Air conditioning systems can be fragile. Certain components, when not properly maintained, are going to become less efficient, and possibly lead to serious malfunctioning of your heating or air conditioning systems. There are a lot of practical DIY projects that homeowners often do to improve their HVAC system, but some projects, when done wrong, can have a negative effect. So, before you start any DIY HVAC maintenance, you should make sure that you are able to handle a job without damaging anything. This article looks at a few of the most common HVAC problems, that should help you decide whether or not you can fix them yourself:
Air Filter Replacement
Air filter replacement is definitely the easiest DIY job. That being said, if you are going to do it, you want to make sure that you do it correctly. A thorough and complete air filter replacement involves much more than just removing an old filter and putting a new one in its place. Most importantly, you need to thoroughly clean and empty the air filter compartment before you put the new one back in. This will lengthen the lifespan of your new filter, by preventing it from getting dirty too fast.
Cleaning the Furnace Cabinet Components
Cleaning the inside of a typical furnace cabinet is quite simple. But, shutting down the system so you can safely work on it can be a little scary since you are dealing with both electrical and gas power. If you don't already know how to do this, calling professionals to handle the job is much smarter. It is just safer and more practical than trying to do it yourself.
Heat Pump Evaporator Coils
One simple job that you can do yourself, without having professionals, is to clean your heat pump's evaporator coils. You don't need to shut off the heat pump in order to safely clean the exterior coils. The coils that line the outside of the heat pump are the most likely to get dirty. Because of this, they are also the easiest to clean. All you need is a hose to spray all the dirt out of the coils.
Cleaner coils on your heat pump will result in better airflow, cooler air when your air conditioning is turned on, and hotter air when your heat is running. As you can see, you really have to go job by job when it comes to DIY AC repair. Some simple tasks are practical and easy to do yourself, but others are best left to trained professionals.
Share17 November 2017
Does your air conditioner smell, make loads of extra noise, or fail to cool your home? If you have noticed any of these problems, there might be issues with your air conditioning unit. Fortunately, you don't have to let a bum system make your home stuffy and uncomfortable. Professional heating ventilation and air conditioning contractors can snap your AC unit into shape in no time. By carefully checking your condenser and evaluating your refrigerant levels, the experts might be able to dramatically improve the cooling capacity of your home unit. Read here to find out how to spot problems before they make your space uncomfortable.