Has anyone else had AC inspections done lately that might be questionable? Ive sold a number of property's in recent months and a very high percentage of the AC inspections are coming back with whole systems needing to be replaced. Every single one of these was a system that's working just fine, no leaks, no complaints, nice and cold but the inspector comes back and says stuff like they are "rusted out" and must be replaced. This of course spooks the buyer into thinking the system is toast and leaves the seller with a tough choice to make. Replace an AC system that likely has many years left in it or risk a buyer walking. These same inspectors just happen to be the ones offering to replace the systems. I'm sure enough sellers fall for it that the companies have a perpetual supply of business just from feeding off of their own inspections. The frequency seems so high that some of these guys are one step off of scam artist in my opinion.

Its a risk with any contractor doing an inspection.

Recently saw a recommendation for a hard start kit for $350 on an invoice from a $100 AC tune up on a house that I was doing a one year warranty inspection on. So a 10 month old condenser that from everything I could see was working just fine and from what I know about hard start kits, not really a candidate.

The guy also said that the freon was not properly balanced or something weird and that it needed some 2 hour procedure to properly equalize it. Something I had never heard of in my time dealing with houses.

Unfortunately, not something you can control if the buyer is sending out their own guy. Guess you can counter with your own AC guy.

[This message has been edited by Absolute (edited 9/12/2013 7:05a).]

We are currently selling our house and the HVAC inspector came back and said that the system needed to be replaced. Unit is 11 years old (serviced 12 months ago and everything looked fine) and has no problems from a cooling standpoint. Conveniently the same company that did the inspection provided a quote to replace the unit. Long story short we agreed to give the buyer a small credit to do with as they pleased. Had they asked for a new unit I was going to pay to have a separate inspection done to see if they were running a scam. I did ask around about the company that did our inspection and was told by a few people that sold or purchased their houses this summer that they had the same experience. Needless to say I will not be giving Barkers Heating and Cooling any of my business. Was this the company that you have been dealing with?

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The guy also said that the freon was not properly balanced or something weird and that it needed some 2 hour procedure to properly equalize it.

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Did he also sell some LED headlight fluid with that?

If some inspector tells you a home needs a new AC and that inspector also happens to be SELLING a new home AC install, tell them to pound sound. If the buyer is "worried" remind them that you are providing a home warranty with the home sale and they can renew it every year for a lot less than a new AC system.

A friend does home inspections and he said some guys focus on specific areas of a home. Some look at siding/structure/roof more than others, some electrical, some plubming, etc..... If one focus's on AC and he happens to have friends who will do an AC inspection, AND they happen to find your perfectly functioning unit needs replacement, AND they offer a price to replace it...I'm thinking your're getting hosed.

Someone here posted a story about an inspector saying the unit did not function b/c his thermal gun that measures temperatures said the register air was not cold enough. Yet the house was perfectly comfortable and had no trouble maintaining temperature.

By the way, why would their be a separate AC home inspection above and beyond the normal inspection?

Most likely they are follow up inspections after the home inspection. I have to admit that the majority of the houses I inspect have enough small things wrong with the HVAC (and some big things) that we pretty much have to say get a licensed guy out to look at it. AC units have gotten so expensive that it is potentially the biggest expense related to the house. People want to be careful with it.

I cannot say that I have heard a trend of the licensed guys pushing replacement with my clients. But I think the HVAC business is rife with less than ethical contractors that end up replacing systems because a $30 part is bad since the average homeowner doesn't know anything about how it works and just wants it cold. IF the buyers use the companies I recommend I think they get honest evaluations without upsells.

As far as that temperature reading thing, Agracer. The differential is a pretty established way to determine function. Inspectors taking it at the registers is a slight corruptions but it is still valid. If I see a poor differential, I am definitely calling it out. I have been in houses that are cool, that were set very cool when I got there but the differential is off. Being low on freon means it is not cooling properly, not that it does not cool at all.

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As far as that temperature reading thing, Agracer. The differential is a pretty established way to determine function

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Should have been more clear. In the example I was talking about, the inspector simply shot his IR gun at a register and said the unit was not functioning b/c the outlet temp. was too high.

The differential method is fine, but again using an IR thermometer is not the correct way to check the cooling capacity of the system. To get an accurate measurement, you need to have a thermometer read the air temperature going in, and then the air temperature going out AT THE COIL. Not the temp. of the surface of the return grill (metal) and the supply diffuser (plastic) and say "it does not work". And even if you did do that just to "check" you need to check more than one location.

Home inspectors are generalists. I'm not going to punch holes in the plenums. Taking the readings at the registers is imperfect but gives a general idea of functioning or not. I use an actual infrared camera, not the thermometer, to measure my temps.

