Residential HVAC Lead Install Technician (High Performance Pay!)
Southern Home Services
You will be taken to the employer's application page. Listing expires September 5, 2026.
Job Description
About this role:
The HVAC Lead Install Technician is responsible for overseeing the installation, upgrade, and replacement of HVAC systems in residential properties. This role involves leading a team of technicians to ensure high-quality and efficient service delivery. The Lead Install Technician handles complex installations, provides technical expertise, and ensures compliance with industry standards and safety regulations. They are also responsible for customer interactions, resolving issues, and ensuring customer satisfaction. Additionally, the Lead Install Technician maintains a clean and organized work environment, manages inventory and tools, and contributes to team training and development.
In this role, you will be responsible for:
- Install, upgrade, and/or replace HVAC systems in residential homes with precision.
- Cut, thread, and connect pipes (copper or PVC) and handle high and low voltage wiring.
- Train and mentor Install Helpers on job sites and in the shop, enhancing their skills and knowledge.
- Deliver exceptional customer service and communicate effectively with homeowners.
- Handle physical tasks, including lifting, bending, and moving objects weighing over 50 pounds.
- Maintain tools, parts, and the vehicle in an organized and clean condition.
- Perform work safely at heights, in tight spaces (e.g., attics), and under various weather conditions (extreme heat or cold).
- Ensure adherence to appliance standards, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and service standards.
- Additional duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- 2 years of HVAC Lead experience, ideally within the residential market, showcasing hands-on technical skills.
- Valid driver's license and clean driving record.
- Holds valid EPA certification for compliance with environmental regulations.
- Possesses advanced troubleshooting and critical thinking skills to resolve complex HVAC issues.
- Demonstrates a proactive and enthusiastic approach with a strong commitment to delivering high-quality work.
- Prioritizes exceptional customer service and effectively addresses client needs and concerns.
- Capable of interacting professionally with individuals at all levels within the organization.
- Flexible and innovative, thriving in dynamic environments and collaborating well with others
Physical requirements of this job:
- Lifting 50 pounds regularly and up to 100 pounds occasionally
- Climbing ladders, accessing attics, navigating tight spaces, driving, entering crawlspaces, pushing, carrying, pulling, using hand tools, and performing fine detail work.
- Ability to drive.
- Working in various environments, including indoor and outdoor settings, attics, crawlspaces.
- Ability to stand, walk and sit; talk or hear, both in person and by telephone.
- Use hands to handle or feel objects or controls; reach with hands and arms.
- Regularly stoop, kneel, bend, and crouch.
- Regular exposure to extreme temperatures both indoors and outdoors, such as heat or cold, and adverse weather conditions such as wind, rain, ice or snow.
Southern Home Services will make reasonable accommodations to allow an employee to perform the essential functions of the job.
What Most AC & HVAC Job Listings Don't Tell You
General overview for this role type; specifics vary by employer.
HVAC in Texas requires a state license at the company level, and technicians who handle refrigerant need EPA Section 608 certification. Many shops also want NATE certification for higher pay. You can start as an installer helper or entry technician and grow into diagnostics and system design. Pay is often hourly with strong overtime in summer, and service techs frequently earn commission or spiffs on repairs and system sales.
Seasonality drives this trade in Houston. Summer is brutal and busy, with long days, attic heat, and heavy on-call rotations when systems fail. Winter shifts toward heating checks, maintenance plans, and install backlog. New hires underestimate the physical toll of attic and rooftop work in extreme heat. You drive a stocked truck, carry gauges and recovery gear, and stay ready for after-hours emergencies. Steady demand and a shortage of skilled techs keep the field open to anyone who shows up and learns fast.
What to Expect Day-to-Day
General overview for this role type; specifics vary by employer.
A service tech starts with a dispatch list and a truck loaded with common parts. You roll to no-cool calls, check the thermostat, measure refrigerant pressures, test the compressor and capacitor, and inspect the coil and blower. You explain the fault, quote the fix, and get approval before the repair.
Maintenance visits fill much of the shoulder seasons. You clean coils, change filters, flush drain lines, and check amperage so a system does not fail in the next heat wave. Install crews spend the day setting condensers and air handlers, running line sets and ductwork, and brazing connections. Customer trust matters because many repairs are invisible to the homeowner. You document readings, photograph the work, and close the ticket in the field. Expect heat, ladders, tight attics, and a lot of driving between calls, balanced by the satisfaction of restoring cool air on a hundred degree day.
What AC & HVAC Jobs Pay in Houston
Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Metro Area (HVAC Mechanics and Installers).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Metro Area. Median is about $28.34/hr.
Becoming a Licensed HVAC Technician in Texas
HVAC contracting is licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and the license is held at the company level by a certified technician. Anyone who handles refrigerant needs federal EPA Section 608 certification. Many employers also value NATE certification, which raises pay. You can start as an installer helper with no license, earn your EPA card early, and build toward the ACR technician and then contractor license through documented experience and exams. Summer overtime is common while you climb.
Career Ladder and Pay
- 1 Install Helper / Entry Tech $47,029/yr
Assist installs and maintenance while earning EPA 608 certification.
- 2 Service Technician $58,947/yr
Diagnose and repair systems solo. NATE certification lifts pay.
- 3 Lead Tech / Comfort Advisor $73,902/yr
Handle complex diagnostics, system design, and replacement sales.
- 4 Install Foreman / Estimator $73,902/yr
Run install crews and bid residential and commercial systems.
- 5 HVAC Contractor $83,117/yr
Hold the state license and run your own heating and cooling company.
Licensing paths and timelines are general guidance for this trade in Texas. Confirm current requirements with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation or the relevant state agency.
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