Should I Install My Own HVAC or Use A Pro?

There is a pro and con list for every decision you make, especially when it comes to home improvement projects and the decision to “do it yourself” or hire a professional. For certain projects, doing it yourself can save you a lot of money and make for a more personalized outcome and a sense of pride. Other projects, however, have the potential to go very wrong without the help of a professional.

Installing your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (referred to as HVAC) system is one project that should take careful consideration before deciding to do it yourself. There are a lot of components that need careful and knowledgeable attention.

Reasons to hire a professional to install your HVAC:

You might think that you could save a lot of money by installing your HVAC yourself, but the fact is that you could potentially end up spending more money due to incorrect installation, tools and equipment, and repair costs down the line.

Actually, you might save money by hiring the professional instead. HVAC contractors usually have access to wholesale prices when buying their equipment, and can get a better price than you could buying it yourself. In some cases, you might even have a hard time finding a company that will sell the equipment to an unlicensed individual. Often, the money saved on the unit itself can negate the potential savings of doing it yourself.

A professional will likely guarantee their work, and include a warranty to cover you in the event that anything goes wrong.

Often, the warranty for the HVAC unit itself will not be valid unless it is installed by a professional, and licensed, contractor.

It can be very difficult to acquire the proper permits needed to install an HVAC system, and there are rules and codes that need to be followed.

Specific licensing is required to purchase and use certain refrigerants that are used in HVAC systems, and it really isn’t worth the trouble of acquiring these when you can hire a professional.

When installing an HVAC system, there are hazardous materials and electrical work that needs to be done by a knowledgeable professional. Your health and safety are not worth the potential to save a few bucks.

The duct work in itself can be complicated, and has to be installed correctly otherwise your HVAC system will not work efficiently or at all. There are almost no “do it yourself” instructions available to complete this project because it is almost never recommended that you attempt this sort of project without professional help.

Overall, it is best to hire a professional to install your HVAC system. While many may think that doing an HVAC installation yourself could save money, it could actually cost you more in the long run. Even if you could save some money by doing it yourself, the complicated nature of the project, and the sheer number of things that could go wrong, is worth hiring a professional.