“When my furnace quits working, is it okay for me to try to fix it myself? What do I need to know so that I can complete the job?”
There are lots of reasons why you might want to try a hands-on approach with your furnace. It may be inconvenient or expensive to wait for an HVAC technician’s arrival, and sometimes people worry about their safety and whether or not a service call will even solve the problem. In addition, if you have prior experience handling home repairs yourself instead of hiring a pro, nothing is stopping you from trying your hand at fixing your furnace on your own.
What You Need To Know About Furnace Repair Before You Start
HVAC work is dangerous, particularly when equipment has been shut off for any reason. Some components are large and heavy, and electrical connections are lethal, sharp metal edges abound — you have to be careful not to hurt yourself or anyone else in your household with a mishap.
The following potential problems would always require professional help:
- Your furnace refuses to light even if the gas is on. This could be due to defective electronics or wiring issues that can cause an electrical fire when dealt with improperly.
- Gas leaks are present that cannot be attributed to pilot error. These may also result in raw gas igniting into open flames that might set your house ablaze.
- The central burner unit itself is not working for any reason. This can be very dangerous because it could produce carbon monoxide (CO) and suffocate anyone in the building who breathes this substance.
- Your furnace shuts off randomly without at first producing any noticeable symptoms. If there are control board irregularities, this might happen when an electrical overload causes components to shut down while hazardous voltages are still present.
Tips To Keep In Mind When Trying To Fix The Furnace Yourself
If you decide to assume responsibility for your furnace repair job, make sure you avoid the following problems:
- Do not attempt repairs if your power supply or gas supply has accidentally been shut off or cut off.
- Do not make adjustments to any metal pipes or parts of your system that hold pressurized gas until you are sure everything has been turned off and the pressure valves have released all of the gas in the lines. The following conditions could cause an explosion if present:
- Unused appliance pilots left on
- Uneven distribution of air/gas through venting
- Damaged or disconnected flue piping would allow exhaust to escape into living areas instead of being expelled from home.
- Never try to reassemble control panels after working on them yourself unless you have specific training and experience with this type of equipment. Even if it looks relatively straightforward, there are individual components within these panels that can cause your furnace to explode or catch fire if not handled properly.
- Never rewire or repair any of the components yourself if you find faulty wiring and broken pieces in these units.
What To Do If Your Furnace Needs Professional Help: Don’t Assume You Can Fix It On Your Own
If you feel unsure about the safety of attempting to fix your furnace at any point during this process, call a service technician immediately rather than putting yourself or anyone else in danger. This is particularly true when dealing with gas leaks because it could lead to an explosion and carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal even when exposure occurs briefly.
Professional technicians have all the necessary tools and equipment, as well as experience working with these components. Hence, they know strictly what to look for and how to resolve the problem correctly.
Getting Your Furnace Service Involved
Once you’ve determined that you can’t fix your furnace without professional help, contact a repairer and explain the details of the situation before he arrives at your home. He will discuss all available options and determine which one would be best in this instance.
Remember: It is always better to pay a little bit now than risk losing everything if something goes wrong because DIY-type jobs were attempted incorrectly or unsafely.
Some professionals specialize in furnaces and those who offer HVAC services more generally; make sure you get in touch with someone who meets your specific needs.