West Virginia HVAC Contractor Practice Exam
Free Practice Exam
Test your knowledge with 10 questions from our pool of 20 free questions.
- 10 questions per attempt
- 30 minute time limit
- Unlimited attempts
- A new mix each time
- Instant results
Full Practice Exam
Complete exam simulation matching the real Prov test format.
- 80 questions (same as real exam)
- 180 minute time limit
- 8 topic areas covered
- 405 questions in pool
- Detailed explanations
Texts preferred · 9am–9pm Central
West Virginia HVAC Contractor Practice Exam Guide
What's on the exam
Questions per topic, out of 80This practice exam follows the official content outline for the West Virginia HVAC Contractor exam: General Knowledge, Load Calculations, Code Requirements, Controls, Ducting, Insulation, Piping, Safety - OSHA, Equipment.
You have two ways to practice. The free practice exam gives you 10 questions per attempt, and you can retake it as often as you like. The full practice exam gives you 80 questions on a 3 hours clock, with a new draw from our question bank every attempt.
General Knowledge 30 items
Our study plan for this topic: HVAC equipment selection and sizing (furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, boilers); Air distribution system design and duct sizing; Copper and plastic piping identification, joining methods, and applications; Carbon steel pipe types, fittings, threading, and joining methods; IMC definitions and general installation regulations for mechanical equipment; Energy efficiency ratings (COP, EER, SEER, HSPF) and sustainability objectives; Hydronic system basics and ducted air system fundamentals; Chapter 7 - Heating and Cooling System Design.
Load Calculations 6 items
Our study plan for this topic: Heat transfer mechanisms (conduction, convection, radiation) and their role in building heat gain and loss; Indoor and outdoor design conditions (design temperatures, daily range, humidity, design temperature difference); Heating load factors (walls, roofs, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, below-grade surfaces, infiltration, duct losses); Cooling load factors (solar gain through glass, internal gains from people and appliances, latent loads, infiltration); Equipment sizing based on calculated sensible and latent loads (cooling and heating equipment selection criteria); Building survey and data collection for load estimation (construction materials, orientation, insulation R-values, fenestration); Chapter 7 - Heating and Cooling System Design.
Code Requirements 4 items
Our study plan for this topic: Permits, inspections, and code enforcement authority; Equipment and appliance installation requirements (listing, labeling, clearances, location); Mechanical ventilation rates and outdoor air requirements by occupancy; Exhaust system discharge location and minimum separation distances; Clothes dryer exhaust duct requirements (materials, length, termination); Commercial and domestic kitchen exhaust hood requirements; Chimney and vent connector installation and termination requirements; Condensate disposal and auxiliary drain system requirements.
Controls 10 items
Our study plan for this topic: Thermostat types and functions (programmable, heat pump, setback); Thermostat location and mounting requirements; Humidity control devices and humidistat operation; Zoning systems and zone control strategies (single-zone, multi-zone, VVT, VAV); Control wiring requirements (low-voltage, disconnect provisions, grounding); Energy management and demand control strategies; Factory-installed versus field-installed controls; Home automation system integration and HVAC control interfaces.
Ducting, Insulation 10 items
Our study plan for this topic: Duct materials (sheet metal, fiberglass ductboard, flexible duct, nonmetallic); Duct system layouts (perimeter-loop, radial, extended-plenum, reducing-trunk); Duct sizing and airflow calculations (CFM, velocity, static pressure, equivalent length); Duct sealing requirements and methods (mastic, UL 181 tapes, joint and seam sealing); Duct insulation and vapor retarders (R-value, duct wrap, duct liner, condensation prevention); Fire and smoke dampers (ratings, actuation, locations, access requirements); Registers, grilles, and diffusers (types, selection, placement, volume dampers, floor register load ratings); Flexible duct installation (support intervals, bend radius, length limits, connections).
Piping 6 items
Our study plan for this topic: Copper tubing types, sizes, and identifying markings (Types K, L, M, ACR, DWV); Copper tube fittings and joining methods (flare, compression, sweat, swaged, pressed); Cutting, bending, and preparing copper tubing for installation; Plastic piping types and joining methods (PVC, CPVC, ABS, PEX, PE) including solvent-cementing procedures; Carbon steel pipe types, fittings, threading, and joining methods (threaded, grooved, flanged); Hydronic piping materials, joint types, and installation requirements per IMC Chapter 12; Pipe hangers, supports, and spacing requirements for copper, plastic, and steel pipe; Fuel oil piping materials, joints, valves, and system installation requirements per IMC Chapter 13.
