LA HVAC study guide
LA HVAC · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Louisiana HVAC Contractor licensing exam is the trade and business assessment that Louisiana uses to qualify individuals who want to contract for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration work in the state. It is aimed at people moving from technician or installer roles into ownership or qualifying-party status, and at established shops adding a mechanical classification. The LA HVAC study guide has 9 sections and about 3,189 words.
01Safety, Tools, and Shop Practices
This domain tests the physical work habits the exam expects on every job: personal protection, energy control, refrigerant and torch handling, recovery, evacuation, and correct use of instruments. Safety glasses with side shields, cut-resistant gloves, and arc-rated clothing when working in energized panels (NFPA 70E).
369 words, about 2 min02Refrigeration Principles and System Components
This domain tests the vapor-compression cycle, saturation and pressure-temperature relationships, superheat and subcooling, metering devices, and the major components and oils in a split system. The compressor raises pressure and temperature.
360 words, about 2 min03Load Calculation, Duct Design, and Air Distribution
This domain tests ACCA Manual J loads, Manual S equipment selection, Manual D duct sizing, and the airflow math that ties them together. Louisiana designs are dominated by latent load, so the exam favors humidity-aware answers.
387 words, about 2 min04Heating Equipment and Combustion Systems
This domain tests furnace categories, venting, combustion air, gas pressure, and combustion analysis. Safety-related answers usually win when a question looks ambiguous.
370 words, about 2 min05Cooling Equipment, Refrigerants, and Charging Procedures
This domain tests equipment ratings, refrigerant handling, and the charging method that matches the metering device. SEER2 and EER2 replaced SEER and EER; capacity at design conditions comes from the AHRI matched combination, not the outdoor unit alone.
335 words, about 2 min06Electrical Controls, Motors, and Troubleshooting
This domain tests the 24-volt control circuit, motor types, capacitor and winding tests, and the order in which a technician should troubleshoot. The transformer is sized in VA to carry every load on the circuit; adding an ECM or a zoning panel without upsizing causes nuisance lockouts.
311 words, about 2 min07Installation, Piping, and Sheet Metal
This domain tests line-set practice, brazing and flaring, condensate removal, duct gauge, support spacing, and sealing. Size the line set from the manufacturer table using equivalent length, adding the published allowance for each fitting and bend.
365 words, about 2 min08Codes, Permits, and Louisiana Licensing Regulations
This domain tests how work is legally authorized in Louisiana: which code applies, who may pull the permit, and which license the installer must hold. Louisiana enforces a statewide uniform construction code built on the International Residential Code and International Mechanical Code, with local amendments, administered through the state uniform construction code council and enforced by parish and municipal building departments, with the State Fire Marshal involved where no local program exists.
348 words, about 2 min09Business, Estimating, Contracts, and Project Management
This domain tests whether you can price, contract, and administer HVAC work profitably and legally. Build the estimate from a takeoff: equipment, materials, labor hours at the burdened rate, permit fees, disposal, and subcontractors.
344 words, about 2 min