MULTI-METER
The first and most important tool that you should have at your disposal is a multimeter.
A good digital multi-meter is worth its weight in gold when determining what is wrong with an electrical component. If you don’t have one of these, it will be tough to figure out what is wrong with your equipment. Not impossible, but if you are a DIY individual, you’ve got one laying around. This single tool is all you will need to diagnose what is wrong with your equipment.
SCREWDRIVERS/ NUT DRIVERS
You should have a phillips head and flat head screwdrivers for loosening screws on control boards and thermostats. The majority of screws on a furnace and ac unit are ¼” and 5/16” so those 2 size nut drivers are awesome to have. If you don’t have those, however, you can use a socket wrench and those size sockets. An extension will also help extend your reach for screws deep in the back. Another tool that you should have is a wire brush or some fine sandpaper to clean flame sensors as this is a common issue if you haven’t had furnace maintenance in a while.
The last tool that will help you greatly when determining an issue, is a jumper wire. A jumper wire will help you when diagnosing a bad thermostat or safety switch. It should be noted that jumping out any safety is not a repair and can cause serious injury or death! It is only to be used for diagnosing purposes. Any questions, feel to reach out via our messenger feature!