Safety - OSHA 5 items
Our study plan for this topic: OSHA Fatal Four hazards (falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, electrical); Fall protection systems (harnesses, lanyards, anchor points, guardrails, safety nets); Ladder safety (types, inspection, setup angles, three-point contact); Scaffold safety (types, tagging system, inspection, weight limits); Lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures for energy control; Personal protective equipment (PPE) selection, inspection, and use; Electrical safety (grounding, GFCI, safe working distances, shock response); Hazard recognition, communication, and Safety Data Sheets (SDS/HAZCOM).
Equipment 9 items
Our study plan for this topic: Heating equipment sizing and selection (furnaces, boilers, heat pumps); Cooling equipment sizing and selection (air conditioners, heat pumps); Boiler installation requirements, safety controls, and pressure relief devices; Refrigeration system classification, refrigerant types, and machinery room requirements; Combustion principles and venting systems for fuel-burning appliances; Commercial and industrial refrigeration components (compressors, condensers, evaporators, accessories); Solar thermal system design, installation, and equipment requirements; Equipment commissioning, startup verification, and replacement considerations.
Sample 1 — General Knowledge
Question: You are installing a commercial kitchen ventilation system and the architect's plans call for a hood over back-to-back cooking appliance lines. According to the 2018 IMC Chapter 2 definitions, what type of hood should be specified?
- A. Double island canopy hood
- B. Backshelf hood
- C. Single island canopy hood
- D. Wall canopy hood
Correct Answer: A
According to the 2018 International Mechanical Code, Chapter 2 (Section 202), a double island canopy hood is placed over back-to-back appliances or appliance lines. It is open on all sides and overhangs both fronts and the sides of the appliance(s). It could have a wall panel between the backs of the appliances.
Reference: IMC 2018 Chapter 2, Section 202
Sample 2 — Controls
Question: You are pulling outdoor design conditions from the standard residential load-calculation tables before running a heat loss/heat gain estimate. Which pair of columns provides the suggested heating and cooling design dry-bulb temperatures?
- A. Heating 99% dry bulb and cooling 1% dry bulb
- B. Heating 97.5% dry bulb and cooling 2.5% dry bulb
- C. Heating 95% dry bulb and cooling 5% dry bulb
- D. Heating 99.6% dry bulb and cooling 0.4% dry bulb
Correct Answer: A
Per the load-estimating discussion of outdoor design conditions, the most significant columns for the average designer in the outdoor design condition table are the Heating 99% Dry Bulb and Cooling 1% Dry Bulb columns; these are the suggested design temperatures. Maximum recorded extremes are not used because they would exaggerate the load and oversize the equipment.
Reference: HVAC Basics for Contractors, Chapter 7 — Heating and Cooling System Design, Section 2.0.0 Load Estimating (Module 03407, Page 8)
Sample 3 — Ducting, Insulation
Question: A fire damper is being installed in a duct system that is not part of a smoke control system, and the normal operating air temperature within that duct is 140°F. What is the approximate operating temperature of the fire damper actuation device required by the code?
- A. 165°F
- B. 350°F
- C. 160°F
- D. 190°F
Correct Answer: D
IMC 2018 Section 607.3.3.1, Item 1 requires the fire damper actuation device to operate at approximately 50°F above the normal temperature within the duct system, but not less than 160°F. With a normal duct temperature of 140°F, 140 + 50 = 190°F. The 350°F figure is the maximum operating temperature permitted under Item 2 for dampers located in a smoke control system.
Reference: IMC 2018 Chapter 6 — Section 607.3.3.1 Fire damper actuation device
Treat your first attempt as a checkup, not a verdict. After every attempt, the results page breaks your score down by outline topic, so you can see which topics need work. Compare your score with the real exam's passing score, 70% correct, and keep practicing until you pass consistently.
- Answer what you know first. Go through every question once, answer the ones you know, and bookmark the rest. Our practice exams let you bookmark and come back.
- Come back to your bookmarks. Work them out on your second pass.
- Watch your pace. The real exam works out to about 2 minutes 15 seconds per question.
- Look up every miss. After each attempt, find each missed question's reference in your book and read the section.
| Questions | 80 questions |
| Time limit | 3 hours |
| Passing score | 70% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $59 |
- Your exam is graded immediately upon completion and results are automatically forwarded to your licensing authority.
- There is no limit on HVAC exam attempts and no waiting period between attempts.
Source: Contractor Licensing Board — Candidate Information Bulletin, WV CIB 2026.10.27 (Version 1.0, effective October 27, 2026). Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.