You are correct that the inspector just basing it on the supply temp was pretty silly and ignorant. There are bad inspectors just like the bad ac guys.....

Fourplex currently under contract-

Advantage Cooling and Heating:

Replace all 4AHU's and install safety switches. 36 year old systems. Deficiencies include: 1 Condenser in acceptable condition, consider replacement of other three, also need to secure low voltage, electrical and install locking valve caps. Evaporator coils appear to be all original, and are beyond serviceable condition, rusted and not properly functioning due to poor condition, replace 4 AHU's and install safety switches. ESTIMATED REPAIRS: $11902.90

Another recent property I sold-

Advantage Cooling and Heating:

Condenser in poor condition, no longer serviceable! Evaporator coils in poor condition, need to have safety switches installed. Replace furnace due to rusted heat exchanger. ESTIMATED REPAIRS $3480.00

All of these AC systems were working great at time of inspection with zero complaints from anyone. They pretty much say everything needs to be replaced because it’s old and rusty. I trust a 36 year old system rusted up dinosaur more than the brand new junk they are trying to sell everyone now. Of all my property’s I have 3x more AC issues with new systems than I do 20-30+ year old systems. Being old is not a valid reason for replacement. There is an obvious conflict of interest any time an inspection is done by a company also offering to do the repairs. The worst part is the buyer is the one that will lose out because I will not drop $11,900 into AC units that are working just fine and will likely continue to do so for years to come.



[This message has been edited by CS78 (edited 9/16/2013 4:29p).]

We have a 25yo AC and it is really easy to work on. It has been more reliable than 7yo unit in rent house.

Yep, almost every home I sold this summer ended up getting a either a new condenser, evaporator coil, or both based on HVAC inspections. Last year most of them ended up getting new roofs, this year no roofs but almost all HVAC issues.

So buyers should not be concerned about a system with considerable rust and lack of maintenance on important components when buying a property?

I am not defending any contractor and not commenting on units I have not seen, but would you buy something with no considerations if you got that report from a licensed contractor? I'm sorry but 20 - 30 year old AC units are not "better" by virtue of their age and have a much higher percentage chance of failure than a newer unit for the buyer.

Also, don't forget the typical modern philosophy of "it is someone else's fault" on just about any problem. Can you really blame a contractor for not wanting to sign off on a 30 year old system that shows multiple indicators of problems or potential problems, when they know the buyer will blame THEM if it fails the week they move in.

I see people try to hide stuff all the time. I have sellers lie to me all the time about this or that system that "was just serviced" or "I have checked every year." One of the worst roofs I have ever seen, I had the seller tell me about all the repairs he had just paid for. There were repairs that were obvious, but why they bothered was beyond me. The roof was a 20 year roof and 21 years old. Everything that was not repaired was down to the fiberglass.

Today I had a seller tell myself and the buyer that he had the HVAC serviced twice a year and that the AC was service earlier this summer. Yet I found an overflowing house drain where the condensation drain were routed to (older house, so the condensate drain just went to the pipe in the floor.) There was water everywhere, damaged wood, etc. It has been leaking for a while AND it had previous (poor) repairs in the same area. THEN the furnace flames were very suspicious when the blower came on - possible bad heat exchanger. Based on what I SAW, I have no reason to believe the seller. But the possibility exists that he is telling the truth and that HIS contractor is doing a crappy job on maintenance. Either way, that is not my problem or job. My job is to make sure my client knows the condition and that he has it looked at by a contractor HE trusts.

Whether or not an AC actually cools is important, don't get me wrong, but it is not the only thing that is being looked at.

Some contractors may be padding. I am sure many are dishonest. That is true of any field. But it is a stretch to group all of them and say that because they recommend replacement they are crooks.

[This message has been edited by Absolute (edited 9/17/2013 10:08p).]

When any normal person buys a property one of the things they will do before hand is walk the outside and at least look at the AC long enough to see how old it is. Just because they pay somebody to come say "yep that's an old unit" doesn't mean it should be replaced. The problem I have is the inspection reports give the impression that these things must be fixed when that's really not the case. I guarantee you if the same company was called to come give a once over of the same units for maintenance the needed repairs would be much less. I've seen it happen plenty of times. You cant tell me the fact that a sale is on the line doesn't change what they report as being needed.

that's why good agents are worth their money. If an inspector comes back with a list, it's up to the seller and their agent to call BS on a lot of the stuff.

piag is right.

Ultimately, my job is about information. I just provide it. It is not my job to decide what to do with it. That is up to the parties involved and the agents.

I absolutely agree that a good agent is worth their weight in gold when it comes to negotiations and dealing with the natural tendencies of buyers to want everything to be perfect and sellers desire to do nothing and natural defensiveness about someone saying their house has problems. It is not personal.