Taking care of your HVAC system's regularly scheduled maintenance on your own has its benefits. Performance your own maintenance offers a strong sense of accomplishment, especially if you're the "handyman" type. DIY maintenance can also be cheaper than putting in a service call to your local HVAC contractor.

Nevertheless, there are some maintenance issues that you're better off leaving to seasoned professionals, whether for safety reasons or increased maintenance costs. The next time you're doing a little DIY work on your HVAC system, you may want to steer clear of the following tasks.

Refrigerant Checks

Handling HVAC refrigerant is a dangerous job for a variety of reasons. Highly-pressurized refrigerant can cause significant skin and eye injuries when handled improperly. Some refrigerants are highly flammable, while others can cause shortness of breath, convulsions and other serious physical symptoms when used in enclosed spaces.

Even with the specialized tools needed to check and recharge your HVAC system's refrigerant, you could end up hurting yourself or others around you. An experienced technician will have the training and experience needed to safely and accurately measure your HVAC system's refrigerant levels and add more refrigerant as needed.

Electrical Wiring Inspections

Stripped, frayed, or pinched wiring can overheat and cause electrical shorts, resulting in catastrophic failure of your HVAC equipment. Loose connections also represent a safety hazard for your HVAC system, plus they can cause your heating and cooling equipment to behave erratically.

You may be eager to check your own wiring, but there's a significant risk of electrocution involved. Instead of potentially frying yourself and your HVAC unit, you should have it inspected by a technician specializing in HVAC electrical work.

HVAC Coil Cleanings

You may have thought about cleaning your own evaporator and condenser coils at some point. However, these components are surprisingly easy to damage if you're not careful. It doesn't take much force to bend or break the fragile aluminum fins lining the coils. Using the wrong cleaning products can also lead to severe corrosion, creating microscopic holes that allow refrigerant to seep out of the coils.

Instead of risking damage to your HVAC by cleaning your own coils, you're better off leaving that task to the professionals. Your HVAC technician will know exactly which tools and cleaners to use for removing gunk, algae and other debris from your coils. Your HVAC technician can also recommend other services and products that can help protect your coils against corrosion.

For more information, contact a company like Boyers  R S Heating &  Air Conditioning Inc.

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