Do you think you have what it takes to repair your HVAC unit instead of spending a ton of money on an HVAC professional? If so, you can do a few things to keep your system running smoothly. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t much to learn, and things won’t go wrong.
Unfortunately, there are many mistakes with HVAC repairs that are easy to make. Keep reading to learn what seven of those common HVAC issues are and how to avoid them.
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1. Not Cleaning Filters
Your filters are one of the most common issues homeowners face with their HVAC units. The filter is responsible for filtering out particles from regular air and pumping clean air back into the home.
Unfortunately, air filters get clogged up over time. When someone’s HVAC unit doesn’t work correctly, they look everywhere for problems except the filter.
Before you start more advanced HVAC repair, think about how long it’s been since you replaced your filter. You should put a clean filter in your HVAC system every three months in most cases. If everything starts working again after you replace your filter, you won’t have any more severe issues to try and resolve.
2. Ignoring the Evaporator Coils
Your HVAC unit needs to be spotless to work efficiently. While you can do a lot to clear vents and HVAC grates, there are still HVAC parts inside your unit that many people miss when they start cleaning.
Evaporator coils are one of those things. Heat gets trapped inside the evaporator coils when covered in dirt, making it harder for them to absorb the heat. When this happens, it will make it harder to maintain your home’s climate.
Luckily, it isn’t hard to open up your HVAC unit to clean your coils. Turn off your AC unit and open it up. You’ll need to disassemble the coils and clean them carefully to do the cleaning right.
3. Putting Additives in Your Unit
Some products out there claim to make your HVAC unit more efficient if you add them to your system. They have large marketing budgets, making it seem like these products are perfect and won’t cause any problems.
However, some of those products will cause damage to your unit instead of making things more efficient. Don’t get caught up in marketing hype, and try additive products during your research first.
If you want to use one of these products, get in touch with an HVAC professional to get their opinion on one of these products. If something helps your HVAC system, a pro will tell you what you need to know.
4. Skipping Thermostat Inspections
With all the things that could go wrong with your HVAC unit, a bad thermostat is one thing that many people fail to consider when they experience problems. They work fine in most situations. However, you’ll experience problems if it doesn’t work correctly.
Before you start a lot of complicated repair procedures, check your thermostat to see what the settings are. You may have it set at a random temperature instead of what you expect.
Your thermostat also has a battery. If that battery fails, the unit won’t work correctly. See if you can modify the settings on your thermostat.
If not, try replacing the battery.
5. Ignoring the Signs of a Replacement
HVAC units don’t last forever, and they have a lifespan for effective use. As your unit starts getting older, it becomes harder to operate efficiently.
While you may temporarily resolve problems due to age, you won’t fix them completely. You’ll continue experiencing problems until your HVAC unit eventually fails.
The last thing you want is to have this happen and be unable to get an HVAC professional to your home to install a new HVAC unit. If your HVAC system shows signs of age and regularly needs repairs, ask a professional to take a lot to determine if you need a new unit.
6. Not Shutting Down for Repairs
Even if you have the skill to handle HVAC repairs yourself, you can’t just open up your unit and start working. There is a lot of power running through HVAC systems, and if you start making changes when everything is on, you may damage your system and injure yourself.
Before starting any HVAC repairs, make sure you turn the unit off. Go to the thermometer to switch the system off from there. After that, flip the circuit breaker that powers your HVAC unit.
Once you turn everything off, you can start repairing your unit.
7. Handling Coolant Leaks Yourself
There are many HVAC repairs that you can handle on your own, and some are more complex than others. However, nothing is stopping a regular person from learning how to take care of things themselves.
A coolant leak is one of those things that a homeowner should never try and fix themselves. Coolant is dangerous and needs care when handled. If you make a mistake, you could end up injuring yourself.
Call a professional HVAC repair company like Schneider HVAC if you think you have a leak. They have the tools to track down the leak, fix it, and top off your coolant levels.
Don’t Make the Mistakes With HVAC Repairs Above
While some HVAC units have problems that are easy to resolve, that isn’t the case for all of them. Make sure you’re aware of the mistakes with HVAC repairs above. The last thing you want to do is cause more damage to your residential HVAC system and end up paying a lot of money to get it fixed.
Are you interested in learning more about other common household repairs you may make in the future? Check out the blog to learn more about taking care of your home.