Whether it's the escape of refrigerant or gasses, leaks are
among the most common—and potentially dangerous—problems you're likely to
encounter with an HVAC unit.
2. Bad parts
In some cases, a leak can be the first indication of
something bigger like a furnace that failed the gas inspection due to a bad
heat exchanger.
The heat exchanger is one of the most critical components of
the furnace as it is the mechanism for converting fuel to heat. A broken heat exchanger has the potential to
release gas into the air, making this a dangerous, and expensive. Unfortunately, this problem isn't likely to be
caught with a standard home inspection.
3. Poor installation or maintenance
Annual maintenance plays a huge role in how well an HVAC system
holds up. Homeowners who neglect annual
maintenance may be in for a rude awakening when it's time to sell.
An inspection was performed recently and pointed out to the
buyer the poor condition of the air-conditioning unit: the vent pipe was disconnected and air that
was meant to go outside was blowing around inside the AC closet. While this fix was an easy one, the buyer was
turned off and ended up making an offer on the other home."
4. Old age
Old boiler (furnace).
According to the National Association of Home Builders, most
HVAC systems have a life expectancy of between 15 and 20 years. Depending on how they're maintained, some may
hold on longer than others. Recently an
inspection of an older home—over 100 years—had an ancient furnace that needed
to be replaced. It was leaking and
there were numerous other issues.
5. Missing parts
Vacant homes make an all-too-easy target for vandalism and
theft. The components inside HVAC
equipment can prove tantalizing to thieves who will scrap the materials for
cash. This has been seen many times
with short sales and foreclosures.