If you’re ready to invest in a new HVAC system for your Roseville, CA area household, you may be tempted to try installing the unit yourself. Typically, the motivation for going the DIY route is the money that can be saved by foregoing a professional installation. However, DIY HVAC installation is almost never a wise choice. Although saving money in the short term might sound nice, hiring reputable professionals has far more benefits and far fewer risks. Here, we’ll take a look at why DIY HVAC installation tends to be dangerous and shortsighted.
Lack of Experience
The biggest problem with DIY HVAC installation is that in the vast majority of cases, homeowners don’t have the experience needed for the job. Unless you’ve been properly trained in how to work with HVAC equipment, attempting to install a new system yourself is folly. At reliable HVAC companies like Environmental Heating & Air Solutions, the technicians are licensed and certified with years of comprehensive training and experience. During that time, they learned the proper methods for installing the equipment, important safety precautions to take, and how to handle unexpected complications during the process. Without this knowledge and experience, you could easily find yourself overwhelmed and unsure of how to proceed. As a result, you could end up seriously damaging the HVAC equipment or even putting the safety of yourself and your family at risk.
Even if you don’t damage your new HVAC system or put yourself in danger, your lack of experience could easily lead to the unit being installed incorrectly. Although saving money is nice, your time is valuable as well. And if you spend hours and hours trying to install an HVAC system only to realize that it isn’t working properly, that will be quite a bit of wasted time. And after all that, you’ll likely end up having to hire professionals anyway!
Lack of Equipment
Another problem with DIY HVAC installation is that you most likely don’t possess the equipment needed to handle the job correctly. At Environmental Heating & Air Solutions, our HVAC technicians have access to durable, high-quality tools that allow them to handle installation and repair jobs safely and quickly. Without this equipment, you’ll encounter additional difficulties while trying to install the system. And even if you decide to purchase or rent the tools yourself, that will cut a significant chunk out of the money you’re attempting to save in the first place.
Safety Risks
One of the most important reasons you shouldn’t attempt HVAC installations yourself is that it can be dangerous for yourself, your family, and your home. Although HVAC installations are entirely safe when handled by a qualified professional, they can pose certain risks when the installer is inexperienced. For example, if you’re attempting to install a gas-powered furnace, a mistake could lead to carbon monoxide leaking into your house when the appliance is running. Alternatively, if you handle the wiring of your new HVAC system improperly, it could potentially start an electrical fire or even electrocute you.
DIY HVAC installations carry the risk of other safety risks as well. If you’re setting up a new air conditioner, an error during the process could lead to it leaking or overflowing with water. In addition to water damage, that could cause mold growth in your home. Before long, everyone in your house could be breathing harmful mold spores every day. It’s important to remember that HVAC units are heavy-duty appliances, and if you aren’t licensed to work with them, trying to do so could be hazardous. And ultimately, saving some money in the short term simply isn’t worth putting your safety at risk.
Expensive Mistakes
Although most homeowners take on DIY projects in an effort to save money, that’s seldom achieved with DIY HVAC installations. Ultimately, an HVAC system that’s installed by an amateur is much more likely to experience mechanical problems down the road. So, even if you’re able to get your new HVAC unit up and running, there’s a strong possibility that it will encounter multiple issues over the following months or years. When those situations arise, you’ll need to spend significant amounts of money to have the problems repaired. If that becomes a pattern, it won’t take long for the money you initially saved on the installation to be entirely negated. In some cases, HVAC systems installed by homeowners will end up needing to be replaced multiple years sooner than those installed by professionals. That means that you could end up having to pay for another new system much sooner than you’d like. So, attempting a DIY HVAC installation isn’t nearly as likely to save you money as you might think.
Loss of Warranty
There can be consequences to installing your own HVAC system that you may not have considered. One example of this is that doing so could void the warranty on the unit. You’d need to verify the specifics of your warranty to know for sure, but in most cases, installing an HVAC system yourself will completely void the warranty. Then, if an important component breaks a few months down the road, the company you bought the HVAC unit from won’t be responsible for fixing or replacing it. Every situation is different, but in many cases, having a warranty on a new HVAC system can save homeowners thousands of dollars. And if you can help it, that safety net is not something you’ll want to go without.
Reduced Home Value
If you think you may be selling your house at any time in the next several years, attempting a DIY HVAC installation is an especially unwise idea. If you aren’t sufficiently trained, experienced, and equipped for the installation, you could inadvertently reduce your home’s value. For one, if you do a sloppy job installing the HVAC system, then appraisers, inspectors, and potential buyers will certainly be able to tell. Additionally, if the HVAC unit frequently needs to be repaired, that will be a red flag as well. If the buyers expect the HVAC system to be an expensive issue and cause them lots of hassle, it will undoubtedly impact how much they’re willing to pay for the house.
Poor Efficiency
Over multiple years, the difference between an efficient HVAC unit and an inefficient one can equate to a large amount of money. If you install your new HVAC system yourself, there’s an increased likelihood that it won’t be able to run at peak efficiency. This could start costing you extra money as soon as you need to start running your heat or air conditioning. And over the system’s full lifespan, you could have to pay thousands more than you would if you’d had expert professionals install the unit.
Since we opened our doors in 2010, we at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions have been faithfully serving the greater Roseville area. Our skilled technicians can assist you in a wide variety of areas. We offer reliable heating, air conditioning, plumbing, indoor air quality, ductwork, insulation, and home automation services. Give us a call at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions today to schedule an appointment or find out more about what we offer!
