Week 24: DIY - Air Conditioning Maintenance

After repeatedly booking my AC service and the technician failing to show up every time, I was beyond frustrated. My AMC felt like a total waste. That’s when I decided—I’m going to take matters into my own hands.

With my recent wins fixing both my washing machine and my old laptop, I’d built up a little confidence. So, I figured—why not give the AC a shot too?

I started by removing the filters, then opened the flap and carefully took off the entire top layer of the indoor unit. With a damp cloth, I gently wiped down the internals and left it to dry. In the meantime, I washed the filters and the outer casing, let them dry, and then reassembled everything.

It might not sound like a big deal—but it was, for me. Because this was a step toward something I feel we’re quickly losing: the ability (and willingness) to fix things ourselves.

These days, we’re just a tap away from booking services—be it AC repair, washing machine, plumbing, anything. While that's great for convenience, I feel as engineers—problem solvers at heart—we should try fixing things on our own first. Isn’t that the spirit of engineering?

If we hesitate to solve simple household problems, how can we expect to tackle tough ones at work—especially in code?

Sure, it’s not easy. It’s frustrating. You’ll probably mess up a few times. But that’s where the growth and reward is. That’s where the satisfaction is.