Heating And Cooling

All heating and cooling systems of any type, including floor or wall heaters, wall or window air conditioners, radiant heating systems, and forced air systems are tested by operating the thermostat or controls as a user would normally operate them on a daily basis. Examination of all heating and cooling systems is mechanically limited since the units are not dismantled to examine interior components. Floor or wall heaters, wall and window air conditioners, and radiant heating systems can be unique in their operation and maintenance. Try to get any manufacturer installation guides, user guides, or operation guides from the seller. If they are not available, check on the Internet to see if they are available for downloading, and then read them and become familiar with the systems in your home. If guides are not available, have a licensed heating and cooling professional give you an introduction to your heating and cooling systems.

Gas shutoff valves are not tested. I never plug in systems that have been unplugged, nor do I unplug them. I never turn on gas shutoff valves on or off, never turn circuit breakers on or off, and never light or extinguish gas pilot lights. Doing so can cause damage, personal injury, or death.

In multi-story residences, there will be temperature variants, temperature pockets, or temperature layers present. Since hot air rises (think of a hot air balloon), the upper floor typically will be hotter than the lower floor at all times. In a typical structure here in Atlanta, rooms facing east will be warmer in the morning, south-facing rooms warmer during the day, and west-facing rooms warmer in the late afternoon and evening.

You might may find that air flow does not seem to be satisfactory in specific rooms during specific periods of the day or year due to temperature variants, so you might need to adjust some vents to force a greater flow of air into some areas during specific periods of the day to cool or heat specific areas or rooms to your satisfaction. You’re the only one who can do this since it many times requires a complete year to determine what rooms get overheated or overcooled at specific times of the year.

Air flow at vents for forced air systems was tested with all the vents fully opened. Individuals have their own perceptions of adequate air flow, and you might need to adjust air flow at vents to obtain what you consider appropriate air flow in certain rooms during certain times of the day and year.

A clean air filter will help increase the efficiency and prolong the life expectancy of the forced air heating and cooling system. I noted in your property inspection report both the location of the air filter and its condition at the time of the inspection. However, I don’t know how often the occupants used their heating and cooling system or how long your escrow was. So you should check the air filter when you move in and clean or replace it if needed. Check your air filters monthly after that.

The heating and cooling systems should be inspected and serviced on an annual basis. Try to get from seller well before close of escrow any documents concerning regular maintenance and service. If it cannot be proven that any heating and cooling systems have been inspected within the past twelve months, I emphatically recommend that you have a safety check performed by the public utility or a complete system evaluation by a qualified heating and cooling specialist. Utility companies sometimes provide a free safety check of all gas-using appliances. Note that utility companies have the authority to shut off gas to the residence if they find problems. Such action could cause inconvenience to the Seller and might possibly delay your escrow closing date, but not having the system serviced annually can result in deadly gases, including carbon monoxide, being circulated throughout your home.

I often find improper grounding similar to that shown in Figure 1. While such grounding practices appear to be common throughout Georgia, particularly with older systems.

Another problem that I find quite often is either the lack of a protective grommet where the gas line passes through the furnace casing (see Figure 2) or a flexible gas line that passes through the furnace casing. Both conditions can result in damage to the gas line and possible gas leaks. Flexible gas lines should never pass through the furnace casing because vibrations from the furnace can cause the furnace casing to cut through the flexible gas line. Instead, only a solid gas line should pass through the furnace casing, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3.

If there is a cooling condenser sitting somewhere outside your home (see Figure 4), and your furnace is located in the attic, there should be some additional systems in the attic to help with safety and maintenance. The best installation will include a primary condensate drain line with a trap on it, a secondary drain line, and a drain pan (see Figure 5). An optional, but very useful, device is a float switch installed in the drain pan that will shut off the furnace if the drain pan fills up with water.

The exterior cooling condenser will operate most efficiently if it is clear of any obstructions. Figure 6 shows the cooling condenser overgrown with vegetation, and Figure 7 shows a custom cover installed over the condenser. Under these conditions, cooling capacity will be diminished, not good if its a hot day. The conscientious sellers of the property with the condenser shown in Figure 6 had disclosed that the cooling system was “lacking.” It’s no wonder. The vegetation show is a type of English ivy that has very strong, invasive, and destructive roots. However, when the heating and cooling professional simply removed the vegetation, the cooling system wasn’t lacking anymore. This is an example of what looks to be a serious and possibly expensive problem (cooling system doesn’t work) but could have been resolved easily by the home owner, the gardener, or a good handyman, probably costing no more than forty or fifty dollars.
In some of our mountainous and desert areas, the cooling system is a “swamp cooler” (see Figure 8). Swamp coolers are often installed on the roof top, making regular homeowner monitoring and maintenance difficult at best. Figure 8 shows one that had already failed due to excessive rust.

Heating and cooling systems are dangerous because of the gases and fluids that they use and create during operation. Make sure that you have your heating and cooling system inspected annually by a licensed heating and cooling professional.

Also click here for helpful information if you have a central heating and cooling system where the furnace is located in the attic.

If you have any questions about anything, simply contact me.

Figure 1. Improper furnace grounding.		Figure 2. Grommet (black circle) to protect the gas line.		Figure 3. Flex line termination outside of the furnace casing.
Figure 4. Condenser for a forced air cooling system.		Figure 5. Main condensate drain line, trap on main line, secondary drain line, and drain pan.		Figure 6. Cooling condenser overgrown with vegetation.
Figure 7. Designer housing for condenser.		Figure 8. Deteriorated swamp cooler.

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