Tag Archives: Do-It-Yourself Projects

General Safety Issues

WHY YOU SHOULD LEAVE FURNACE REPAIR WORK TO THE PROFESSIONALS (GUEST POST)

For the savvy DIY home-owner, no project seems too big to tackle on your own. Plumbing, roofing, landscaping, and flooring may have all been conquered, and even some basic electrical work isn’t too frightening if you take the proper precautions. But there are a few projects that even die-hard DIY’ers should steer clear of, and working with your home heating system is one of them.

Here are a few of the many situations in which working with your furnace can end badly, and why you should just call out the professionals in the first place.

If It’s Not Done at All

If you’re not a trained expert, you don’t know what problems you may be looking for when you do the recommended annual check. If you don’t know what your furnace should look and sound like, you won’t know what isn’t supposed to look or sound like either.

If a problem isn’t caught in time, any number of dangerous situations could occur, including carbon monoxide leaks, fires, and explosions…all of which can be potentially fatal. So if you don’t know the parts of your furnace well enough to tell if they’re damaged or functioning properly, don’t try to diagnose the problem yourself. Call in professionals or your local heating company and have them perform the annual maintenance check on your furnace instead.

If It’s Diagnosed Wrong

If you hear strange noises coming from your furnace or start smelling gas, you’ll know there’s something wrong, but that doesn’t mean you’ll know what. Diagnosing the problem right the first time is essential when you’re dealing with your heating. If you guess wrong, you’ll be tampering with gas lines and parts that might be functioning perfectly, and damaging them will only lead to more extensive, expensive problems.

Further, while you’re busy trying to repair something that isn’t broken (or trying to fix the broken part but going about it the wrong way), the real problem may only be getting worse. Delaying proper care only increases risks of fire and CO2 poisoning, which kills over 200 people every year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

If It’s Done Improperly

Even if you manage to get the diagnosis right, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to fix it. Furnaces are complicated machines—it’s not as simple as unclogging a toilet or landscaping a flowerbed. With many DIY projects, there are multiple ways to fix the problem. With other projects, you don’t have as much freedom. With a furnace, there is one right way to fix each problem. And if you don’t do it right, you’ll only compound the problems. At best, you’ll only delay the need for real maintenance. At worst, you’ll ruin your entire furnace and have to replace it completely.

If It’s Too Much to Handle

Getting halfway through a project and not knowing how to finish can be one of the most frustrating problems to run into as a DIY’er. And some projects are definitely more complicated than others. Furnace repairs will be one of those times you wish you had just called in the professionals—it might not seem like challenging work at first, but it’s more complicated and risky than it looks.

Some potential problems with your furnace include:

  •                   Dirty Burners
  •                   Leak in Gas Line
  •                   Cracked Heat Exchanger
  •                   Poor Venting
  •                   Failed Thermocoupler

If you’re like most of the world, you probably don’t even know what each of those parts is, much less where they’re located or how to fix them. Don’t risk getting stuck with a furnace that’s half-taken apart with no way to put it back together.

Signs to Watch Out For

If you’re not in the habit of checking your furnace regularly, here are a few signs to watch out for that might indicate that it needs maintenance.

  •         The furnace isn’t producing as much heat as it usually does
  •          Funny clicking or rattling noises
  •          The pilot light goes out consistently or won’t light at all
  •          The burner flame is yellow instead of blue
  •           Your gas or electric bills are going up
  •           Your furnace is over 20 years old          

Some projects can be done by the average homeowner; however, others need more professional care to avoid potential hazards that could severely damage your home or health. So if you suspect that your furnace needs maintenance, call your local Los Angeles or Edmonton furnace repair and get it checked out—don’t try to do it yourself. The risks aren’t worth it.  

 Connor Adkins  enjoys helping people stay fit and healthy. He also enjoys DIY projects, landscaping his yard, and spending time with his wife and three children.  Connor wrote this article for Always Plumbing and Heating.

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Hearing Protection

TOP TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE DOING DIY PROJECTS THIS WINTER (GUEST POST)

 

DIY-Safety-kid 

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/criminalintent

 

DIY is something that most of us will tackle at some point or another around the home. Yet, if not done carefully, it can result in accidents and injuries, and is one of the top reasons for a visit to hospital. With winter in full force, this time of year can pose further challenges for DIY enthusiasts, so read on for some top tips to stay DIY safe this winter. 

Always read instructions 

There’s always so much to do in the run up to special guests or holidays;  a growing to-do list, you might want to tackle those neglected DIY projects in time for the festive season. However, no matter what DIY job you tackle, always make sure you are fully prepared and equipped with the right tools for the job. Read instructions and understand what needs to be done. Accidents may well occur if you’re in a rush to get things checked off your list. 

Let there be light 

Natural light levels are low in wintertime, so make sure that you tackle any DIY tasks with sufficient extra lighting. If you can’t see what you’re doing properly, then you may end up banging a nail into your finger, instead of the wall! 

Be careful using ladders 

No matter what time of year you use ladders, it’s always important to be safe and careful when using them. In winter, using ladders outdoors can pose more of a compromise to safety, especially if your boots are muddy making the steps slippery. Don’t go up a ladder in windy weather, either. If there’s a problem that needs fixing, for instance with your roof, then call a professional out. 

Electrical awareness 

We’re prone to wetter and windier weather in winter, so if you need to do any DIY work in the garden involving the use of electrical items, make sure that you don’t operate them on a wet day. Electricity and water don’t mix, and could result in a nasty electric shock. 

Don’t mess with gas 

During winter we are reliant on our boilers to keep us warm and provide hot water. If your boiler conks out on the coldest day of the year, don’t be tempted to tamper around with it, in an effort to get it up and running again. Messing with gas can be very dangerous, especially for the amateur DIYer, so it’s always worth calling out a professional if your boiler does end up letting you down. 

Wear protective equipment 

Don’t cut corners with any DIY tasks by not protecting yourself. Make sure your eyes, ears, hands or feet are protected for the particular DIY tasks that you are undertaking. 

Lifting heavy objects 

Many people like to have a makeover or shift furniture around as the different seasons change.  If you need to lift, move or carry anything at home, make sure that you do it safely and don’t cause injury to your back in the process. Get help to carry items, if needs be. The last thing you’ll want is to spend your time laid up in bed with a back injury because you were too impatient to get your DIY tasks done, or didn’t ask for help. 

A lover of all things DIY, Justine writes for one of the UK’s leading online suppliers of high quality tools and machinery – Tool Orders UK.