As an inspector, I am required to inspect the cooling system using normal operating controls. Compression cooling is often referred to as an air conditioning system.
I have learn that any system used to intentionally heat, cool or ventilate the indoor air is also referred to as Air conditioning.
I have learnt that residential air conditioners are typically split systems. There is always an outside and inside unit. There are also packaged-unit air conditioners, these contain all of the components in one unit (the compressor, condenser, evaporator and expansion devise).
I have learnt that air conditioners are sized by their capacity in terms of tons. I should also calculate the home’s cooling load and correctly size the central air-conditioning system.
A Compressor, which lives inside the condensing unit, is part of a split-system air conditioner or heat pumps outdoor condensing unit. A Compressor helps control the amount of pressure applied to the refrigerant needed for removing heat to keep your house cool or taking in heat to warm your house. Similar to the Condensing Unit it is critical to ensure that your Compressor is clean and clear of any debris to prevent blockages and to prevent having your HVAC unit work harder than is necessary.
Attic pull-down stairways, or ladders, mount permanently to attic floor framing and provide a means of reaching the homes attic space. The ladder itself folds up inside the attic when not in use. When you pull open the access door the ladder unfolds, allowing easier entry to the space than awkwardly balancing on a step ladder.
The is a photo of a leak, found during an inspection of the hot-water heater cold line. You may also notice that there is no shut-off valve for it (but I believe that’s ok, the hot does have one). This is a defect that would go in the report with a recommendation for immediate review by a qualified plumber.
I reviewed the article called “Hard Water”. It was informative. I learned that the hardness is defined by excessive amount of deposits (mostly calcium and magnesium). There are five classifications of hardness (from ‘soft’ to ‘very hard’). Softeners and conditioners can be used to reduce these deposits.
There are many things that you should never do when using a ladder. You should never bounce on any of the rungs, skip any of the rungs when climbing or descending or climb the ladder while holding tools or other objects.
Inspected Air Conditioner was found not in operation condition. The Conditioner was identified on the basis of information contained on the manufacturer’s label attached to the condenser. The unit was identified as manufactured by the Unitary Air Conditioning Equipment, Air Conditioner Model # CA 3036UKB1, Serial L901622707. Manufactured in 1990 with refrigerant R22 and RLA 18.8.
The unit was much behind expected life service. Estimated unit capacity 3 Ton. Recommendation was to replace the unit with a new one.
This is a Carrier 3 ton air handler built in 2013.This unit looks to be maintained very well. All return and supply ducts look good . The drain pan is free of rust and the thermo coupler switch is in good condition. The air filter has just been replaced and this should be done monthly.
Homeowners can do a lot of the inspection work themselves on there ac units. The exterior condenser unit is the large box located on the side of the building that is designed to push heat from the inside of the building to the outdoors. It must be clean and free from a debris surrounding it. Must also inspect the drain line for obstructions, such as algae or debris. If the line becomes blocked, water will back up into the drain pan and overflow. The air filter must also be clean. This should be cleaned once a month or replaced if it is a disposable type.
This picture is of a HVAC unit that was leaking from a-coil this is a common occurrence and usually attributed to a clogged condensate line and while a simple problem and simple fix it can be catastrophic for home owners it causes water intrusion into floors and ceilings
In the picture, we have the condensation piping from underneath the furnace that is in the attic of a house. Through further inspection, the PVC piping exits the house on the upper back wall with an elbow facing down at the point of termination. In the picture, we see a vent stack that allows helps regulate the air pressure in the system. All joints appear to have a tight seal and no water or condensation was present on the surfaces around or under the furnace.
This essay is on a HVAC inspection . HVAC inspections are important because it gives the home owner an idea of what they are buying and an idea of how long they can expect the unit to last and ways to prolong the correct operation of units.
What I wasnt aware of is that there is an estimates 500 fires that result annually from misuse or malfunction of grills. It is estimated that 20 people die annually from ingestion of CO from charcoal grills according to the CPSC. Also learned that having a propane grill on a balcony, terrace, or roof is illegal. Even learned that having a propane 2 tank on said property over 20lbs is not allowed.
I selected drawing of piston type compressor used in air conditioning system for pushing refrigerant to flow around the system. It was typical compressor commonly used in residential air conditioning system. This compressor is located inside the outdoor condenser unit.
After entering the crawl space under the home and inspecting the HVAC ducting it was found the air intake line was disconnected and sucking in the humid outside air into the unit. This causes the package HVAC unit to work harder cooling down the air in the home raising the electrical cost. Also it can bring in dirty air into the system cause the filter to clog before their expected normal change out time. While under the home more joints where found not sealed . Also the air intake duct behind the filter was very dirty causing increased energy cost, Health issues, Restricts the HVAC system.
While inspecting a garage it was found it was noticed the roof truss’s had been altered . The truss’s had plywood triangle gusset’s added . These truss’s are made to bear loads at specific points and typically should not touch any interior wall and should bear only on exterior walls. It was found a portion of the roof load was being transferred to the bottom chords of the trusses at a point they where not designed to support. It was reported that any change in the structure of a truss needs to be inspected and signed off by a structural engineer.
Upon inspecting the water heater I noticed it was clearly labeled to be an electric water heater. The water heater was manufactured October 2015, which was conveniently labeled. The water heater is relatively new and also has an expansion tank installed on the top of the unit.
In the article, Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systemsby Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard, they explain the various types of geothermal heat pumps and their benefits. Geotermal Heat pumps use the constant temperature of the earth to heat and cool a house using various configurations of piping located underground. These units are more costly to install but are more efficient and pay for themselves in 5-10 years.
I inspected an air-condition system. I was able to see that outside unit was properly installed and insulated. The air conditioner vent was direct into the room.
There were 5 Units to supply each room. The units had enough capacity to supply all the rooms.
The two images are of a Carrier heat pump and disconnect. The disconnect is to be with in sight of condensing unit. It is mounted to the wall about two feet behind the unit with easy access. The unit set on a pad to keep off the ground. Unit was running at time of inspection. Fan motor was working and exhausting heat as it should do.
