are administered by PSI Examination Services. The department issuing the licenses has a website here.

Anytime there is a dispute involving a heating contractor and a client wishes to file a complaint, they can do so with the state's complaince form through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, (which is not currently available online). Complaints can also be lodged through the Southeastern Virginia Better Business Bureau, the Western Virginia BBB, or the Central Virginia BBB.