We like to take things into our own hands. Whether we’re being thrifty, creative, or a bit of both, do-it-yourself repairs and projects are all the rage. Just look at Pinterest – half of the boards are somehow connected to DIY.
But there are some parts of life where a do-it-yourself approach can be extremely dangerous – even deadly. Furnace repairs are one of them.
Why? Natural gas can easily explode and result in a fire. The photo below shows the devastating results.
Four Men Badly Burned in DIY Accident
After a home explosion in Keele and Lawrence left 4 men burned, with one suffering to a severe degree, it is suspected that they were undertaking do-it-yourself furnace repairs, and engaging in unsafe practices.
Luckily, no other homes or neighbours were harmed in this accident.
A Home Destroyed in 40 Minutes
It took just 3 minutes for Laurie Beliveau’s furnace to explode and her home to go up in flames when she attempted to save a little money on HVAC repairs and do it herself.
In less than an hour, Laurie had lost her entire home, all because she didn’t want to invest in her furnace and water heater.
The Risk of an Explosion is Real
“Playing with fire” is an expression for a reason. And when you take furnace repairs into your own hands, you are quite literally playing with fire.
Furnace fires are responsible for approximately 22% of home fires in Alberta. When you start tinkering with your furnace, you’re putting yourself and your family at risk.
That’s why every technician has a Gas Fitter’s license; we’re trained to properly handle gas lines and the systems that use them so that we can make furnace repairs safely.
What Else Could Happen If You Attempt Do-It-Yourself Furnace Repair
Fires and explosions aren’t the only thing you’re risking when you attempt do-it-yourself furnace repair.
1. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, or Even Death
Now that furnaces across Canada are turning on for the winter, carbon monoxide is an even bigger – and completely invisible – threat. Just this fall, carbon monoxide is the suspected killer of two elderly people in Etobicoke.
Our furnaces use a combustion process to create the heat we love to come home to after a wintery 30 minute wait for the bus. That combustion process creates the byproduct carbon monoxide.
An improperly repaired furnace part or leak will lead to increased levels of carbon monoxide in your home. This can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning or death.
Leave the furnace repairs to us; what you can do to help prevent a terrible tragedy is update the batteries in your carbon monoxide alarm, and make sure these alarms are placed near every bedroom and on every floor of your home.
2. More Damage to the Furnace, Which Leads to More Money Spent
The only thing worse than a broken furnace? An even more broken furnace. A furnace damaged beyond repair. A furnace you then have to replace, costing you thousands of dollars more than a repair appointment.
By calling us right away, you avoid all that uncertainty about where to start, and eliminate the risk of further damage. We’re constantly training, then re-training, and then doing some more training so that we’re the best in the business.
You’ll never have to worry when a Husky tech takes control of your furnace, because our wealth of knowledge and NATE certifications will ensure you are in the best possible hands.
3. You Could Severely Injure Yourself
Any do-it-yourself project comes with risks, but when you start tinkering with mechanical systems, that risk increases. There are a lot of moving parts, which means more potential for things to go wrong.
A wrong move with do-it-yourself furnace repair could result in a serious injury. You could be hurt through the process of trying to make the repair, or get caught in a gas explosion like Laurie.
Serious injuries not only cause you to suffer, but they cost you time and money. The length of time it takes to recover is time that you can’t spend working.
Safety should be your number one priority, and your safest option is to put down the tools and pick up the phone or computer to make an appointment with professional company.
What You Get When You Leave It to the Pros
There’s a reason we’re called licensed HVAC professionals – it’s our job to know what the problem is, fix it, and keep you safe in the process. And we’re very good at our jobs. When you leave it to the pros, you get a lot of perks.
Peace of Mind
You don’t have to worry if you’re doing it right, or if you’re one step away from a disaster. You get the peace of mind that you, your family, and your home are safe.
Less Time Without Heat
The sooner you call us, the sooner we can get to you. This means less time without heat – and in a Toronto winter, you really don’t want to be without heat.
A Guarantee
Our service comes with a guarantee – if anything we repair fails within 90 days of the original repair appointment, we’ll come back and fix it free of charge.
The Do-It-Yourself Furnace Repair You CAN Do
There is one thing you can do to help keep your furnace running smoothly: you can change the furnace filter.
A furnace filter that’s clogged with dirt and debris will decrease energy efficiency. Eventually you’ll end up paying more for less heat.
We have an article on not only when to change your air filter, but how to do it >
Don’t Tempt Fate; Leave It to Us
You may think that none of this will happen to you, but don’t tempt fate. Instead, make a furnace repair appointment with us! We’ll have your furnace working again, with time to spare before the real snow gets here.
Call us at 905-761-9485 or Request A Free Quote