2 Reasons Not To Replace Your Home's Gas Furnace Yourself

If your home's current gas furnace has either started going bad or has broken down completely, you may have already picked out a replacement model. You may also be thinking about taking on the job of installing the heating unit yourself. However, you should think twice about trying to install a gas furnace without the proper training or licensure. In fact, replacing it yourself may be illegal in your area, depending on where you live. Here are a couple of reasons why doing this job yourself is a bad idea.

1.  Incorrect Connections Can Cause Major Problems

One major reason why you should not attempt to replace your own gas furnace is that you may not be able to adequately secure all of the gas connections. Even if you leave only a very minute space between two lines, the small amount of gas that is released into the air could cause a couple of problems.

First and foremost, leaking gas creates a fire and explosion hazard. Especially in the wintertime when your home is closed up, the accumulated gas could be ignited by a small flame.

Second, while natural gas is safe while it is burning properly, if too much gas is delivered to the burner, carbon monoxide is released because of the burnoff of the excess gas. Carbon monoxide can make you and your family members sick over time.

It is better to leave the installation to professionals who have the proper tools and experience to connect the lines properly as well as recognize any potential issues.

2.  Warranty on Your Furnace May Be Voided

Another reason why you should not install your own furnace is that you could end up voiding the warranty on the unit. Companies that sell heating units do so with the assumption that the unit will be professionally installed by a contractor with a license and experience. 

If you break something while you are trying to install the heating unit, there is a strong possibility that the company will not honor the warranty. This could end up costing you more money than just hiring an HVAC contractor to replace the unit.

Unless you have the training and are licensed to install a furnace, especially a gas one, you should leave it up to a professional contractor to ensure that that the job is safely and properly completed. Contact a company that offers residential HVAC replacement services to discuss your options for having them do the job for you. 

Share