Is the Do It Yourselfer Putting Air Conditioning Repair Co Out of Business?

Air conditioning contractors across the western states report record low earnings at the close of summer 2012. Though it is still too early to say for sure but some companies speculate that their earnings will be down more than 20% by yearend.

Jeff Delgado a 13 year AC contractor that employs 9 technicians, down from 19 last year, said that he sees 3 causes for the decrease. The number of foreclosure is pretty high right now so those systems don't get repaired. With the economy so tight we are seeing more and more people that will pay us to diagnose the unit then will repair the air conditioner problem themselves. The last reason is there are a lot more parts houses today that sell direct to homeowners. In the past this was next to impossible to find. Any part that you need to fix your own air conditioner can be bought online. That makes it very hard for some contractors to stay competitive.

Jeff's reasoning seems to hold true to most areas throughout the US. Homeowners seem to be searching for ways to save a few bucks and learning to repair your own air conditioner or heater is on that list.

A central air conditioner is made up of 22 basic components that have a specific job when cooling or heating your home. 18 of those AC components can be replaced using the kind of tools you would find in a common toolbox. The remaining components involve the refrigerant lines and a closed gas system. Fortunately these are the least likely parts to break on an air conditioner. For this reason it seems that Do It Yourself types are flocking to the internet to read and watch videos on how to repair your own air conditioner and heating.

Some online air conditioning parts stores also offer help with deciding what you need to make the repair. They might also make suggestions on what to do for preventative maintenance. The key to dealing with them is terminology. So if you do not understand what they are talking about ask for a description.

Like any electric appliance, there are a number of precautions to take as you fix your own air conditioner.To spite the fact this is an electrical devise with 230 volts, it can be remarkably safe to fix if you just follow a few simple steps. The most important is to cut the power, and then discharge the capacitor. Follow these steps to ensure your safety when you repair your own air conditioner and furnace.