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Roberts Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Blog

When Can You Make DIY AC Repairs?

We know that it can be tempting to attempt do it yourself repairs to your air conditioner when something seemingly minor goes wrong. However, repairing your AC without the help of a professional is never a good idea.

Instead, give our team a call to schedule your professional AC service. This ensures that the job is done right the first time. Plus, we’re here to help with all of your AC needs, including new AC installation in Northbrook, IL. You can keep reading to learn more about the risks that you face when you attempt do-it-yourself repairs to your air conditioner.

Minor AC Troubleshooting

If you think something is wrong with your air conditioner, there are a few steps you can complete to troubleshoot:

  • Change the air filter – See if a clean air filter helps to improve airflow into your air conditioner. Sometimes this can reduce strain and help your AC work more effectively for cooling.
  • Check the condensate drain line – If your home feels a little warmer or more humid than you think it should, the condensate drain line may be to blame. Look for signs of a leak around the condensate drain pipe. Then rinse out the line with vinegar to keep moisture moving outside instead of getting trapped due to a clog. Do this only if the condensate line is located outside of your AC case.
  • Clean the outdoor unit – Sometimes it can be the airflow leaving the system that is a problem. If the outdoor unit is too clogged with dirt or other debris, heat can be trapped in your home. Rinsing the outdoor unit with some water and checking for leaves and twigs can help to boost airflow leading out.
  • Check the indoor unit – You can take the cover off of your indoor AC unit and wipe down the inside surfaces to eliminate dust buildup. This can help refrigerant lines to work more effectively and boost overall operation.

The Professional Difference

Aside from these steps, you should leave AC care up to our team of professionals. Air conditioners are complex systems, and it takes a trained expert to identify problems completely. Sometimes what you think is a problem is actually a symptom of a larger issue within your AC.

One example of this is having ice buildup on your refrigerant coils. It’s easy to think that the ice is the problem that needs fixing–and it does. But ice doesn’t develop inside your air conditioner randomly. Instead, other factors contribute to the ice buildup. 

There may be poor airflow into the system or a refrigerant leak. If you don’t also address the cause of the ice building up, then ice will develop again and again no matter how often you get it to melt and clean it up. Our team can dig deep into the system and find the root cause of any AC problem so you don’t experience issues over and over again.

Risks of DIY AC Repairs

Attempting DIY AC repairs leaves you at risk for safety concerns and more expensive AC problems. If you don’t understand the intricacies of an air conditioner, you can easily do more harm than good. You risk getting hurt during your actual attempted repairs, plus you risk making a problem worse. 

You could end up calling us anyway but instead of the initial problem, we have to fix something even larger. And larger usually means more expensive. Even if you were trying to save money by completing a project yourself, you could easily end up spending more when you do have to call us.

Contact Roberts Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. today to schedule your air conditioning repair appointment as soon as possible.

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