Don't be this cheap

[oldpizzaguy]

Why would you vacuum the filter when you can just turn it around and use the other side?

[james80031]

Why would you vacuum the filter when you can just turn it around and use the other side?

LOL!!! We need to sign this guy up for pro status. He's funny.

[oldpizzaguy]

Just got my minimum post so I will be applying soon.

[james80031]

Just got my minimum post so I will be applying soon.

Cool. I like reading funny things during my coffee.

[amd]

As someone who has gone behind many DIY catastrophies as a contractor and also been a rep for several brands of equipment, I can tell you that my main concern with HVAC DIY is that equipment is too often blamed for what is really the DIYers wrong doing either in application of, installation of, repair of or maintenance of their HVAC equipment.

A qualified HVAC contractor can save a HO a lot of money in energy savings as well as a longer lasting HVAC system. Every time I DIY something on one of my vehicles it winds up costing me more in the long run.

I never got the intention that his videos are really intended to promote DIY repair. (Though there's nothing particularely wrong with some minor DIY repairs, aside from work on refrigerant circuits/gas lines/complete installations)

[RoBoTeq]

I never got the intention that his videos are really intended to promote DIY repair. (Though there's nothing particularely wrong with some minor DIY repairs, aside from work on refrigerant circuits/gas lines/complete installations)

What HVAC repairs would you consider ok for DIY?

[cstock]

Watch the one were he changes out the comp. and camera goes dead and he moves the filter dryer to a better location then where the factory had it.

He burned and overheated that filter/dryer and says he will change that out in a week, I bet there will be another burned up Dryer. Someone slap him with a WET RAG

He should do a video on compression nuts

[james80031]

It's like a guy who shoots a triple-bogie on every hole giving golf lessons.

[amd]

What HVAC repairs would you consider ok for DIY?

It depends on how familiar the person doing the work is with the equipment and electrical theory.

In general I think minor electrical repair and troubleshooting is fine (Ex: changing motors/circuit boards, electrical diagnostics, etc.) for competent for DIY'rs. Obviously anything requiring a license is out of the question.

The average ignorant person probably shouldn't do anything outside of changing filters though.

[beenthere]

It depends on how familiar the person doing the work is with the equipment and electrical theory.

In general I think minor electrical repair and troubleshooting is fine (Ex: changing motors/circuit boards, electrical diagnostics, etc.) for competent for DIY'rs. Obviously anything requiring a license is out of the question.

The average ignorant person probably shouldn't do anything outside of changing filters though.

There are techs that can't follow instructions over a 2 way.

Giving advice over the internet is harder.

There are plenty of DIY sites on the internet.

Don't need anymore.

[RoBoTeq]

It depends on how familiar the person doing the work is with the equipment and electrical theory.

In general I think minor electrical repair and troubleshooting is fine (Ex: changing motors/circuit boards, electrical diagnostics, etc.) for competent for DIY'rs. Obviously anything requiring a license is out of the question.

The average ignorant person probably shouldn't do anything outside of changing filters though.

This kind of thinking is exactly what gets most DIYers doing HVAC into trouble. I have seen some pretty wild things that HO's with a familiarity of working on other machinery and a knowledge of electrical theory have done. If anything, the ones with more more knowledge can actually do more harm because they "think" they know what they are doing.

[thatguy]

It depends on how familiar the person doing the work is with the equipment and electrical theory.

In general I think minor electrical repair and troubleshooting is fine (Ex: changing motors/circuit boards, electrical diagnostics, etc.) for competent for DIY'rs. Obviously anything requiring a license is out of the question.

The average ignorant person probably shouldn't do anything outside of changing filters though.

The problem is with the people who read the posts or watch the videos then THINK they know what they are doing. That is when equipment fails or (more importantly) people get hurt. You may know for a fact that the person you are giving technical advice to is aware of electrical safety and knows how to work with dangerous flammable and high pressure gasses but we need to remember that this information is readily accessible to anyone who has the internet. That means its available to people with no safety or technical knowledge and to kids who just want to play with something different. Do you have kids? Ask them what a proper lock out procedure is. Ask them if they know whether or not a circuit can still contain potential even after the disconnect is turned off. To us its second nature but to somebody who is untrained its unheard of. How are they supposed to know to do it if they don't even know what it is or that it even exists.

Now lets say that you are helping that technically capable person. are you going to tell them to disconnect power before working on the circuit? Are you going to remind them to discharge the capacitor as well? If it were me than I would be answering no to those questions because I would figure that somebody working on the system would know to do those basic procedures. so this next person who is learning by reading through hundreds of posts about how to change a motor is feeling pretty confident that they know how to change a motor. They may even sound like they know what they are talking about when in fact they are missing allot

There IS a reason we go to school for this info and work through an apprenticeship alongside somebody with experience before venturing out on our own.

[amd]

I agree with you, but same arguements can be used against having electrical parts (light switches, plugs, light fixtures, junction boxes) available to the general public at big box stores, along with electrical DIY books. The same goes for plumbing supplies or automotive parts.

Let's be honest - the no DIY rule on this board has more to do with protecting the industry than safety. I respect that; however, the HVAC industry has no right to dictate what anyone should or should not do. There's nothing wrong with DIY info on the internet or in books; one can not protect stupid people from themselfs merely by denying access to information.