TX HVAC Contractor study plan

Draw the vapor-compression cycle from memory and label the pressure/temperature state at all four points

Calculate superheat and subcooling from given gauge and line-temperature readings until you get 10 of 10 correct

Distinguish the major AC system configurations (split, packaged, mini-split, chilled water) by listing the components unique to each

Explain sensible and latent heat removal using a psychrometric chart for three different indoor/outdoor conditions

Identify the function and common failure mode of each major component: compressor, metering device, evaporator, condenser

Sequence the operating steps of a gas furnace from call for heat through shutdown, including safeties and ignition

Compute combustion air requirements and identify venting category by appliance type

Compare AFUE, steady-state efficiency, and annual cost for three furnace options given input/output ratings

Trace heat pump heating mode including reversing valve, defrost initiation, and auxiliary/emergency heat staging

Diagnose five written heating complaints by selecting the most likely failed component and the confirming test

Map refrigerant pressure-enthalpy data to system symptoms such as high superheat or low subcooling

Classify refrigerants by safety group and state the handling, recovery, and cylinder-transport rules that apply to each

Sequence the leak-detection, evacuation, and charging procedure for a residential split system

Differentiate the four common metering devices and predict how each fails and what readings result

Explain the effect of non-condensables, moisture, and mixed refrigerant on system performance

Apply Ohm's law and power formulas to solve 15 circuit problems involving motors, heaters, and controls

Read and redraw ladder and line diagrams for a cooling circuit, a heating circuit, and a fan circuit

Test and interpret readings for capacitors, contactors, thermostats, and PSC/ECM blower motors

Identify conductor sizing, overcurrent protection, and grounding requirements for a residential branch circuit

List lockout/tagout and electrical safety steps required before servicing energized equipment

Perform a room-by-room heat gain and heat loss estimate for a sample house using documented assumptions

Size supply and return ducts from the computed airflow, and justify the friction rate used

Measure and interpret external static pressure and translate it into a blower performance conclusion

Identify five common installation defects (duct leakage, undersized return, trapped drain, short flue, improper slope) and the consequence of each

Re-answer 20 previously missed AC systems items and confirm each is now correct

Outline the Texas air conditioning and refrigeration contractor licensing framework, including license types, renewal, and continuing education obligations, citing the governing statute and administrative rules

State the requirements for contracts, estimates, warranty disclosures, and handling of customer funds in a service agreement

Describe the complaint, inspection, and disciplinary process a licensee faces and the recordkeeping that protects them

Apply OSHA and refrigerant-safety principles to a service call scenario involving confined space, brazing, and electrical work

Explain Texas lien, insurance, and business-entity basics relevant to a small HVAC contractor

Rank your six domains by practice-exam accuracy and schedule remediation hours to the two weakest

Complete two timed 50-question mixed sets under exam pacing without notes

Categorize every missed item into one of four error types: knowledge gap, misread question, calculation slip, or unit confusion

Re-drill the 30 highest-frequency missed items until each is answered correctly twice in a row

Build a one-page formula and conversion sheet from memory, then verify it against your references

Complete two full-length simulated exams at exam-day pacing with no interruptions or references

Review every missed item and close all remaining gaps on the domain with the lowest accuracy

Recite the ten highest-yield calculations (superheat, subcooling, airflow, static pressure, load, efficiency, circuit sizing) without notes

Confirm exam-day logistics: testing location or remote requirements, identification, permitted reference materials, and calculator policy

Finalize the one-page formula and code-reference sheet and commit it to memory