Certificate aside, what is your opinion on Water Furnace closed loop ground source heat pump’s water assist feature available on some model’s for water heaters?
More info at:
Me think it sucks!
Doug that was a great soap box speech and all but as a expert in the field of Heat Pumps where did you explain what he should be checking for other than a couple links that anyone with a computer (all of us) could post ?
Not just knocking you but “everyone” here so far that seems to have gone off on some wild eyed tangent rather than actually helping the OP.
My personal opinion is everyone here knows dirt about Heat Pumps other than what they can copy and paste off a website to look smart. 
'bob, pull your head out of the orifice for a second and see that I provided two links for him or anyone else that is “really” interested to go LEARN how a heat pump operates. That is what he asked for. No one on here gives more speeches than you do, mostly about how wonderful you are at nothing. A good inspector learns his or her craft and should NOT have to come onto a board such as this to ask questions every time they run up on a problem or situation they do not understand and end up getting advise from folks like you who don’t know **** about their questions but just like to run off at the mouth. Most questions usually get one right response, a dozen SWAGs (scientific wild *** guesses) and a hundred wrong opinions.
I figure the only reason you responded was because I must have hit nerve. If the shoe does not fit, dont wear it, but it does own it.
Testing heat pump operation is quite simple actually! :-0
Just follow these few simple steps:
- Turn off the emergency heat circuit breaker.
- Disconnect the outdoor fan wire at the defrost board relay.
- Turn on the heat pump in the heating mode.
The condensing coil will begin to freeze up. - Disconnect the defrost sensor from the circuit board.
- Install an ohmmeter across the sensor. It is a NO device.
- When the condensing coil freezes enough the sensor will close as indicated on the ohmmeter.
The temperature at which this happens should coincide with the temperature rating of the sensor device. This can be accomplished by converting refrigerant pressure to temperature based upon the refrigerant type. - Place a jumper wire across the sensor terminals on the defrost board.
- Install a jumper wire across the test terminals on the defrost board.
This will increase the clock speed of the defrost controller to 1 second = 1 minute.
Depending on the control board settings, it would take about 45 seconds for the controller to initiate a defrost. - Immediately remove the jumper on the test terminals when the board initiates a defrost.
You have less than five seconds to complete this task or the defrost board will take the unit back out of defrost because there is a system override of five minutes in the event of a bad defrost sensor. - Once the ice is melted from the condenser coil (uniformly). Remove the jumper on the sensor terminals of the defrost board. This will switch the unit back into the heating mode.
- Reattached the outdoor fan wire to the appropriate relay terminal.
During this procedure you will determine:
proper reversing valve operation
Auxiliary heat operation
defrost sensor
defrost circuit board clock
refrigerant charge in the heating mode
restriction potential in distributor tubes
Off the top of my head, I think that about covers it.
That is beyond the scope of my inspections.
Thanks Dave
You posted actual information.
Doug you slam Dev for not being a heat pump expert when you do not provide proof you know a Damn thing about them and yes I hate pretentious bloggers.
You examine lots of heat pumps in Canada do you?
Thank you Gentleman, always informative…
Charlie, is there another way to be non-invasive that would be more accurate.
You asked me direct and I will answer your question without all the drama. One of my inspections yesterday was a 4 ton heat pump on a total electric home. I will tell you exactally what I did to inspect this unit. Afternoon inspection 101 degrees outside ambient @ 1:PM. Naturally the unit was already operating in the cooling mode. It was a split system with a horizional electric furnace in the attic I removd the front furnace cover and exposed the four 15KW heat strips. I then went to the stat and turned to emergency heat went back to the attic and checked each heat element with a amp meter each element was drawing approximately 20 amps per element. Replace the cover and went back to the thermostat and turned it to normal heat raised the set point above room temp went outside the exterior condensing unit had reversed and was operating normalin the heat mode went back in side and turned the stat to the off position and left it therefor about 10 minutes before turning the stat back to the cool position.
What did I determine
- The unit performed as intended in the cooling mode
- The unit performed as intended in the emergency heat mode and all 4 elements were in operation.
- The reversing valve did operate as intended in the normal heat mode.
No defrost cycle is determined by me @ the time of inspection.
Dave likes to be a little techie I like to keep it simple.
Bob did not learn much about heat pumps as a appliance delivery boy for Sears but Dam he can hook up a hell-of-a-gas line:roll:
Bob, Thanks for proving my point again. You can’t or won’t read very well. (1) I never slammed Dev (2) Where the hell did you get the idea I lived in Canada when “Florida” is at the top of my post (we have a few Heat pumps here). (3) Where did you prove YOU know anything about HPs. I must have missed that.
