Back in July 2007, I wrote in this column on how troubleshooting can be a niche business, and it certainly has been for me over the years. As someone who used to design HVAC systems, along with a variety of other HVAC-related business opportunities, I have always found troubleshooting to be a fun thing to do. After all, hindsight is 20/20, so looking at a situation after the fact can bring a new perspective to the issue at-hand.
Sure, it takes years of experience to reach a point in your professional experience to take on this role, but once you get there, being contracted to resolve problematic HVAC issues and concerns is a great opportunity. At the same time, troubleshooting is not something any engineer can do, and I believe the skill level to do so requires the following: