NADCA News: Industry Standards, Training and Certification: Core Programs for the HVAC Cleaning and Restoration Industry
March 1, 2007
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The National Air Duct Cleaners Association is a non-profit trade association dedicated to setting standards and guidelines within the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) cleaning industry, and represents certified contractors who perform HVAC system cleaning. Its Assessment, Cleaning & Restoration (ACR) Standard is adopted, adapted, or endorsed by HVAC cleaning companies around the globe.
The National Air Duct Cleaners Association is a non-profit trade association dedicated to setting standards and guidelines within the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) cleaning industry, and represents certified contractors who perform HVAC system cleaning. Its Assessment, Cleaning & Restoration (ACR) Standard is adopted, adapted, or endorsed by HVAC cleaning companies around the globe.
The ACR Standard establishes criteria for evaluating the cleanliness of HVAC system components and for cleaning and restoring systems to a clearly defined cleanliness level. It is the only standard in the industry to do so. Although the ACR Standard is widely utilized and accepted, the leadership of NADCA has decided to pursue American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation of it. ANSI has a strong and internationally recognized reputation, and its endorsement of the NADCA standard will only increase NADCA’s visibility and strength. NADCA’s first step in the process is to become an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer. Although it is early in the process, the association fully expects this important accreditation to be realized soon, and to have the ACR Standard accepted as an ANSI standard by 2008.
In addition to the important work of setting standards for the HVAC cleaning industry, the association focuses a great deal of its resources on supporting comprehensive training. The most important training program is the Air Systems Cleaning Specialist (ASCS). ASCS training and certification helps ensure that technicians follow and perform to the ACR Standard, securing NADCA’s reputation as the industry leader. Acknowledging that learning styles vary, training and certification exam prep classes are offered in a variety of formats, from traditional classroom settings, to online Webinars and course materials for self-study. NADCA seeks to offer something for everyone.
The latest project the Association has undertaken is to create a completely internet-based, self-paced course to prepare for the ASCS certification exam. Users will be able to access the ASCS Prep-course Online at any time, day or night, from anywhere in the United States and around the world. Users will be allowed to exit the learning instrument and log back in, picking up where they left off in their instruction. This new learning tool combines auditory and visual learning styles, and can be sped up to skip past knowledge already held, or rewound to revisit key points. It will be cost-effective and convenient, with instruction that is even more effective than traditional formats.
Although the ASCS is NADCA’s primary certification, the association also provides two others: Certified Ventilation Inspector (CVI) and Ventilation System Mold Remediator (VSMR). These certifications are recognized and accepted by those in the industry, related trades and by consumers, providing a solid third-party endorsement of a technician’s knowledge and skills. More and more companies seek these additional certifications to lend further credibility to their employees’ ability to deliver the highest quality service.
NADCA’s sole purpose is to represent the HVAC cleaning and restoration industry, providing education, training and business support to its members, helping the industry continue to move forward in supplying consumers with top-quality services. Consumers are increasingly aware of NADCA and its purpose, driving the need for more accessible training and education services as well as a thriving workforce of certified technicians. NADCA is delighted to help its members achieve maximum success through its quality programs.
The National Air Duct Cleaners Association is a non-profit trade association dedicated to setting standards and guidelines within the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) cleaning industry, and represents certified contractors who perform HVAC system cleaning. Its Assessment, Cleaning & Restoration (ACR) Standard is adopted, adapted, or endorsed by HVAC cleaning companies around the globe.
The ACR Standard establishes criteria for evaluating the cleanliness of HVAC system components and for cleaning and restoring systems to a clearly defined cleanliness level. It is the only standard in the industry to do so. Although the ACR Standard is widely utilized and accepted, the leadership of NADCA has decided to pursue American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation of it. ANSI has a strong and internationally recognized reputation, and its endorsement of the NADCA standard will only increase NADCA’s visibility and strength. NADCA’s first step in the process is to become an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer. Although it is early in the process, the association fully expects this important accreditation to be realized soon, and to have the ACR Standard accepted as an ANSI standard by 2008.
In addition to the important work of setting standards for the HVAC cleaning industry, the association focuses a great deal of its resources on supporting comprehensive training. The most important training program is the Air Systems Cleaning Specialist (ASCS). ASCS training and certification helps ensure that technicians follow and perform to the ACR Standard, securing NADCA’s reputation as the industry leader. Acknowledging that learning styles vary, training and certification exam prep classes are offered in a variety of formats, from traditional classroom settings, to online Webinars and course materials for self-study. NADCA seeks to offer something for everyone.
The latest project the Association has undertaken is to create a completely internet-based, self-paced course to prepare for the ASCS certification exam. Users will be able to access the ASCS Prep-course Online at any time, day or night, from anywhere in the United States and around the world. Users will be allowed to exit the learning instrument and log back in, picking up where they left off in their instruction. This new learning tool combines auditory and visual learning styles, and can be sped up to skip past knowledge already held, or rewound to revisit key points. It will be cost-effective and convenient, with instruction that is even more effective than traditional formats.
Although the ASCS is NADCA’s primary certification, the association also provides two others: Certified Ventilation Inspector (CVI) and Ventilation System Mold Remediator (VSMR). These certifications are recognized and accepted by those in the industry, related trades and by consumers, providing a solid third-party endorsement of a technician’s knowledge and skills. More and more companies seek these additional certifications to lend further credibility to their employees’ ability to deliver the highest quality service.
NADCA’s sole purpose is to represent the HVAC cleaning and restoration industry, providing education, training and business support to its members, helping the industry continue to move forward in supplying consumers with top-quality services. Consumers are increasingly aware of NADCA and its purpose, driving the need for more accessible training and education services as well as a thriving workforce of certified technicians. NADCA is delighted to help its members achieve maximum success through its quality programs.
