When you talk with Yazmin Chavez, you can instantly tell she loves what she does. She’s got that mix of curiosity, hard work, and heart that makes an outstanding HVAC tech. Based in Salem, Oregon, Yazmin rolls up to jobs in her highly recognizable pink service van, representing Advantage Heating and Air Conditioning with pride.
“Oh, This Is Cool!” — How Yazmin Found HVAC
Rather new to the service side of the trade, just over a year on her own. Yazmin didn’t follow the traditional path into HVAC. She started behind the scenes in accounting, before getting bored with spreadsheets and moving into dispatch.
That’s where the spark hit.
“I’d sit there reading the tech notes thinking, ‘This is so freaking cool,’” she laughs. “Eventually, I just knew I had to get out there and try it for myself.”
In addition to learning on the job, Yazmin discovered something else that set her up for success: the way her mind works.
“I have an analytical personality and a very photographic memory,” she says. “Sometimes I’ve only done something once, but I can picture it in my head and go right back to it. That’s helped me so many times.”
Training Builds Trust
With two little kids and almost no field experience, she needed a company willing to take a chance. Advantage Heating did exactly that, with confidence. They threw her straight into commercial work and backed her with solid training.
“They really believed in me from the start,” she says. “They didn’t treat me differently because I was a woman. If I make a mistake, they’ll correct it and tell me I did something wrong. That’s what I really like.”
That commitment hasn’t stopped, Advantage invests heavily in continuous training, which Yazmin says has made all the difference.
“Every month we run role plays,” she explains. “How to talk to customers, how to present repairs, how to support someone who’s struggling financially. They prioritize it for all of us, it sharpens our technical skills but also teaches us how to treat people the right way.”
And on top of supporting their tech’s growth, they also gave her one of the most exciting tools for her trade — a vibrant pink van.
The Story Behind the Pink Van
Before getting the keys to the pink van, Yazmin was driving a tiny yellow van that couldn’t fit half the supplies she needed. One day, her supervisor asked her to come into the office. She jokingly assumed she was getting fired.
Instead, she got an unforgettable surprise.
“He turned around and said, ‘The pink van is yours.’ I almost passed out! I was so happy.”
The van has since become her trademark; it’s a symbol of representation and a sign that she belongs here as much as anyone.
“Some people think it’s a feminist thing, but I don’t care. I love that it stands out. It shows women belong here too.”
Teamwork and Looking Out for Others
Yazmin brings that same supportive energy to her team. The tech’s day starts early with a morning huddle, but she’s usually at the shop before everyone else.
“I’m a little weirdo like that,” she laughs. “I like to make sure everyone’s taken care of before I grab anything for myself.”
She checks on the install manager, helps sort filters, organizes coil cleaners, and makes sure things are stocked before heading to her calls.
“We look out for each other. That’s what makes us a team.”
Details Make Long-lasting Customers
After learning the fundamentals in commercial, Yazmin transitioned into residential, where she’s been able to share that level of care to her customers.
“I really love talking with customers. Getting to know people is one of my favorite parts of the job.”
Her customers feel the same.
“I’ve literally had people cancel on other techs so they could have me instead,” she admits. “I feel bad sometimes because I want them to meet the rest of the team but it means a lot that they trust me.”
Her attention to detail also sets her apart. On her very first solo mini-split maintenance, she took the entire unit apart, casing and all, to show the customer exactly why.
“There were spiders, dust, and mold everywhere,” she recalls. “She freaked out at first but then thanked me. She even left my first Google review.”
And it was jobs like that led her to discover Viper.
Discovering Viper (and Getting the Whole Shop Hooked)
Like many techs, Yazmin found Viper on TikTok.
“I actually ran across you guys on my For You page. We ordered a case and I used the whole thing in a week,” she says. “After seeing the foam, the shine, everything, I told everyone, ‘I’m never switching back.’”
She started showing her coworkers before-and-afters, pushing the Aerosol and Condenser Cleaner Venom Packs, and eventually got the whole shop obsessed.
“Now we run out constantly,” she laughs. “Everyone uses it.”
Even her husband, who is also an HVAC tech, “I had him try Nylog, and now he’s obsessed too.”
A Role Model for the Next Generation
Outside of work, Yazmin is a mom of two; her kids think her job is the coolest thing ever. Her son recently watched her install a hard start kit and told her, “You’re so cool, Mom!” Her daughter? She only has eyes for the pink van.
But even those small glimpses into the trades matter. “You never know who you’re inspiring,” she says.
And that’s important, because when asked what she wishes more women knew about the trades, she doesn’t hesitate:
“Don’t believe our ideas or we won’t be good enough. We are fully capable and even a little bit more caring.”
That empowerment extends to who she is outside the job, too. Although she’s tough and hands-on in the field, most people are surprised when they meet her off the clock.
“Outside of work I look like a totally different person. I’m wearing my high heels, my nails and my makeup are done, my hair’s curled,” she says. “People assume I’m in the office when I tell them I work in HVAC. Then I tell them I’m in the field, it’s really surprising for them.”
As we continue to champion for more women in HVAC, that balance is exactly the kind of inspiration everyone needs.
Congratulations to Yazmin Chavez, our Tech of the Month!