Buying a Home? 4 Reasons You Need to Inspect the HVAC

Summertime is here. With it comes ice cream cones, endless sunshine, and a marked increase in the percentage of people looking to buy and sell their homes. 

There’s no denying that buying a home is a complicated process. There are papers to sign, plans to make, boxes to pack, loans to acquire, and so on and so forth. That’s not all, either. There are school districts to consider, nearby shops to map out, and, of course… inspections. Inspections are arguably one of the most important parts of the home buying process since they make sure the home you’re buying is safe for your family to live in. 

Standard home inspections cover a lot, but they don’t cover the in-depth health of your home’s HVAC. That’s one reason why it’s important to make sure you have an HVAC inspection for your potential home purchase. 

There are a few other reasons to have your heating and cooling system looked at by a specialist, too. We’ll cover them below.

The average home inspection doesn’t provide thorough HVAC testing.

Important clarification: home inspectors don’t completely ignore a home’s heating and cooling. They’ll check to make sure your HVAC equipment is working properly. What they won’t be able to tell you is if there’s a hidden crack on your heat exchanger, or heavy metal build-up in your water heater. They might be able to see that your air conditioner works, but they won’t look close enough to know whether or not the coolant is being processed the right way. A trained specialist will be able to suss out these and other potential problems before papers are signed and it’s too late to seek compensation.

Your home’s HVAC system accounts for a large part of your monthly energy bill.

According to research done by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, heating and air conditioning makes up more than half of a household’s monthly and yearly energy costs. These already substantial numbers grow further when a home’s heat or air aren’t working optimally. Professional inspections can find the leaks, loose connections, clogs, or other hold-ups that could lose you money. Buying a home is costly enough without having to worry about additional financial loss.

It’s not cheap to completely replace a home’s heating and cooling.

Moving into a house and finding out a few months later that it requires a major HVAC overhaul isn’t a pleasant thought. Having your potential new home’s HVAC inspected by a specialist before you sign final papers will protect you from that potential cost. You’ll be able to write compensation into your final agreement or come to another arrangement that leaves everyone satisfied. A standard or DIY inspection won’t carry the same weight that the word of a heating and cooling specialist will when it comes to making these types of deals.

HVAC inspection isn’t just about functionality, it’s about health.

Making sure your new HVAC system is working isn’t just about keeping warm or cool, it’s about protecting the health of you and your family. Poorly maintained air conditioning systems can lead to mold development. If this mold gets into ductwork, it can end up contaminating an entire home. Furnaces are combustion appliances, which means that, like gas stoves, they need to be properly vented to protect homeowners from carbon monoxide. A professional HVAC technician will not only be able to diagnose any of these potential issues, but also make sure they’re addressed before move-in.

So… how do I inspect my home’s HVAC?

To be honest, you shouldn’t. When it comes to home inspections, you’re going to want to enlist the help of a professional. That’s because DIY HVAC inspections and repair can have surprising, unexpected costs for the home buyer. Financially, it can void existing warranties. Aside from that, HVAC systems work with electricity and chemicals, which can cause harm to anyone not trained for dealing with them. 

So what do you do? Call on experts like the heating, cooling, and air technicians at Welter Heating. They’ll be able to give you the inspection you need to be assured when making your purchase and you won’t have to worry about who to call if you have any future HVAC problems. This is especially helpful for folks who are moving across state lines. Less worry means more time spent enjoying the comfort of a brand new home that’s all your own.