With so many self-help videos on the internet, you may be convinced that DIY heating repair is possible. No matter how detailed they may be, and how experienced their creators are, these resources are not substitutes for proper training. There are many reasons to avoid attempting to repair your furnace or boiler yourself, including:
1. Carbon Monoxide Exposure
A furnace’s combustion process produces carbon monoxide, which is normally vented outside. If there’s a problem, such as a cracked heat exchanger or faulty pilot light, this gas can leak into your home. One mistake can have deadly consequences. Always have working carbon monoxide detectors at home, but working so close to a furnace without experience can get you too close to this colorless, odorless gas before any sensor can detect it.
2. Exposure to Heat and Fire
The fuel used by a furnace is highly flammable. That’s how it produces heat. If there’s a natural gas leak, everyone in your home is in danger. A wiring issue is also a fire hazard. Trying to fix the problem can result in damage that ignites a fire or explosion. Get everyone outside and call the fire department and utility company.
3. Possible Electrocution
Your furnace contains various electrical components, including wires and connectors. Touching the wrong part can result in being seriously shocked or electrocuted. A trained technician is equipped to work safely around these components and avoid injury. Even if the problem seems small and isolated to one wire, contact a professional.
4. Appliance Damage
If you don’t have expert knowledge of a furnace’s inner workings, you might not know what to repair. You could also inadvertently cause more damage. While your goal was to save money, the situation may now be even more expensive to resolve. At the very least, you may end up with long-term problems. Heating technicians have years of training and experience troubleshooting furnaces/heat pumps and anticipating any issues that may arise during a heating repair.
5. Wasted Time
Years of training allow an HVAC technician to quickly fix a wide range of problems. The job can be done in anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Attempting a DIY fix not only has a multitude of risks. You’ll also be wasting your time, which could be spent on more productive tasks or spending time with family or friends.
6. You’re Not Properly Equipped
Aside from being trained and certified, a technician has a multitude of tools and equipment to troubleshoot and fix the problem. The average homeowner often has never heard of such items, let alone knows how to use them. And there are so many complex components, a typical home toolbox doesn’t have the proper tools to address a heating system problem.
Call Waldrop Plumbing – Heating – Air Today
Customers throughout Greenville County and Spartanburg County can count on Waldrop for furnace, heat pump, and other types of heating repair in Houston. Our NATE-certified HVAC technicians are fully trained and equipped to take care of any problem quickly. Whether you have an electric, gas, or oil furnace; air source, mini-split, or geothermal heat pump; or geothermal heating system, our team will keep you safe and comfortable. Call 864-536-0887 to request immediate service.
