Not all states require a license in order to work as an HVACR Technician.  However, even if the state in which you’d like to work doesn’t require licensing, it is possible that some employers may require licensing or certification.  Licensing provides an employer with an indication that you have certain qualifications and that you’ve been tested on those qualification.  If the state in which you want to work doesn’t require licensing, the only way to determine if an employer requires licensing is to review the career portion of their website, or an HVACR Technician job posting. States that do NOT require an HVACR Technician to be licensed are: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming.  All other states require technicians to be licensed.  Even though a state may not require licensing, some counties may have different rules.  If you plan to work in one of these states, you will need to check the country where you plan to work to determine if they have different rules. Regardless of specific state qualifications, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that anyone who works with, or buys, refrigerants be certified in the handling of those refrigerants.  In order to become certified, you must pass at least one of four exams.  The four types of exams are: Type I - for servicing small appliances; Type II - for working with high-pressure refrigerants; Type III - for working with low-pressure refrigerants; and Type IV - for serving all types of equipment.  Many trade and technical schools, unions and other associations provide training programs that can help you prepare for the EPA exams. View a list of all EPA approved certification programs at http://www3.epa.gov/ozone/title6/608/technicians/608certs.html. Each state will have slightly different requirements for the licensing of HVACR Technicians.  To determine what the requirements are for the state in which you need to be licensed, conduct an internet search for “[your state] hvac licensing” and go to the appropriate government site. As an example, the State of Massachusetts requires the following from anyone who wishes to be licensed as a Refrigeration Technician: Completed application with social security number, copy of high school diploma or GED, photo, processing fee and copy of your EPA certification. Documentation that you’ve worked at least 6,000 hours as a refrigeration trainee or apprentice in MA, and have completed 100 hours of refrigeration theory and 150 hours of MA electrical code training. OR you can provide documentation that you’ve worked at least 4,000 hours as a refrigeration trainee or apprentice in MA, and completed 500 hours in a refrigeration course divided between 250 hours of shop-related work, 100 hours of refrigeration theory and 100 hours of MA electrical code training. OR you can provide documentation that you’ve worked at least 2,000 hours as a refrigeration trainee or apprentice in MA, and completed 1,000 hours in a refrigeration course divided between 700 hours of shop-related work, 100 hours of refrigeration theory and 100 hours of MA electrical code training. Based on the information you found on the state government’s website for licensing, collect all the proper documentation, fill out the application form, and submit it for review.  It can take 1-2 months before you hear back from the state. Once your licensing application has been reviewed and approved by the state government, you’ll be required to write a licensing exam to ensure you have the proper knowledge of refrigeration systems.  For example, in the State of Massachusetts the exam covers rules, regulations and national codes (including the safe handling and storage of CFC materials), and codes associated with energy efficiency of refrigeration systems.  Most states will provide you with a list of books and literature you should review in advance of the exam.
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One-sentence summary -- Determine if you need to be licensed. Obtain your certification in refrigerant handling. Determine state-specific requirements for licensing. Submit your application and documentation to become licensed. Take and pass the licensing exam.


It’s best to transplant cabbage to its outdoor location about two to three weeks prior to the last frost. Check the long-range weather forecast for your area to determine this date.  When you know when the date for the last expected frost, schedule a date a couple weeks in advance of that to transplant your cabbage.  For fall plantings, set the plants out 6-8 weeks before the average first frost date of the year. There are a few things that cabbages need to thrive, and sunlight is one of them. When choosing an outdoor location for your cabbage, look for somewhere that gets at least six hours of full sun each day.  Avoid planting cabbages in the same garden beds as cauliflower, strawberries, broccoli, and tomatoes. Cabbages will thrive in gardens close to cucumbers and beans. Cabbage loves fertile soil, so mix the soil in your seedbed with equal parts aged compost or manure. Water the bed so the soil is moist before transplanting the seedlings.  The ideal pH for cabbage is between 6.5 and 7.5. You can test the pH of your soil with test strips, which are available at most department, garden, and hardware stores.  If you need to lower the pH, add more compost or manure to make the soil more acidic. To increase the pH, add pulverized limestone to the bed. Plant the seedlings at the same depth they were in the pots, about a ½ inch (1.3 cm) deep. Space them 12 to 24 inches (30 to 61 cm) apart, and in rows that are about 24 inches (61 cm) apart. For the best results, pick a cloudy day to transplant the cabbage seedlings. This will help prevent shock to the fragile plants. Add a 1-inch (2.5-cm) layer of mulch to the top of the soil. This will help keep the soil moist as the seedlings grow, protect the plants from pests, and help regulate the temperature of the soil. The ideal mulch for cabbage includes ground leaves, finely ground bark, or compost. Cabbage plants will need about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of water each week. If you aren't getting enough rain, water the soil enough to keep it moist as the cabbages grow. Continue watering the cabbages until the plants approach maturity. At that time, stop watering them to prevent split heads. When the cabbages start to grow new leaves and develop heads, amend the soil with fertilizer. This will happen about three weeks after transplanting, and at this time, the cabbages will need nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Good fertilizers for a cabbage patch include fish emulsions, liquid fertilizers, blood meal, and cottonseed meal.
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One-sentence summary --
Determine when the last frost will be. Pick the right location. Prepare the seedbed. Transplant the cabbage seedlings. Cover the soil with mulch. Keep the soil moist. Fertilize three weeks after transplanting.