Understanding Which HVAC Maintenance Tasks You Can DIY

HVAC maintenance can greatly improve your system’s performance and energy efficiency. It can also prevent system breakdowns and extend your HVAC system’s life span. In today’s article, Cafco Services, one of the top HVAC companies in our local area, discusses everything you need to know about HVAC maintenance. We will talk about the tasks that you can safely do yourselves and the tasks that you should leave to the professionals.

Tasks That You Can Do Yourself

• Changing the Air Filter – A clogged air filter leads to a surprising amount of HVAC problems, so changing the air filter regularly is incredibly important. Clogged air filters can reduce the system’s efficiency, cause the blower to overheat and make your home’s indoor air quality worse. If your air filter is covered in a thick layer of dust, then it’s time to change it. Shut off your air conditioning system, take out the old filter and insert the new one. The air filter is typically located in the air handler. Make sure that the new air filter is the right size before using it.

• Cleaning the Condensate Drain Pan – The condensate drain line’s job is to remove moisture from the air conditioning system. The system cannot drain moisture if the condensate line becomes clogged with a buildup of dirt, algae or mold. A clogged condensate line causes water to collect and stagnate in the drain pan. Here’s how to deal with this problem yourself. 

Turn off the HVAC system at the thermostat and circuit breaker and find the condensate pan. The pan is typically located below the indoor air handler. Use a mop or a handheld wet/dry vacuum to remove the water and then clean the pan with soapy water. Next, go outside to the condensate drain outlet and use a vacuum to suck out the clog in the pipeline. Finally, look for the access point on the drain line, remove its cover and check for debris. Pour hot water with dishwashing soap, white vinegar or diluted hydrogen peroxide to flush the drain line.

Tasks That You Should Leave to Professionals

• Refilling Refrigerant – As the top choice for HVAC and refrigeration equipment services in our area, we strongly recommend leaving this job to the professionals. You should never refill refrigerant by yourself. The refrigerant gas is a highly toxic chemical that’s dangerous to work with if you do not know what you are doing. It is also illegal to handle refrigerant without a license.

• Electrical Work – Only a trained HVAC technician should work on the electrical components and wiring of your HVAC system. Never touch loose connections and frayed wires. Avoid handling parts such as the start and run capacitors and fan and blower motors. The high voltage current that courses through your HVAC is dangerous and it can cause an electric shock.

• Fixing the Furnace – Your furnace should only be repaired and maintained by trained HVAC technicians. Gas is a highly flammable substance and it emits carbon monoxide fumes. Carbon monoxide is invisible, odorless and highly poisonous. Any furnace repair work that’s done incorrectly can cause a gas leak. Electric and oil furnaces should also be repaired and maintained by trained HVAC technicians because they also come with hazards.

In addition to our first-class HVAC maintenance, repair and replacement services, we also offer high-quality HVAC filter products, HVAC systems and other HVAC accessories. Cafco Services has been in the industry since 1945. Our decades of experience allow us to offer local homeowners with a superior HVAC services compared with our competitors. Call us at (513) 242-3400 to learn more about our services and products or to request an appointment.