AC inspection in Tampa

When an inspection makes sense

• Once a year, as part of the maintenance visit described on the tune-up page.
• Before you buy a home. A general home inspection looks at many systems. An AC technician can spend the visit on this one and tell you how much life the equipment has left.
• Before you sell. Knowing the condition ahead of time lets you repair a small problem or disclose an old system on your own schedule.
• After you move in. A system you did not install has a history you do not know.
• When the equipment is past about 10 years. A properly maintained air conditioner averages 12 to 15 years.

What an inspection checks

Each technician works from a form of their own, so ask for the list. A thorough one covers these areas:

• The outdoor unit: coil condition, fan, base, disconnect box and the electrical connections inside.
• The indoor unit or air handler: coil, blower, filter slot, drain pan and drain line.
• Refrigerant lines and their insulation, and the level of refrigerant, which only your tech checks.
• How much the air cools as it passes the indoor coil, and how well it moves through the house.
• Ductwork, especially in the attic. A typical house loses 20 to 30 percent of the air in its ducts to leaks, and ducts should be checked for leaks once a year.
• The thermostat, its wiring and the way the system starts, runs and shuts off.

An inspection is a report on condition. It is not a quote to replace the system, and a tech who finds a problem should show you the part and explain the options.

Reading the rating plate

The outdoor unit carries a data plate with a model number, a serial number and an efficiency rating. The serial number often encodes the month and year of manufacture, and your tech can decode it for you.

The rating on newer plates is SEER2. SEER2 and the older SEER number are measured differently and are not directly comparable. A plate that shows only SEER means the unit was rated before the 2023 change. In the Southeast region, which includes Florida, split-system air conditioners installed on or after January 1, 2023 must meet a regional minimum. The replacement page gives the figures.

Signs a system is near the end

These are signs of a failing system:

• Warm air from the vents, or weak airflow
• Humidity that stays high indoors
• Musty smells
• Knocking, clicking or gurgling noises
• The system runs often without cooling the house
• Short cycling, where it turns on and off in quick succession
• A sudden rise in utility bills

Consider replacement when the system is more than 10 years old, uses R-22 refrigerant, needs frequent repairs, or when a repair would cost at least 50 percent of a new system. The repair page helps you weigh it, and a second opinion on any large repair is always fine.

Using the report when you buy or sell

If you are buying, schedule the inspection before the end of your review period, and ask your tech to note the age, the efficiency rating, the refrigerant type and any repair that looks near. Those four items tell you whether to budget for replacement soon. The cost guide lists typical replacement ranges by size.

If you are selling, an inspection lets you fix a small problem on your own schedule or tell a buyer plainly that the system is older. In Hillsborough County many homes from the 1970s to the 1990s are on their second or third system, so a buyer will probably ask about the age.

Either way, keep the written report. A list of what was checked and found makes a second opinion easy to compare.

What an inspection cannot tell you

An inspection describes the system on the day of the visit. It cannot say when a compressor or motor will fail, and it cannot see ducts inside walls or under insulation. It also does not replace a home inspector's report on the rest of the house. What you get is a good picture of condition and age, so plan around the range rather than a date.

What to ask your tech

• What exactly does your inspection include, and will I get a written report?
• Can you tell me the age of the equipment and how much of its normal life is left?
• Do you check the ducts, or only the equipment?
• If you find a problem, will you show me, and what are my options besides replacement?
• Is the inspection price separate from any repair work?
• Ask for their state license number.