Fully online technical training designed around real industry demand, so you can specialize at your own pace.
10/31/2026
Start Date
1 month
Duration
100
Total Hours
6 Modules
Program
Duration
Total Hours
Program
Start Date
ICTESS’s Domestic Hot Water Systems Training Course trains specialized technicians in the design, installation and maintenance of domestic hot water (DHW) systems in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. The program covers everything from DHW generation and storage to distribution, safety and temperature control systems in line with current technical codes.
Throughout the training you will learn the sizing calculations used in real installations: selecting water heaters based on demand, designing distribution systems with hydraulic criteria, setting up recirculation systems, applying the IPC, UPC and ASHRAE 90.1, and following the technical protocols for Legionella prevention in DHW systems. The course includes a Capstone Project where you will bring together every competency you have gained in a complete installation project.
The Domestic Hot Water Systems Training Course responds to growing technical and code requirements in the design and maintenance of DHW systems. Existing buildings, new construction and energy retrofits all need technicians who can work with energy efficiency criteria, water safety requirements and compliance with plumbing and energy codes at the same time.
The purpose of this course is to train professionals who can design, install and maintain DHW systems in any building type. You will learn to size individual and central water heating systems, select storage tanks and water heaters based on the building’s actual demand, design distribution and recirculation systems with sound hydraulic criteria, set up temperature control and safety devices, and apply the Legionella prevention protocols set out in ASHRAE Standard 188.
The training combines command of the applicable technical codes with solving real installation problems. It concludes with a Capstone Project in which you develop a complete DHW installation project applying every technical competency you have gained.
The Domestic Hot Water Systems Training Course prepares you for specialized technical roles at plumbing contractors, building maintenance companies, developers and general contractors, and HOA and condominium maintenance services. You can work as a DHW systems technician, thermal systems maintenance lead, plumbing and heating installer, or building systems inspector in residential and industrial buildings.
The training prepares you to deliver complete projects: sizing water heating systems based on actual DHW demand, selecting water heaters (boilers, electric water heaters, heat pump water heaters, solar water heating), designing hydraulically balanced distribution and return systems, installing and setting up relief valves, thermostats and control systems, and preparing the permit documentation required by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).
You will also build skills to write and carry out preventive maintenance plans, perform water testing and apply biocide treatments, and manage the records required by the building’s water management program for Legionella control.
Access the program from any device, with no commute.
Plan your progress around your own availability.
Content aligned with the IPC, UPC and ASHRAE 90.1 and with current Legionella prevention protocols such as ASHRAE Standard 188.
Technical video lessons, downloadable installation schematics and forums with specialized instructors.
With ICTESS, you will receive specialized technical training in DHW systems, focused on professional practice and designed to help you master the code and design skills the plumbing and HVAC industry demands.
What you'll achieve
Size individual and central DHW systems using IPC, UPC and ASHRAE 90.1 criteria for different building types.
Design DHW distribution and return systems with sound hydraulic criteria, selecting piping, insulation and recirculation equipment in line with current codes.
Select and set up temperature control and safety devices: thermostatic mixing valves, thermostats, temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valves and automatic control systems.
Apply Legionella prevention protocols under ASHRAE Standard 188: risk assessment, biocide treatments, maintenance temperatures and water management program records.
Prepare technical documentation for DHW projects: calculation reports, schematic diagrams, installation drawings and the preventive maintenance records the codes require.
DHW systems are present in virtually every residential, hospitality, healthcare and industrial building, which makes their correct design, installation and maintenance a permanent technical need. Evolving plumbing codes, energy codes and Legionella prevention standards call for up-to-date technicians who can ensure the safety and efficiency of these systems on every job.
Stricter water safety requirements: Through ASHRAE Standard 188, CMS requirements for healthcare facilities and state and local rules, Legionella prevention has tightened the technical and documentation standards that installers and maintenance managers must meet in DHW systems. Not knowing these protocols, or applying them incorrectly, carries legal and public health consequences, which increases demand for technicians with specific training in this area.
Energy retrofits and system upgrades: The push to retrofit existing buildings creates steady demand for technicians who can replace outdated DHW systems with efficient solutions: heat pump water heaters, solar water heating systems and high-efficiency water heaters. This work requires mastering both equipment selection criteria and the technical codes for integrating systems into existing buildings.
