With increasingly hot temperatures from summer to summer, central air conditioning systems are becoming a vital appliance for most homeowners. But installing air conditioning into an existing home can be a large financial investment. In order to save money, some handy homeowners might consider taking on the installation project alone, but that could be a very bad idea. Here are five reasons why you should hire professionals to do the job rather than trying to make it a DIY project.
High Voltage
One major reason that you should avoid an attempt at a DIY air conditioning installation is that central air conditioning units require high voltage electricity in order to function. Central AC systems need either 220 volts or 240 volts hardwired with a dedicated circuit for operation. In many cases, when retrofitting a central air conditioning unit to an existing home, a dedicated circuit must be added. You could seriously injure or electrocute yourself if you don't have the training and experience to work with high-voltage wiring.
Chemicals
Central air conditioning units use dangerous chemicals like refrigerant. Refrigerant is the chemical responsible for capturing the hot air in your home and transporting it out. It circulates in your air conditioner through a closed loop. Damage to any part of this system due to inexperience could result in dangerous leaks.
Voided Warranties
Most air conditioning units are accompanied by 5- to 10-year limited warranties designed to cover the malfunction of essential parts. However, these warranties often come with stipulations. Professional installation is a common stipulation for keeping a warranty intact. If you do it yourself, you might void the warranty and leave the unit unprotected.
Permits
In some states and jurisdictions, a permit is required in order to install a central air conditioning unit. If you don't get the proper permits, your installation may actually be illegal. In many cases, permits cost money and they will certainly require paperwork. A licensed professional in your area will be intimately familiar with the permit process and can save you time and money.
Mistakes
No matter how handy you think you are, you can still make mistakes with unfamiliar equipment. Even if you have past experience with air conditioning system installation, technology changes so quickly that your knowledge may be out of date. Additionally, other problems may arise later even if you complete the installation and the unit seems to function. Even small mistakes can create big problems down the road.
Share9 September 2022
Every summer, I agonized over energy bills that would shoot into the stratosphere as a result of my efforts to keep cool in the heat. Every time I turned the temperature down, my bills increased. This summer, I decided to take some of the control over my energy bill back. I installed reflective film on my windows that reduced the amount of light and heat coming into the house. I started serving more cold meals or asking my husband to barbecue outside, so that my air conditioner didn't have to compete with the hot stove, and I started doing laundry at night to reduce appliance heat in the house at peak times. I also had ceiling fans installed. So far, the difference in my bill has been tremendous. This blog is a way for me to explore other ways to reduce energy drain during the summer months.