Home Inspection
HVAC System Inspection
Your HVAC system runs every day — heating in winter, cooling in summer, circulating air year-round. It doesn’t announce when it’s losing efficiency, leaking refrigerant, or building up the kind of stress that turns into a $4,000 emergency on the hottest day of the year. We find the problems while they’re still a tune-up, not a replacement.
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Carbon Monoxide Risk: The Silent Danger in Older Furnaces
A cracked heat exchanger in a gas furnace can allow carbon monoxide — colorless, odorless, and lethal — to enter your home’s air supply without any visible sign of failure. CO poisoning from faulty heating equipment is responsible for hundreds of deaths and thousands of ER visits annually in the US. Furnaces over 10 years old should be inspected annually. If you’ve had unexplained headaches, nausea, or dizziness indoors this winter, book an inspection before running your furnace again.
Inspection Only — Accurate Findings, No Upsell Pressure
HVAC is a high-ticket service category where manufactured urgency and inflated repair estimates are common. Our technicians document exactly what they find — efficiency readings, component condition ratings, safety findings — and nothing else. If your system has years of life left, the report says so. Repairs and replacements are always your decision, quoted separately with no pressure.
What’s Covered
Five HVAC Systems. One Complete Diagnostic Visit.
Your HVAC system isn’t a single unit — it’s five interconnected systems that each degrade differently. We inspect all of them in one visit: heating, cooling, airflow, electrical, and efficiency.
Heating System
Furnaces, heat pumps, and boilers fail gradually — through dirty burners, cracked heat exchangers, failing ignitors, and degraded safety controls. Most failures are preventable if caught before the heating season starts.
- Inspect furnace, heat pump, or boiler for safe and efficient operation
- Test burners, pilot light or electronic ignition, and flame sensor calibration
- Check heat exchanger for cracks or stress fractures — the CO risk point
- Inspect all venting and exhaust flue connections for blockage or backdraft risk
- Test limit switches, pressure switches, and safety shutoff controls
- Assess heat pump refrigerant charge and defrost cycle function
Cooling System
Air conditioning failures almost always happen at peak demand — on the hottest days when the system has been running hardest. Low refrigerant, dirty coils, and failing capacitors are the most common culprits, and all are catchable before failure.
- Inspect outdoor condenser unit — coils, fan motor, capacitor, and refrigerant lines
- Check refrigerant charge level and inspect for signs of line or coil leaks
- Clean or assess evaporator coil condition for ice buildup or blockage
- Test compressor operation, start and run capacitors, and contactor condition
- Verify thermostat calibration and smart device connectivity
- Inspect condensate drain pan and line for clogging or overflow risk
Airflow & Ductwork
Up to 30% of conditioned air in the average home is lost through duct leaks before it reaches a room. Unbalanced airflow, blocked returns, and disconnected duct sections make your system work significantly harder for worse results.
- Inspect accessible ductwork for disconnected joints, holes, or crimped sections
- Check supply and return register airflow for balance across all zones
- Assess static pressure and identify rooms with inadequate airflow
- Examine air handler and blower assembly for debris, wear, or bearing noise
- Verify return air sizing — undersized returns are a top cause of system strain
- Note any flexible duct sections with excessive bends restricting airflow
Electrical & Controls
HVAC electrical failures are the most common cause of no-heat and no-cool emergency calls — and the vast majority show warning signs before they fail completely. Loose connections, failing capacitors, and control board issues all leave traces.
- Inspect all electrical connections at the air handler, furnace, and condenser
- Test capacitors, contactors, and relays for correct operation and capacity
- Check control board for fault codes, burned traces, or relay chatter
- Verify disconnect boxes, breaker sizing, and circuit protection are correct
- Test thermostat wiring, staging, and both heating and cooling cycles
- Check all safety sensors — high-limit, pressure, flame, and freeze protection
Filters, Air Quality & Efficiency
A clogged filter doesn’t just reduce airflow — it forces the blower to work harder, can freeze the evaporator coil, and reduces the system’s ability to remove humidity and allergens from your home’s air supply.
- Inspect all air filters for loading, fit, and correct MERV rating for the system
- Assess indoor humidity levels and identify signs of excessive moisture or dryness
- Check for musty odors indicating mold growth in ducts, coil, or drain pan
- Evaluate overall system efficiency against age and condition benchmarks
- Review thermostat scheduling and setback programming for energy savings
- Recommend targeted maintenance or upgrades with projected efficiency impact
Visual Reference Guide
Healthy vs. Failing — What Each HVAC Component Should Look Like
HVAC problems don’t announce themselves until they’ve already cost you in energy bills or comfort. Here’s what our technicians measure and observe — and what the readings actually mean.
