D-I-“Why?”
Dads are great. They can do anything. Well almost anything. They try to do everything, because how hard can it be, right? Nearly everyone has that one story about dad and that thing he tried to do that went horribly wrong. The time he fell through the roof trying to fix the satellite dish himself. The time the kitchen was flooded from when he tried to fix the upstairs toilet. Or the time he ran out of paint on a Sunday night and used White Out to paint the window panes. We have those stories, we tuck them away and we never let him forget it. Never.
While Dad may think he’s perfectly capable of doing stuff himself, including HVAC stuff, there are some things that really should be left to a professional. So what are some things he should and shouldn’t do?
Replace the filter: Absolutely. Changing the filter is a straight forward job. While he’s at it, he can make sure that the system looks clean and that there’s no debris on it. If it looks dirty, he can replace it with a clean one or wash it off if it is a washable filter. Cover Return Vents with Furniture: Not a good idea. Your dad may not like the look of the return vent and decide to cover it with a piece of furniture. This is a bad idea as this prevents from being pulled into the system from that location and makes the system work harder to heat or cool the house.
Electrical Issues: Not the best idea. While it may seem simple to replace a system’s electrical component, such as the thermostat, Dad probably shouldn’t do it unless he is an electrician or HVAC professional. Have him check out our network of professionals for things like that.
Worry and Obsess About Noises & Allergies: Dad is absolutely perfect for this. He seems to hear everything, like when the dog or a raccoon is rummaging through the garbage after everyone is in bed. If he’s hearing that the fan is getting unusually loud or the system is making a weird noise, it’s a good time for him to call his HVAC tech. It would also be a good idea for him to talk to a professional if he has any indoor air quality concerns in the home, especially if anyone in the home has allergies. If he doesn’t have one in mind, get him in touch with one of our trusted professionals in his area.
Thinking about Long-Term HVAC Maintenance: That’s a great idea. He should definitely do that. If the heating and cooling system is between 5-10 years old, it’s a good idea for him to start budgeting for a new system. If the system stops working one day and he hasn’t set aside enough cash to repair or replace the system, that’s a definite mood killer.
If you have a dad that’s a jack-of-all-trades you know what we’re talking about, so it might be hard for him to hear that he may not be the master of some trades and that some things are better left to a professional. If you see him wandering into unchartered territory and it’s looking like he’s going to tackle something he probably shouldn’t, remind of that time he almost burned down the house lighting the grill or the time he … well, you know that time. Then, hand him the phone number of a pro and walk away. There’s no point in rubbing it in. Need a pro? Find a pro we trust here.
