My wife was a teacher for many years; but, after our son was born, she decided that she wanted to change careers.
Her father was an HVAC technician, and after his recent passing, she decided that she wanted to follow in his footsteps.
I was proud of her, and I was secretly thrilled to have a heating and cooling expert living in our house around the clock! She enrolled in an HVAC program at a local college, and spent lots of time in the classroom learning the ins and outs of the trade. Her program even offered field training, and set her up with an apprenticeship right after graduation. Her apprenticeship was eye-opening for both of us. One night, over dinner, she remarked that our heating and cooling system wasn’t very efficient. I had never even thought about it. She explored the ducts and the air handler up in the attic, replaced the air filter, and took note of the areas in the house that didn’t stay cool. She drew up a multi-step plan for a new HVAC system installation in our home. While I always noticed that our cooling system wasn’t perfect, I never complained. But, she took the initiative, and gathered up a team of colleagues to come out and install the new unit together. She completely demolished our old system, hauling all of the old ducts and equipment out. She laid new ductwork, even adding additional vents in problem areas. She taped and sealed everything for maximum efficiency, and installed a smart thermostat that we could control from our phones. She had become so knowledgeable about the HVAC industry, and all of the mechanical systems that ensured our comfort at home. I’m so proud of her, and I’m sure her father would be too!