The DIY culture has gained traction over the years mainly because it promises to help people save money. However, many people forget that not every appliance or damage can be fixed by a novice. One such appliance is your air conditioning unit. The air conditioning unit has a lot of complex parts and can become damaged for different reasons. Learn more from Dayton Heating and Air as the experts share reasons why you shouldn’t DIY your AC repairs.
Reasons You Shouldn’t DIY Your AC Unit Repair
Limited Experience or Expertise
Air conditioning units are complex systems that require experienced and trained professionals for diagnoses and fixes. There’s also a high chance that the problem isn’t as simple to address as you thought.
The lack of experience and expertise in diagnosing AC problems and repairing them can put you and your unit at risk. You may find yourself stuck midway through the repair. Worse still, you may have further damaged the unit due to your limited experience, training, and expertise.
You would save a lot of time and money if you called a professional to diagnose and fix the problem.
Access to Genuine Parts
Being able to diagnose your AC repair needs is one part; taking the unit apart is another. However, addressing the problem may sometimes require you to replace damaged parts.
Buying new parts for your air conditioning unit can be a tough nut to crack. This is because of your limited experience in identifying and certifying genuine parts. In addition, you may need help to buy HVAC parts, especially as most suppliers only sell to licensed HVAC contractors and experts.
You’ll be better off saving yourself the stress and contacting a licensed professional who can handle the process from start to end. Your HVAC contractor can diagnose the problem, purchase the necessary and genuine parts, and restore your unit to its pristine condition – all without hassles and safety hazards.
Electrical Problems
The air conditioning unit is an electrical appliance. The unit requires high-voltage electrical power to operate. This constitutes a potential electrical hazard to untrained homeowners who wish to diagnose, take apart, and fix the problem the DIY way.
With a high potential to shock or electrocute you, you are better off staying away from the unit. Instead, contact a trained professional with the requisite experience handling AC units and their problems.
Warranty Problems
Newer air conditioning units often come with a manufacturer’s warranty. Such warranties offer extra protection to the consumer – provided they abide by the conditions of the warranty. One of the principal conditions of a warranty is that only trained and licensed technicians are allowed to diagnose and fix the problem.
However, your warranty and its protection become void once you – as an untrained HVAC technician- open the unit to diagnose or fix the problem.
Voiding your warranty could mean many things; ultimately, you’re no longer protected by the terms that could offer you free repairs or replacements.
Access to the Right Tools
Repairing your air conditioning unit means having the right tools to take the unit apart. Getting the right tools costs a lot of money. Buying the tools isn’t a financially smart decision, especially as you won’t be using them often.
You can save yourself the upfront cost of buying new tools as well as the hazards of poking around your AC unit by contacting a trained professional for the job.
Time-Consuming Process
AC problem diagnosis and repair can be time-consuming. First, you need to figure out the problem; then, get the right tools and work through the entire process. You may spend hours on something a professional would have fixed in minutes.
The entire DIY process may also be frustrating, especially as most instructional videos are made by experts with years of repair experience. In the end, you may find yourself with a broken AC unit with no other choice than to contact a technician.
DIY Repairs Are Costly
Most homeowners attempt DIY repairs to save costs. However, they often end up spending more on DIY repairs than they’d have done to hire a professional. For example, DIY repairs involve buying or renting tools. It also involves buying or renting parts – which could be more expensive.
You may also end up damaging more parts of your AC unit, costing you more money than it would have been to fix the initial problem. With the many ways you can lose money, it is better to call a professional for the job to save time and money.
Homeowners looking to keep their air conditioning units functioning at optimal conditions stand a better chance when they call a professional. Contact your HVAC professional for help.
