The 7 Tools Every HVAC Tech Should Carry

I remember when I first started in this trade I was so excited to go shopping for all the new tools I was going to need. I quickly realized that I had no idea what I needed, or what I should be looking for.

I was fortunate enough to get hired on with a company that provided all of the major tools, and I was only required to provide the smaller hand tools. My first day consisted of picking up my van and loading up all those new tools, trying to figure out how to organize everything in the most efficient and effective method. The only problem was, if you haven’t worked in the trade you have no idea how to best set up your rig until you figure out your workflow.

I probably rearranged that van 6 or 7 times that first six months. After 10 years working as a commercial HVAC service technician, I know exactly how I like my truck set up, and have come up with this small list of tools every tech should carry. If you are looking for tips on How to get into HVAC without any experience, check out my blog post HERE.

1. Notepad

One of the old-timers that I worked under as an apprentice made sure to beat this into my head. Every good tech carries a notepad. It’s true, I still carry a notepad on me to this day.

Such a small and affordable piece of gear, but worth its weight in gold. How many times have you been driving along, get called from your dispatcher, pull over to the side of the road, and need something to write on? Whether its take down an address, point of contact, purchase order number, unit info, etc.?

Or, the ability to jot down quick notes while on a maintenance/ service call of parts you need to order, quotes you need to send or taking down parts pricing over the phone?

I use my little notepad every day. I prefer the small weatherproof notepads these days. Nothing worse than trying to write something down in the rain, only to have the ink bleed or tear the paper. These little 3”x5” weather resistant pads have been great.

2. Pen

I’m sure you are not too surprised that number 2 on the list is a pen, but what good does that notepad do for you if you don’t have anything to write with?

Not all pens are created equal, especially when it comes to writing in the elements. My favorite pens to use with the above note pad can be found by clicking on the photo.

I’d also recommend picking up a sharpie or two as well. Nice to be able to mark pipes, uni-strut, and other materials being cut as well as motor mounts, end bells, wiring, shafts, etc when disassembling and reassembling parts.

3. Pocket Thermometer

This little guys sits right in my shirt pocket next to my pen and note pad and is probably one of my most used tools. It’s also often one of my most lost and misplaced tools, which is why I switched from a black thermometer I used to use to a bright high-vis yellow. No more walking away with this hanging out of a piece of flex.

These are great for checking all kinds of temperatures quickly. I Use it to take ambient readings of the outside air temp, place it on the thermostat or near a thermistor to compare readings and accuracy, air coil deltas, and sometimes you can even get it to fit into the petes plug port to take water temp readings.

I love these things, If you are in the market for 1 or 2, Check out the Cooper Atkins thermometer linked to the left. Yes I know it might be a cooking thermometer, but who says it can’t be used for HVAC work? These things are tough, and I’ve never had an issue with accuracy. If you are ever questioning your thermometer accuracy, just fill a cup with half water, half ice. Let that mixture stabilize for a minute or two and take a temp reading. It should read 32 degrees F or 0 Celsius. Did I mention that I like that it is brightly colored so that I don’t lose as many!

If you would rather have a device from one of the other tool manufactures, We have also had good luck with the Klein IR07 Dual and UEi Test Instruments PDT650 pocket thermometers.

4. 11 -N-1 Screwdriver

If you’ve been working in this industry for even a few days, I assume you already carry one of these, but if you are just starting out, this is a must-have tool. Seriously, 11 tools in one that you can slip into your side cargo/carpenter pocket. I don’t think I have worked a day in this trade without using this tool.

There are a few different variations and specs of this tool. I personally prefer the Klein. The 11 -N- 1 screwdriver conventionality has 8 different bit tips, and converts to 3 different nut drivers, 3/8”, 5/16” and 1/4”. These are also conveniently the 3 most common screw head sizes used on many pieces of HVAC equipment.

Most control boards seem to be held in place by small 1/4” or Phillips head screws, there is an option for an 8-n-1 as well, but that version is missing the 3/8” nut diver. A lot of the commercial equipment, such as Trane Intellipaks, use 3/8” hex heads to secure most of the exterior panels.

The problem with this handy little tool is that you always seem to lose the bits, or at least I do. Luckily you can buy replacement bit kits instead of buying a whole new tool. I like to have a few spare bits on my truck at all times just in case.

Another perk is the ability to swap out to different bits that fit your needs. I find that I don’t usually need the torques bits or square head, so I can instead swap those out for a Schrader core remover and 1/8” slotted for most thermostat terminals.

Another great option is the Milwaukee 11-n-1 screwdriver. Most of the time you are able to find this one a few dollars less than the Klein, but I personally do not like the ergonomics of the grip as much, so I continue to use my Klein.

5. Knife or Mulit-Tool

Every good technician has to have at least a good blade or a solid multi-tool. Whether you are cutting open boxes full of new parts, scraping gasket material, or stripping wires in a pinch, every field tech should have one.

I have my SOG Trident mini on me every day, and almost feel naked if I ever find myself without it It’s been a great knife. Extremely sharp, easy one-hand assisted opening, piston lock, and the Sog name to back it up.

If you are more into multi-tools, Leatherman recently released the Surge which looks a promising piece of gear that I’d love to get my hands on. The Surge is equipped with 21 tools, including knives, pliers, screwdrivers, wire cutters, an electrical crimper, a wire stripper, scissors, bottle and can openers, files, a saw with blade exchanger, an awl, and a ruler. 1 hand operation and a 42 piece bit driver kit. If anyone would like to send me one for Christmas, I’ll let you know where to ship it.

6. Flashlight

You can’t expect to be working in this trade without a good light! Whether you end up in an attic, crawl space, above a drop ceiling, or just working late into the night, you are going to need a quality light.

The Milwaukee penlight is what you will find me using. I’ve used a handful of lights throughout the years, but this is my favorite of them all and has been my go-to for the past 3 years. It’s a 100-lumen penlight that easily fits in your shirt pocket, pant pocket, or wherever you want to keep it. Plenty bright, without blinding yourself due to the reflection on the ductwork. IP67 rated, and runs on 2 AAA batteries.

The designers were thinking of field workers when they made it by featuring a soft tail end section of the tube that allows you to hold it in your teeth for the times where 2 hands are necessary. Why no one else thought of this until now is beyond me, but I love it. I’ve also realized, that having a light that uses standard batteries such as AAA or AA is much better than the harder to find cr123 or waiting on an 18650 to recharge.

7. Smart Phone

Last on this list is a smartphone. Almost everyone today already uses one, but I think that these devices are drastically changing the trade.

There are so many useful apps and tools that integrate (more on these to come) into smartphones, plus the ability to quickly research unit information, literature, IOMs, parts ordering, etc.

I think as time goes on, smartphones, tablets, etc will continue to become more and more of a necessity to field techs. I use my company-issued phone so often for different tools and such that I had to get a battery case!

8. Bonus

Never hurts to have a pair of earbuds to listen to your favorite tunes or podcasts while hitting those long maintenance and repair jobs.

If you are looking to free yourself from the wires of traditional earbuds check out these wireless AirPods. I picked up a set from amazon and have been nothing but satisfied with their performance thus far.

Saved me a big chunk of change from the name brand units, and quality has been outstanding. They come in a real slick storage case that double up as a wireless charger. The charging case stores enough juice to recharge the earbuds 5 times. I get about 4.5 hours of listening time on a full charge, and couldn’t be happier with this purchase.

Check them out if you are in the market for a good set of wireless.

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