It’s just not safe.

Unsurprisingly, this is the number one reason not to repair your own furnace, as doing so can have major safety and health ramifications. If your furnace is powered by natural gas, improper repair can lead to dangerous leaks that can expose your family to toxic fumes and the risk of explosions. Electric furnaces can shock you during wiring work. Later on, you won’t know if it is working safely, as a gas-powered furnace could slowly leak carbon monoxide and an electric furnace could cause a fire due to faulty wiring.

Washington Energy Services technicians use their years of experience to repair and maintain your furnace, checking and re-checking all possible safety concerns. Put simply, it’s an assurance of safety for your family.

It can void your warranty and cost more in the end.

Warranties are great—when they aren’t voided. One of the ways you can void a warranty is to install or repair a furnace yourself. Many manufacturers require that only trained professionals repair their equipment in order to uphold the warranty. Consider this: to save money, you repair the furnace yourself (despite the safety risks). A month later, the furnace breaks, but you are not covered under warranty because you did not have a professional fix the equipment. You then must pay for a new furnace, installation, and ongoing maintenance. It’s a risky proposition.

It’s complicated and requires specialized tools.

This one is simple—furnace work is complex. Successful repairs require precise measurements and a solid understanding of electrical components, gas lines, ductwork, sheet metal work, and more. Special tools not typically found in the weekend warrior’s tool belt are also required.

Even though DIY furnace repair isn’t a good idea, there is one key maintenance task you can undertake to ensure proper operation of your furnace: changing your air filter on time, every time. Check out last week’s blog article to learn more about the benefits of consistently changing your air filter and our Automatic Filter Replacement Program.

So while we encourage homeowners to learn the inner workings of their home and take on money-saving projects, furnace repair is just something that’s best left to the professionals. It’s a matter of safety, peace of mind, and of course, comfort.

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