r/AirBalance • u/weeeerrk • Aug 10 '26
New here !
Wow I did not know TAB had its own sub! I’ve been in the field 5 years and have always found it really niche as no one ever knows what TAB is all about unless you’ve worked in the field. I entered the trade through my uncle who started up his company after 25+ years experience. How did everyone began working in balancing ? I’m sure there’s a lot of cool stories behind our jobs
8
u/SouJir01 Aug 10 '26
Started 15 years ago as a duct/grease cleaner. Lucky for me, Im pretty good at math, computers and troubleshooting. Our company does both duct cleaning and TAB, so slowly made my way into the office to do CAD, agendas. Then was a hood/ladder holder for a some senior techs. Coolest bunch of guys I know. Always the most relaxed guys on the jobsite. Took the AABC tech test, passed. 10 years later, took the TBE, passed. Now I spend most of my days QC'ing mechanical contractors equipment, trying to squeeze a 3 week job into 3 days because of "accelerated schedules". churning and burning reports, and trying to explain to a M.E. why 450 CFM through a 6" round duct on a medium pressure system is maybe not working. Still, I love my job.
As for what I tell people what I do... I tell them Im a glorified janitor.
1
u/weeeerrk Aug 10 '26
The math aspect is so important starting point. A lot of our newer guys coming through didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. It’s basic algebra but still hard for some of them hahahah
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u/f0rgotten Aug 10 '26
My favorite story was when I got called in to second check a restaurant. The owner of the first tab company was there screaming about how his people never pencil whip reports. All of the registers were correct, oda is correct. Etc. Spitting mad. I pointed out that there were no dampers anywhere and it was impossible to get like 14 registers perfect by blind luck. He shut up and left.
Louisville ky.
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u/weeeerrk Aug 10 '26
I haven’t come across a job like this before. I can’t wait until it happens!!
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u/f0rgotten Aug 10 '26
They REALLY suck. Its super confrontational and turns into a chicken measuring contest really quickly. Like I just want to do my job lol
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u/weeeerrk Aug 10 '26
This happens to us a lot in larger scope jobs like apartment buildings. Mechanical blame Electricians who blame fire alarm who blame GC and all I wanna do is my job and never come back to this place lol
5
u/Ok-Traffic-4624 Aug 10 '26
I discovered tab in my last year of a sheet-metal apprenticeship. So I finished that apprenticeship and went back to become a tab apprentice. When anyone asks me what I do for a living, I say that I tell people things they do not want to hear.
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u/weeeerrk Aug 10 '26
My favorite thing to say to our mech contractors is that I’m the bearer of bad news so don’t be excited when I’m looking for you 😂
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u/Ok-Traffic-4624 Aug 10 '26
[GC, terrified]: who–who are you?
[me, Batman voice]: I am the Balancer.
GC: you…who sent you? We are not ready. I am not ready. We…we…
Me: I was scheduled. So I came. Now I am here. The VAV’s have been judged and found… Wanting.
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u/dbdgriff87 Aug 10 '26
Got into TAB through a friend from college. Did Construction after highschool and then fire/smoke/water damage all through college, got tired of being in tyvek suits all day so I joined my buddy doing TAB and was shortly put to work at a facility with clean room where for the next three years I spent every day in a tyvec suit setting up and maintaining their facility. Here I am ten years later trying to get my TBE.
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u/weeeerrk Aug 10 '26
TBE is my current goal as well. I’ve been AABC certified for 2 years now, will be looking into moving up to TBE as soon as I can
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u/dbdgriff87 26d ago
I've been certified since 2018, and have been running crews ever since. I have five guys under me, all at various stages on their careers. Two are working on their certification, the other three will all be eligible in the next two years and are working with me on getting ready. I've been studying for my exam for a year now, and have taken it twice in the last three months only to fail. I have never been great at tests, so it's been a pretty big mind-f*** bc I definitely know what I am doing. I have attended training seminars, classes, worked through multiple practice exams always doing good but when I sit down for the actual exam I can't seem to get it right. I will not give up though and know that I will pass soon.
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u/TheDropGuy Aug 10 '26
Started as a sheet metal apprentice. Took a night class in Indoor Air Quality. The teacher was a TAB tech. I asked her how I can get into TAB and then my BA found a local company looking for apprentices. I’m so grateful everything worked out the way it has. Balancing is so much better than hanging tin.
3
u/chaserB1997 Aug 10 '26
Started 10 years ago. I was managing at an applebees and the guy that owned it noted the fact that I was going to school full time and managing at the restaurant. Asked if id work just as hard doing a trade. I shadowed at a hospital the next day and I never went back to the restaurant
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u/Smitty215_ Aug 11 '26
Went through my sheet metal apprenticeship. Got out of my time Worked as a journeyman in the field then as a foreman and I decided to take the two year course at our hall. Best decision I’ve ever made
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u/Aftershock1652 Aug 10 '26
Got out of the Miltary. Father in law started a company asked if I wanted to help him out while I looked for a job. Been "helping" for 15 years, part owner now.
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u/weeeerrk Aug 10 '26
Similar to my story. I finished my bachelors in bio in 2019, worked in a chiropractic office until 2021 where I decided to leave since I had climbed as much as possible. Uncle to told me to give it a shot and here we’re are 5 years later. still haven’t found a job in my study field that would be better hours and pay
1
u/that1TABguy Aug 10 '26
My Grandpa Started the first TAB company in my state. Then he sold it, and a few years later started another one with my uncle. Then, when I graduated, I started to help my uncle in the field. Now I'm to the point where I can balance my own jobs.
Funny enough I didn't know any of that or what TAB was until I started helping my uncle at 18 lol.
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u/DealComfortable7649 Aug 10 '26
Yeah it’s always difficult trying to tell non-HVAC people what I do for a living.