The pictures above are from a split AC system. The units were installed in 2002 and they are a 4 ton. The units are in working order and appeared to be well maintained, the condenser coils were free of leaves or debris. The owner stated that the capacitor for the compressor and the evaporator in the handler had been changed approx 2.5 years earlier when they moved in. The air handler in the garage was in good condition and the ducts were sealed and appeared to be in good condition.
Adobe inspection
Adobe is a building material made with clay sand water and organic material such as sticks or straw. Mostly found in warm dry climates adobe has a high resistance for heat due to its thick wall building construction. The united states southwest is a common area because of this. Adobe resists heat all day and then slowly releases it during the cool nights. These structures last a long time in this climate. New Mexico is said to have the oldest church in the country constructed of adobe.
Inspectors should be aware of moisture damage in these buildings. Adobe is very vulnerable to water damage causing cracks, pitting, coving and deforming. This can compromise structural integrity.
Thank you,
Frank
This is a York air conditioner condenser and compressor. It is a split system and was made in May of 2015. It is in new condition and works as suppose to. There is a pad under it and it is level.
s level.
Research Exercise
Central Air-Conditioning System Inspection
It is important to have you air-conditioning system in good working order so it will be efficient and to not shorten its expected service life. Some things that the homeowner can do are keep the area around the condenser unit clear and free of leaves or other plant material. The homeowner should also change the airfilter on a regular basis. A dirty airfilter causes the air handler to work harder. A visual inspection of the condensate lines making sure that they are able to flow freely is important because if the are clogged by debris or algae the water could back up and over flow into the home. For more in depth cleaning of the evaporator coils and checking the freon levels should be left to a licensed AC contractor.
The article I chose is Increasing Home Energy Efficiency.
Interestingly, the article cites that up to half of the energy used in homes goes toward heating and cooling. As such, there are several ways to increase efficiency in a homes heating and cooling systems. Some of those suggestions are:
-insulating heating ducts
-replace air filters
-draw curtains over windows at night
-install a programmable thermostat
This is a picture of one air filter. All are dirty. All need to be replaced.
The article I chose was Ventilation ducts and fans in Bathrooms. Ventilation systems in the bathrooms are designed so that odors and moist air from escaping to the outside of housing. Traditional systems consist of a ceiling fan connected to a conduit which terminates at the roof level. First and foremost, a bathroom fan must be connected to a pipe capable of venting steam and odors outside of housing. Any mold growth in the bathroom or attic is a clear indication that the ventilation is not adequate and must be restored in order to avoid degradation of the structure and respiratory health problems.
Just finished reading"Check on your HVAC (Before they check out on you)
It’s amazing to me that the number of people that do not remember to change the filters or do any regular service. You would think that they would want to reduce the costs and make the environment in there home a better place to be, Cleaner air to breath or less money going out the door. It does not take that much time to do service or have it done to make things last and there life better.
This is a Goodman manufacturing 14 sear residential air conditioner compressor. Date of manufacture was 05/2015. The unit is functional and in good condition. This unit was in operation at the time of inspection. A large colony of fire ants was present inside the base of the unit and around the exterior.
Check on your HVAC system before they check out on you.
The importance of regular maintenance of a HVAC system cannot be understated to homeowners. HVAC systems generally fail under stress and generally during the hottest or coldest part of the year. A regular maintenance plane can help to reduce not only the yearly cost of running the system but surprise failure costs as well. Homeowners can take preventative steps on their own. Changing air filters regularly as well as keeping the outside compressor debris free and clean will help extend system life and efficiency. If the unit is older and is failing it may be more cost efficient to replace rather than repair. That decision should be made by consulting your HVAC technician.
AC Inspection
Here is an inspection I did on my AC condensing unit. The unit does have an electrical disconnect with in a few feet. The lines going into the house have been well sealed and the insulation is in good condition. The lines going to the unit are in good working condition. As you can see in the third picture the unit is in need of a cleaning. According to the http://www.buildingcenter.org/goodman website this unit was manufactured in September of 09. The unit did slope away from the house just a little and it is equipped with a Saver switch provided by Xcel.
ENERGY STAR Program Criticized
After reading this article it was little disheartening to see how easy it was to get bogus products into the Energy Star Program. It sounds as if the Energy Star Program is run on the honor system. If that is indeed the case, what is the need for the program?
I inspection the furnace which is located in the attic of this home. Upon entering in the attic I first found that there was a switch located in the correct location that operates a light fixture. The light fixture operated properly and was located in the correct location for an inspection of the furnace. Upon entering the attic there was the correct amount of solid material to access the furnace and also create the required platform in front of the furnace.
Upon examining this this Lennox Pulse furnace, exposed wires were found. Also found were cut wires with no wire nuts attached to them. The neutral (white) wire going to the shut off switch was much discolored. With further examination it was found that wire nut was not properly secured to the wires. And the neutral wires were loosely twisted.
Research exercise
Foreclosures
Is the forfeiture of one’s property thru nonpayment of agreed upon mortgage terms, property taxes, Home owners association fees, unpaid contractor bills. These are the most common causes. Depending on which state you live in mandates the legal process of how foreclosures are handled. While all states have judicial foreclosure, some states have non-judicial foreclosure, and a few others have strict foreclosure laws in place.
This is a photo of a return air vent.
It also has provisions for a passive air filter.
This particular system uses plenum distribution.
HVAC
The condenser unit is usually located on the outside of a building and is designed to push heat from the inside of the building to the outdoors.
A central air-conditioning system must be periodically inspected and maintained in order to function properly.
Air filters remove pollen, dust and other particles that would otherwise circulate indoors.
This is a rooftop packaged HVAC system which really isn’t discussed in the course. A natural gas fueled furnace, the air conditioner evaporator coil, condenser coil, and compressor are are packed together in one unit.
There isn’t a drip leg on the gas line. There are gas and electric shutoffs at the unit.
Identify and describe how heat is conveyed and how it is it fueled in a heating system. Is the heat conveyed by air, water, steam , or electricity? Is it fueled by fuel oil, natural gas, propane, electricity, coal, wood, kerosene, or pellets?
A Garage Inspection
The article is not as much about a garage inspection, but taking the time to look closer at a defect. It’s obvious from the picture in this article that someone has altered the trusses in this garage. But because the inspector took the time and looked closer, he also found Inadequate hangers/fasteners and improper fastener installation.
In short, take time to look at all the details because some problems may be larger than what they seem on the surface.