What does the home inspector look for in the air conditioning system?
Your At Home Inspections, Inc. professional looks for defects in the air conditioning equipment — whether it is central air conditioning or space cooling equipment. Unlike heating systems, which are required when the house is built, a/c systems are optional. Many systems are retrofitted (which can lead to a series of “built-in” problems), and many homeowners still use space a/c equipment (e.g., through-wall, and window units). Defects in a central a/c system can include dirty/ blocked refrigerant coil fins, missing/undersized returns, missing insulation on the refrigerant tubing, damaged/inoperable control equipment, worn/damaged wiring in the outside compressor/condensor fan/coil unit, low current draw on the compressor (typically indicates a low refrigerant charge and can mean replacement of the system), and leaking/damaged condensate drain pan/pipe/pump equipment. Amateur, or nonstandard work can result in almost any type of damage or defect. Return to top.
