The large condensor box that sits outside your home has a very specific job to do. It is responsible for "refrigerating" hot air from your home and then sending the cold air back into your home. It contains some very important components that should not be trifled with and should only be examined and repaired by an HVAC contractor. If you want to avoid any major air conditioning repairs, here are three things you should not use your air conditioner's parts for and why.

Do Not Use the Condenser Box as a Ladder Stabilizer

Although this should be common sense, several people have mistakenly used the condenser box as a stabilization platform for ladders to the roof. The condenser box cannot hold the weight of a full-grown adult on a ladder, nor should it be a substitute for someone else holding the ladder steady as you climb to your roof. The top portion of the condenser box holds the air fan, which keeps the air conditioner's motor cool and keeps it from failing, much like the radiator fan in your car. A ladder and a two-hundred-pound individual on the top could break through and damage the fan and maybe even some of the other components inside, not to mention seriously injuring you in the process.

Do Not Use the Refrigerant to Speed the Cooling of Your Food or Drink

Most central air conditioners have some type of refrigerant in them to help them cool hot air quickly. In the event that you want a cold beer or need to replace your freezer temporarily, do not revert to removing the refrigerant from your air conditioner. Not only will it render your air conditioner useless, but it is also deadly poison and very dangerous to touch liquid refrigerant with bare skin. Even attempting to remove the refrigerant's receptacle could cause some serious damage to the air conditioner (and harm to you) that would be quite costly to fix.

Do Not Try to Remove the Electrical Wiring and Use It for Something Else

The electrical system in your central air conditioner is designed specifically for your AC unit. The wires inside are insulated and set to channel power between the AC unit outside and the fuse box inside. Ripping these large cables and wires out of the unit, even when the unit is not working or turned on, can result in irreparable damage to both you and the air conditioner. There is plenty of high current running from the fuse box to the air conditioner, which can electrocute you. Whatever you may have seen on an episode of MacGyver, not all wires are compatible in all electrical devices. Contact a company like Allied Air Conditioning & Heating Corp for more information.