When an appliance breaks down, many homeowners panic. Some call repair companies. Others look for a replacement. The third category contemplates DIY repair.
Living with a broken air conditioner is problematic. During the hot season, it can be nearly impossible to stay at home with an a/c that doesn’t work properly. It can be tempting to try and fix the appliance on your own. However, in most cases, such an approach could end up being costly and even dangerous.
Let’s look at the pros and cons of DIY a/c repair.
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Advantages of DIY A/C Repair
If you have experience fixing appliances, you can benefit from some aspects of DIY air conditioner repair. The benefits of doing so include:
1. Cost Efficiency
By fixing an a/c on your own, you can save on contacting a repair company. However, if you need to replace some parts, you would still need to pay for them. Since repair companies collaborate with manufacturers, they have access to quick spare part delivery.
You may have trouble finding the right parts quickly. When you do, you can expect to pay full price. Meanwhile, professional repair technicians usually benefit from wholesale discounts.
2. Speed
When you decide to call a repair specialist or buy a new air conditioner, you have to be ready to wait. In case you ask for ASAP repair services, you need to pay extra. Choosing, buying, and installing a new a/c also takes time.
If you have the skills and knowledge to repair an a/c on your own, you can start doing it immediately. You just need a good user manual, which can be easily found online, on websites like Manualsnet and similar. You don’t need to adjust your schedule or take time off work to wait for a repair technician or an installation specialist.
3. Quality
If you have experience fixing appliances, you can do an excellent job repairing your a/c. Once you do, you can be sure that you’ve done everything you can to make it work properly. When it comes to working with professional repair technicians, you need to be very careful about choosing a company.
In some cases, you may find a company that hires inexperienced technicians to cut costs. When they start repairing your appliance, they may do more harm than good.
Disadvantages of DIY A/C Repair
While a person with skills and experience can take a shot at DIY repair, fixing an appliance without experience has numerous downsides.
1. High Costs
When you try to repair an a/c on your own, it’s easy to make a mistake. According to the experts from Orlando Air Conditioner repair company, Hartman, many homeowners end up calling technicians after attempting DIY repair. By that time, they inflict so much damage that the air conditioner becomes almost unsalvageable.
Repairing such an air conditioner is often costly. Meanwhile, replacing it is likely to cost you more money than you would have paid were you to call professional technicians in the first place.
2. Excessive Repair Time
While you can attempt fixing an air conditioner at any convenient time, the time it takes to complete the repair may unpleasantly surprise you. If you don’t have extensive experience with a/c repair, diagnosing the problem can take a long while.
Once you start diving deeper into repair, you may find out that you need spare parts. Looking for these parts and waiting for delivery could take days. Meanwhile, a professional technician is likely to have the most demanded parts readily available.
3. Low Quality
If you don’t have extensive experience fixing a/cs, you may be hard pressed to provide high-quality repair. Quick fixes that you may have seen on YouTube are rarely good enough to help your appliance last for a long time.
More often than not, you will face new repairs within months. When a professional technician handles the repair, you can get a warranty on their work.
The Takeaway: To DIY or not to DIY?
DIY a/c repair can be an excellent way to save time and money. But only if you have the right skills and sufficient experience. If you’ve never tried fixing an air conditioner before, a DIY repair can turn out to be costly, time-consuming, and even dangerous.
By working with a professional technician, you can achieve quality, save time, and ensure the longevity of your appliance.