With the advent of today’s DIY culture and seemingly inexhaustible number of instructional videos online, it’s tempting for many homeowners to try their hand at fixing their AC unit before calling in the professionals. Unfortunately, this can quickly lead to costly damages and dangerous situations when dealing with HVAC units. It’s important to remember that AC units require advanced knowledge of the system and experimenting with it can end up costing you more than the service call you were trying to avoid.
Safety First
Because it’s an electrical system, there is a real risk of shock if you don’t know what you’re doing. A typical AC runs 220-240 volts of current—a level of electricity that can kill you. Also, AC units use chemicals and refrigerants with which the average homeowner is unfamiliar. It’s important to remember that handling these chemicals can be deadly if you don’t follow proper safety precautions. For your safety, a trained and certified technician should do the servicing.
Certification Required
In addition to being potentially harmful, handling these specific chemicals also requires certification. Did you know that the Clean Air Act very clearly outlines the handling and maintenance instructions for these types of chemicals? Also, the U.S. EPA requires that everyone handling refrigerant be certified, including those doing repair on items using it and the disposal of it. Are you prepared to follow federal regulations (and are you certified to do so)?
Risk to Your Wallet
The warranty on some AC units is void if it is serviced by someone other than a certified technician. You should be prepared to potentially void the warranty on your very expensive unit if you attempt a repair and need to call in a technician to fix it. It’s a fact of life: small problems quickly become big problems if not addressed properly the first time. The most dangerous and potentially expensive decision is to try to repair something you’re unfamiliar with and don’t know how to fix. One wrong move can easily cause more damage—meaning you’ve lost your warranty and have to pay to fix more than was wrong initially. And we all know, the more you try to fix something, the higher the risk of damaging it beyond repair.
Ultimately…
If you’re experiencing a problem with your AC, you should curb your initial reaction to diagnose and repair it yourself. Most people will try to fix it for one of two reasons: time or money. At American Air Cares, we have highly skilled technicians who are ready to help. Also, we never start any job without thoroughly explaining the issues and giving you an accurate cost estimate. Give us a call today!
