The Importance of HVAC Inspection Before Buying a House in Minnesota

HVAC inspection includes your furnace, air conditioner and venting. Overall appearance of each heating and cooling system will provide valuable information such as the overall maintenance standards and quality of the equipment. Most home inspectors will turn on the heat or air and check that all air vents are blowing warm or cool air. Home inspectors will check the age of the equipment and possibly let you know if replacement costs of the HVAC (furnace and A/C) will be needed soon.

A thorough HVAC inspection by a Minnesota home inspection company will check the flame pattern of the furnace and look for rust or black carbon deposits. An HVAC inspection is a very important part of a home buyer’s inspection, and here’s why-

What is a HVAC inspection?

HVAC stands for Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning system. An HVAC inspection is a technical and critical part of any Minnesota home inspection. Some home inspectors will measure carbon monoxide exhaust; however, it may be best for a qualified HVAC technician to measure combustion gases like carbon monoxide. Certified HVAC technicians specialize in testing and inspecting heating and cooling components a home inspector can’t see. A furnace and air conditioner that is well maintained is a great thing to find during a home inspection. We recommend that you have your HVAC company always leave the service date, and what was done posted to the side of your furnace.

Cost of Heating and cooling systems

Heat is very important to Minnesota homes because our winters are extremely cold. Fires often start in winter when families turn to space heaters when their heat system is inefficient or not working. Air conditioners cannot be inspected in temperatures below 65 degrees F without risk of damaging components so will not be turned on during a Minnesota home inspection in the winter. Air conditioning units are not as critical in Minnesota but can be more expensive than a furnace to replace. Air conditioners generally do not last as long as furnaces. The average life of an air conditioner is 16-23 years, and a furnace can last 30 or more years.

Conclusion

An HVAC inspection is an important part of a Minnesota home inspection. You may end up investing in a property that also needs between $5,000 and $7,500 costs in a new heating and cooling system. A Minnesota home inspector will try to determine the condition of your furnace and air conditioner usually be visible clues, and air movement when in operation. Vibrations, rust, leaks and poor venting can usually be discovered during a visual inspection. You will want to hire a reliable and experienced home inspection like Minnesota Building Inspections.