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Home Inspectors and HVAC

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Home Inspector with Finial Property inspections

Home inspectors are often forced to suggest a home buyer have a furnace looked at after the inspection.  Why suggest this?  Isnt that wha the home inspector is for? 

This is the answer.  The fornace in every home should have a clean and check every year, but they rarely do.  Acidic soot and calcium deposits can damage and shorten the life of a furnace consideribly.  It is a fairly frequent accurence for me as a home inspector to see furnaces that are nearing or beyond the end of the design life, and have not been serviced by any kind of technician for years.

I try not to be one of those guys who writes every little crack just because I am worried about being sued. They call it writing for the jury. However, I have to give this practive a little thought when dealing with furnaces.  The heat exchanger af many of todays newer higher effeciency furnaces can not be seen in a visual home inspection. When I see the extensive soot, dirt and crud becaue of the lack of a clean and check, and combine this with an older unit, then I would be foolish to not suggest the client schedule a clean and chekc prior to closing. 

Mike (Inspector Mike) Parks
Inspector Mike - Circleville, OH
Inspector Mike

I too often recommend that a licenced HVAC contractor examine or service the furnace.

Why? As you have stated the furnace, per the manuf., requires this servicing.

The new 2006 Residential Code of Ohio requires that you maintain your home. This incudes following the manuf. specs.

See my post: http://activerain.com/blogsview/63039/Vacant-homes

The last two homes that I inspected HAD been serviced within the last year.

So now I can look at the buyer and say that this furnace has been maintained. Is this not better than saying it has not had proper maintainance?

Tell your clients to spend the $79-89 to have it looked at by a licenced contractor.

Most of the 'defects' that I find are maintenance related.

Most people take better care of their car than their home.

Mar 24, 2007 07:10 AM