Competitive advantage in an established market: DHW specialization sets you apart in a market where many general plumbing technicians lack specific training in hydraulic sizing, temperature control and Legionella protocols. Documented skills across all these areas position you as a go-to technician who can take on more complex projects.
Completing the Domestic Hot Water Systems Training Course positions you as a specialized technician in a field with sustained demand: maintaining, upgrading and installing DHW systems affects virtually every building, with steady activity in both new construction and retrofits.
Access to in-demand technical roles: Plumbing contractors, facility management companies, property management firms and HOA maintenance services continually need technicians who can work on DHW systems to code. This specialization gives you access to these positions with a differentiated profile and documented skills.
Command of applicable technical codes: Knowing the IPC, UPC, ASHRAE 90.1 and Legionella prevention protocols lets you handle installations, reviews and inspections with technical rigor. Employers especially value this code knowledge in maintenance RFPs and in energy retrofit projects for existing buildings.
Ability to manage complex systems: You will learn to work on central systems with storage, recirculation and automatic temperature control. That significantly broadens the range of installations you can handle with technical autonomy and responsibility.
Recognized professional certificate: ICTESS’s professional certificate validates your technical skills in DHW systems, strengthening your profile with employers in plumbing, construction and building maintenance.
This course is designed for professionals and technicians who work in, or want to specialize in, the design, installation and maintenance of DHW systems in buildings. Recommended profiles include:
Program details
The Capstone Project is the culminating stage of the training and represents the practical integration of every technical competency developed throughout the program. It consists of a complete DHW installation project for a real building or building complex, from demand assessment through the maintenance proposal, using the code-based methodologies and technical criteria the profession requires.
The project must include calculating DHW demand based on building type and number of occupants, selecting and technically justifying the chosen water heating system, sizing the storage system, designing the distribution and return system with hydraulic balancing, specifying the safety and temperature control devices, and integrating the recirculation system with energy efficiency criteria. It must also include the Legionella prevention protocols that apply to the proposed installation, with the corresponding records and required documentation.
The project is presented with the technical level and format of a permit submittal package for the AHJ: project narrative, calculation report, schematic diagrams, installation drawings and preventive maintenance program. This documentation can go straight into your professional portfolio as proof of your ability to develop complete DHW projects with technical rigor and full code compliance.
ICTESS’s Domestic Hot Water Systems Training Course covers in depth the main codes and standards that govern DHW systems in the United States. The IPC and UPC set the requirements for water heaters, water distribution, relief valves and temperature limits at fixtures. ASHRAE 90.1 and the IECC set the energy efficiency requirements for service water heating, including recirculation controls and pipe insulation. The course also covers Legionella prevention in depth through ASHRAE Standard 188 and CDC guidance for water management programs, applying the risk assessment, water treatment and recordkeeping protocols expected in multifamily, healthcare and other high-risk buildings.
No prior professional experience is required, although a basic understanding of plumbing or HVAC systems is recommended. The course is designed both for working technicians who want to strengthen and expand their knowledge and for graduates of construction, electrical or building services trade programs who want to specialize in DHW. The content starts with hot water generation and progresses toward sizing, piping design and safety codes, so the program makes complete sense even for those who have not worked specifically on DHW systems. It helps, although it is not required, to be familiar with basic hydraulics, piping and installation materials.
ICTESS’s professional certificate validates the specific technical skills gained in the program, and employers in plumbing, building maintenance and construction value it as specialized continuing education. It does not replace the state plumbing or contractor license required in many states for certain installations, but it complements and documents your technical knowledge of DHW systems, applicable codes and Legionella prevention. When hiring maintenance technicians, building systems managers and thermal systems operators, employers value this kind of specialized training as evidence of up-to-date code knowledge and demonstrable technical skills.
ICTESS’s Domestic Hot Water Systems Training Course stands out for its exclusive focus on domestic hot water and the technical and code depth of every content block. General plumbing courses only touch on DHW within a broad curriculum. This program covers each technical aspect in detail: storage sizing based on actual demand, hydraulic design of distribution and return systems, criteria for choosing between individual and central systems, setup of thermostatic mixing valves and relief valves, and complete Legionella prevention protocols. Its integrated code approach (IPC, UPC, ASHRAE 90.1 and ASHRAE 188) also lets you work directly with the requirements that inspections and permit submittals call for, something general courses rarely develop at this level of detail.