Btw, I am a certified / trained HVAC and refrigeration technician with EPA certification. Its called going to schools and taking the time to get trained. I also have certifications from the State of FL in Residential and Comericial Carpentry, Plumbing and Electrical. Hope this satisfies you. Jackass.
Devereaux,
First make sure it is a heat pump! Check for the existence of a reversing valve in the condenser unit. If that is present make sure the house has a correct thermostatic control (i.e one for a heat pump - probably says “emergency heat”.)
Turn it on to A/C and see if it cools the house. You are not an HVAC guy and have been hired to give a general inspection of the property.
Turn it to heat and see if it produces warm air. Probably a good indication that the reversing valve actually works. The “emergency heat” position should produce warm air through the backup heating system (electric, gas etc).
Most importantly explain to the buyer how a heat pump works.
There are some inspectors on this page that are very well versed in the HVAC arena. They give their clients more knowledge on how the system is working. I applaud that! In fact I even learned a lot more and earned my Texas HVAC license. This has helped me and has enabled me to perform more HVAC diagnostics which help my client. For example, in Texas you cannot test the refrigerants unless you hold an EPA card and a Texas HVAC license. Bottom line - learn as much as possible about the HVAC system!
The point was that it can not be made “simple” in every case.
I have provided “very simple” in the past and it’s been rejected regardless.
I’m not telling anyone “how” to do it, I’m pointing out why you “shouldn’t” do it…
The question is about Heat Pumps.
What is the difference of a HP and an A/C?
Reversing valve, Aux Heat, defrost cycle control.
There is more to a HP and few in the business can even do it. They just change out parts till it works. You have no way of knowing otherwise.
If you don’t test the above components you are only testing an A/C unit.
Anyone want to venture the cost of the above components and their installation?
More than your Inspection Fee! More than 6 times for most of you. 
So if you don’t do the above, you’d better not advertise that you “Test” HP’s.
Dave as you know we have appliance delivery guys that reject every thing that is stated reguardless it matters not. I just move on some you can help some need to just deliver appliances for a living. I loose no sleep over guys like that;-)
My reply was the first with helpful information so care to read it or are you only focused on your belly button…
**Had one last night in a condo.
Here is a great PDF on operation for a water derived model.(yes the one from last night)
I know little about them myself and look forward to basic information .
They are fairly rare in Chicago
http://www.whalencompany.com/pdfs/seriesvi.pdf
**
Your first reply was as follows…
**Trying to explain HVAC to the average HI is difficult because most won’t take the time to try and get educated on it. Just the thermostat confuses them
**
I state what I know and you simply insult the majority of members so who is the helpful versus the pretentious.
Charlie is Charlie and he is an HVAC expert who likes to show he can still climb roofs in his old age which is good for him.“Good for you Charlie”
Again David posted information without insulting others which shows he can at least deal with people.
Yes and your second post you was just being a A S S draging me into the conversation for no reason. I have never jumped your case about anything. If you want to go tit for tat with me we can do it. I grew up with 11 siblings and know just more than a few thngs
Simply forgot the smiley buddy.
Come on now (((Charley))) it is no secret you are over the top on HVAC inspections suggestions for general Home Inspection.
Be happy have not compared you and HVAC to Joe Tedesco and Electric as of yet…
Put up " dare ya" put em up.
I get serious about my business and taking care of clients. I am a confirmed beleiver that a inspector should know more about a HVAC system than operating a Stat, Know more about plumbing than flusing a commode and know more about electrical than turning on the light switch. Some on this BB have a inversion to getting education to a higher level.
17 years ago when I did my first inspection I had the ability to install heating and cooling , all the plumbing and completely wire electrically a new home, I brought that level of education to the table but I did not feel that was the level of education I wanted to properly operate my business and to this day I have contuined to learn and I will still be learning until the day they throw dirt in my face.
So if you want to make smiley faces at my frugual attempt to help other inspectors learn a little so be it just have a ball.
I am not a general home inspector, Internachi is full of them I beat to my own drum. I set my standards above Inter-nachi above the State of Okla and it keeps my phone ringing from all four corners of this State.
I don’t sell hearing aids I don’t scam clients out of their insurance money I don’t make 40 thousand post on this FU message board and I don’t give a crap about Thornberry eithics or the eithics police.
When I die I most likely will go to a better place because I treat animals and humans fairly and honestly and I wear a red hat when in public;-)
And the women LOVE that red hat Charley
I do understand how a heat pump works, I was mostly curious on the proper way to inspect one since it seemed to be a vague topic in these forums. I do appreciate all the tips and the insight from those of you that are experts in HVAC.
I should of jumped in and answered your question from the git go but I try some times to let other people answer. I reget that:(