Thanks to the internet, knowledge has become more accessible than ever. Whatever it is you can think of, you will find it online with detailed explanations and resources. This has made it easier for people to tackle projects and repair jobs around their homes.
There are thousands of DIY videos online showing you how you can fix the problem or even make something without the help of experts. While this has been greatly beneficial and helped people save money and gain experience at housework, it can also be dangerous.
There are some things that you should never try to DIY, like HVAC repairs. Here’s why.
1. Safety Concerns
Probably the biggest reason why you should never try to repair HVAC systems on your own is your safety as well as that of your household. Heaters, air conditioners, furnaces, and other HVAC equipment run on a significant amount of electricity, and tampering with that haphazardly can result in serious injuries or even death.
If you simply connect the wrong wires together, you could lose your life or blow something up. It is not just electricity that you should worry about. Some heating systems have gas lines coming in, and tinkering with those can be catastrophic maybe not just for your household.
There are also chemicals, dangerous ones, in the cooling systems that should not be handled except by a licensed expert. Those refrigerant chemicals can be deadly if handled the wrong way, and there are specific instructions and even certification to deal with those compounds.
2. DIY Is Not Foolproof
Assuming the instructions you are following are actually solid, that still doesn’t mean you can DIY when it comes to HVAC repairs. Even if the guy in the video is an expert, this doesn’t make you one. More often than not, people follow the wrong directions and/or misinterpret something mentioned in the instructions.
The problem is, each HVAC system is unique in its own way, and you might apply the instructions for a different model than yours, which can lead to further complications and you could make it worse. The slightest difference in configuration, even for the same devices, can warrant a different approach, and this is why you need experts handling this.
3. Experience
Experience is the deciding factor when it comes to HVAC repairs. Unless you do this for a living, you don’t have the necessary experience to deal with your heating and cooling systems. As explained on coolearth.com.sg, you need someone with vast experience to fix your air conditioner, and the same goes for your heater.
You can’t just hire any random contractor to fix your HVAC problem. You need someone who has done this before and has experience with your particular model. Their years doing this will be the deciding factor in how efficient they are in handling the HVAC repair.
4. Saving Money
At the end of the day, most people who prefer DIY options do it to save money. Believe it or not, if you follow that approach with HVAC repairs, you will actually end up losing money. For starters, there is a good chance you will further damage the system because you’re tampering with something you don’t really understand.
What might have been a simple problem could end up being a serious one if you blew a circuit or damaged the unit, and you will end up paying more money because of that. This is another reason why DIY is too risky with heating, ventilation, and cooling systems.
It is not just further repair costs that you need to worry about. As mentioned earlier, you could hurt yourself or someone else by tampering with the HVAC system, and that means medical bills. The last thing you need is to pay costly hospital bills because you tried fixing something that was beyond your expertise. In short, DIY when it comes to this particular repair will end up costing you a lot more money than you think you would save.
5. Voiding the Warranty
You might want to check the warranty on your HVAC system if a problem springs up; you might have some left. The problem is, in most cases, it is specifically stated in the warranty agreement that the company is not responsible for non-licensed professionals trying to fix or do maintenance on their systems, which means you might have voided your own warranty by trying to DIY, even if it is a small repair. It is always best to have professionals doing it.
6. Lack of Necessary Tools
Forget about the lack of training and the fact that HVAC technicians spend years to become certified and fully understand the systems that they are expected to work on. You don’t even have the necessary tools to work on your system, let alone training.
There are certain gauges and specific tools that professionals use, and there is little chance of finding them in an ordinary household. So, not only are you going in blind, but you’re also doing it unequipped.
7. Peace of Mind
You just want the problem fixed with as little trouble and nuisance as possible, and DIY isn’t the way for that to happen. Sure, there are some things around the house that you can handle on your own, but the HVAC system isn’t one of them.
If you really want some peace of mind, reach out to licensed professionals to fix the problem for you while you sit and drink tea. That way, you won’t put yourself in harm’s way, and the repair will be done properly by someone who knows what they are doing.
You may think it will cost you a lot of money if you hire HVAC experts rather than DIY, but it is the other way around. You will save a lot of money. More importantly, you wouldn’t have to worry about the problem reoccurring after a few days because you didn’t fix it right –– assuming you did manage to fix it in the first place. In the long run, you will be grateful that you didn’t try to DIY and instead hired licensed experts to do the repair for you.
