KY HVAC study plan
KY HVAC · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Refrigeration Principles and System Components
Trace the vapor-compression cycle on paper and label pressure, temperature, and phase at all four state points (compressor in/out, condenser out, metering device out, evaporator out)
Compute superheat and subcooling from gauge and thermometer readings for 10 practice scenarios without a calculator shortcut sheet
Match each major component (compressor, condenser, evaporator, metering device, filter-drier, accumulator, receiver, reversing valve) to its function and its top three failure symptoms
Read a pressure-temperature chart for three common refrigerants and convert saturation pressures to temperatures in both directions
Your checkpoint
One-page hand-drawn system diagram with labeled state points plus a completed 10-problem superheat/subcooling worksheet scored at 80% or better
Refrigeration Principles and System Components & Heating Equipment and Combustion Safety
Diagnose five refrigeration-side faults (overcharge, undercharge, restriction, non-condensables, inefficient compressor) from combined suction pressure, head pressure, superheat, and subcooling readings
Explain combustion fundamentals in writing: the fire triangle, stoichiometric air, excess air, and the difference between complete and incomplete combustion products
Write out the gas-furnace sequence of operation from thermostat call for heat through blower off-delay, naming each switch and safeties in order
Convert and interpret draft and gas-pressure readings between inches of water column and pounds per square inch
Your checkpoint
A fault-symptom matrix (5 faults x 4 readings) plus a numbered gas-furnace sequence-of-operation checklist with every safety device named
Heating Equipment and Combustion Safety
Calculate combustion and ventilation air requirements for a stated appliance input rating using code tables and the two-opening method
Classify appliances by venting category and list the installation defects that cause spillage or backdrafting
Interpret a combustion analysis report (O2, CO2, CO air-free, stack temperature, steady-state efficiency) and state the corrective action for each out-of-range value
Describe carbon monoxide exposure symptoms and the required technician response on a CO alarm or failed draft test
Perform a gas piping leak test and size a branch line from an appliance input rating and length of run
Your checkpoint
A five-case combustion analysis set with a written diagnosis and corrective action for each, plus a combustion-air sizing worksheet for two appliances
Air Distribution, Ventilation, and Indoor Air Quality
Size a trunk-and-branch duct system by the equal-friction method and record the friction rate and velocity for each run
Measure external static pressure on a system and plot it against a fan table to determine actual delivered airflow
Calculate whole-house ventilation airflow using the ASHRAE 62.2 formula for a stated floor area and bedroom count, then select a fan
Identify the source, health effect, and control strategy for mold, carbon monoxide, radon, VOCs, combustion byproducts, and particulates
Explain how duct leakage, return location, and pressure imbalance affect infiltration and IAQ
Your checkpoint
A one-zone duct layout drawing with a complete sizing table, plus a 62.2 ventilation calculation and fan selection write-up
Electrical Systems, Motors, and Controls
Trace a heating control circuit and a cooling control circuit on a ladder diagram and annotate every load and switch
Measure and interpret voltage, current, resistance, and capacitance safely on both energized and de-energized circuits
Differentiate PSC, ECM, and variable-speed motors and their start components, then diagnose an open winding and a failed run capacitor
Explain motor overload protection and the logic of the thermostat, control board, relays, limits, and pressure switches in a call sequence
Size a conductor and fuse/breaker for a stated minimum circuit ampacity and maximum overcurrent protection
Your checkpoint
A hand-drawn furnace control ladder diagram reproduced from memory with a 20-question electrical troubleshooting set scored at 80% or better
Load Calculation, Sizing, and System Design
Perform a room-by-room heat loss and heat gain using Manual J principles, including envelope areas, U-factors, and infiltration allowance
Separate sensible and latent loads and check the selected equipment against cfm-per-ton and sensible heat ratio targets
Convert calculated loads into equipment selection and document the safety margin and any oversizing risk
Size refrigerant lines and the supply trunk for the selected system using manufacturer tables
Your checkpoint
A completed load calculation worksheet for a sample 1,800 sq ft single-story house with an equipment selection summary and cfm-per-ton verification
Codes, Permits, and Business/Regulatory Practices & Refrigeration Principles and System Components
Locate Kentucky's HVAC contractor and technician licensing, permit, and inspection requirements from the state authority having jurisdiction and summarize the steps
Apply refrigerant handling rules (Section 608 certification, recovery and recycling, leak repair thresholds, recordkeeping) to written scenario questions
List mechanical code requirements for appliance clearances, condensate disposal, and access panels, and check a sample installation against them
Build a job estimate that includes labor, material, overhead, profit, and change-order language, and explain lien and liability basics
Your checkpoint
A one-page compliance checklist covering permits, refrigerant handling, and mechanical-code clearances, plus a sample bid with itemized overhead and profit
Refrigeration Principles and System Components & Heating Equipment and Combustion Safety & Air Distribution, Ventilation, and Indoor Air Quality & Electrical Systems, Motors, and Controls & Load Calculation, Sizing, and System Design & Codes, Permits, and Business/Regulatory Practices
Complete two full-length timed practice exams under test conditions and log every missed item by domain
Re-drill the three weakest objectives until targeted practice sets reach 85% or better
Rebuild a one-page formula sheet covering superheat and subcooling, cfm from Btu/h and temperature difference, combustion air, and ventilation rate
Confirm exam-day logistics, identification, and any license application paperwork still outstanding
Your checkpoint
A categorized error log of 40 or more missed items with a corrective action for each, plus a final mock exam score of 80% or better
Milestones
Week 2: Can explain the full vapor-compression cycle and diagnose all five common charge and restriction faults from four readings without notes
Week 4: Can pass a self-made 25-question quiz on combustion safety and venting at 80% or better, including one full combustion analysis interpretation
Week 5: Can read a ladder diagram cold and correctly diagnose a no-heat call and a no-cool call on paper within 10 minutes each
Week 6: Load calculation worksheet is complete, equipment selected matches the sensible and latent loads, and cfm-per-ton falls within range
Week 8: Two timed practice exams completed, error log fully categorized, and every domain at 80% or better on targeted retests