Sunday, January 8, 2017

5 Ways Heating and Cooling Issues Can Disrupt a Home Sale

1. Leaks and emissions

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.