Refrigerant Charge
✓ Correct
✗ Low / Leaking
System hits target temperatures efficiently, suction line slightly cool to the touch, no ice formation on lines
Ice on refrigerant lines or coil, system running constantly without reaching setpoint, higher-than-normal electricity bills
Furnace Flame Color
✓ Healthy
✗ Concern
Steady blue flame with a small orange tip — consistent combustion, proper gas-to-air ratio
Flickering yellow or orange flame — incomplete combustion, possible CO production, needs immediate attention
Air Filter Condition
✓ Good
✗ Overdue
Light grey surface loading, original pleating visible, airflow unrestricted through filter media
Solid grey or brown surface, flattened pleats, visible debris mat — system is working harder for less airflow
Condensate Drain Pan
✓ Clear
✗ Blocked
Pan dry or draining freely, no algae or debris, line clear with no odor
Standing water in pan, algae or slime growth in line — overflow causes water damage to ceilings or walls below unit
Run Capacitor
✓ In Spec
✗ Failing
Capacitance reading within 6% of rated value, top flat and dry, no bulging or leakage
Bulging top, reading more than 10% below rating — fan or compressor fails to start reliably, a hard start is imminent
Condenser Coil
✓ Clean
✗ Fouled
Fins open and visible, no debris buildup, air flows freely through coil in all sections
Fins coated with cottonwood, dust, or pet hair — heat rejection is blocked, system runs hot and inefficiently
Don’t Ignore These
Six HVAC Warning Signs That Mean Don’t Wait
These symptoms aren’t just comfort issues — most of them indicate an active mechanical problem that gets more expensive to fix the longer the system runs with it.
Energy Bills Climbing Without Explanation
A 10–20% increase in your heating or cooling bill without a weather explanation almost always means the system is losing efficiency — dirty coils, low refrigerant, duct leaks, or a failing component forcing the system to run longer to hit the same setpoint.
Unusual Noises — Banging, Rattling, or Squealing
Banging on startup usually means a loose component or failing inducer motor. Rattling can indicate loose panels or failing blower wheel bearings. Squealing points to a worn belt or bearing — all of these are warning sounds before a component fails completely.
Rooms That Are Significantly Hotter or Colder Than Others
Uneven temperatures across a home usually mean duct problems — disconnected sections, collapsed flex duct, or blocked returns. It can also indicate a refrigerant imbalance or a zoning system that’s failing. The cause matters because the fix is completely different.
Water Pooling Near the Indoor Unit
A clogged condensate drain line causes the drain pan to overflow — soaking the ceiling or wall below the air handler before you notice it. A blocked drain is a $75 fix. The resulting water damage to drywall and insulation is not.
Musty or Burning Smell When the System Runs
Musty odors from vents indicate mold or mildew in the ductwork, drain pan, or on the evaporator coil — circulating through your home’s air with every cycle. A burning smell on first heat startup can be normal dust burn-off, but a persistent burning smell is an electrical or overheating issue.
System Cycling On and Off Rapidly
Short-cycling — where the system runs for only a few minutes before shutting off — typically indicates an oversized system, a refrigerant problem, a dirty filter causing overheating, or a failing thermostat. Short-cycling causes extreme wear on compressors and dramatically shortens system life.
The Process
What to Expect During Your HVAC Inspection
Your HVAC inspection covers both the indoor and outdoor units plus all distribution components. Most visits take 60–90 minutes for a standard single-system home. Multi-zone or dual-system homes may take longer.
System Overview & History Brief
Your technician reviews the system age, equipment type, and any symptoms or history you’ve noticed — unusual sounds, inconsistent temperatures, recent repairs, or utility bill changes. Context matters for an accurate diagnosis.
Heating & Cooling Unit Inspection
Both indoor and outdoor units are inspected — furnace or air handler components, burners, heat exchanger, evaporator coil, condenser, refrigerant charge, capacitors, contactors, and all electrical connections and safety controls.
Airflow, Ducts & Filter Assessment
Accessible ductwork, supply and return registers, blower assembly, and filter condition are evaluated. Your technician measures airflow and checks for balance issues, duct leaks, and any restrictions reducing system performance.
24-Hour Report & Recommendations
Your full digital report is delivered within 24 hours — component-by-component findings, efficiency ratings, safety flags, estimated remaining lifespan, and recommended actions with projected cost impact stored in your customer portal.
What Does an HVAC System Inspection Cost?
Pricing varies by system type and number of units. Get your exact quote in minutes — no obligation to proceed with any repairs.
Before Your Visit
How to Prepare for Your HVAC Inspection
A few minutes of prep gives your technician full access to every component and the context they need for an accurate assessment.
Prep Checklist
- Clear access to all indoor HVAC equipment — move stored items, boxes, or shelving blocking access to your furnace, air handler, or indoor unit. Your technician needs to open panels and inspect all sides.
- Clear access to the outdoor condenser unit — trim back any overgrown vegetation and move items stored against the unit. At least 2 feet of clear space on all sides is needed.
- Locate your thermostat and know your current settings — your technician will test both heating and cooling cycles and needs to operate the thermostat during the inspection.
- Locate your filter(s) — know where your air filter(s) are and when they were last changed. Have a replacement on hand if you’d like it replaced during the visit.
- Note any specific symptoms — write down rooms that are inconsistently heated or cooled, any unusual sounds you’ve noticed, or recent events like a system lockout or error code on the thermostat.
- Ensure attic or crawlspace access if ductwork runs there — if your duct system runs through the attic or a crawlspace, make sure the access point is clear and usable.
Related Services
Other Inspections & HVAC Services
Pair your inspection with these related NorTech services to address findings and keep your system running at peak performance.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about what the HVAC System Inspection covers, what the report includes, and what happens next.
Most HVAC failures are preceded by measurable degradation that doesn’t affect comfort until the component is near end of life. A capacitor reading 15% below spec, a refrigerant charge 10% low, a condensate drain with partial blockage — none of these affect your comfort today. All of them will cause a failure, and that failure will happen on the hottest or coldest day of the year when the system is under maximum load.
No — this is a diagnostic inspection only. Tune-up services, filter replacement, coil cleaning, condensate drain flush, and refrigerant top-off are separate services that can be booked through your customer portal. The inspection tells you exactly what needs attention and why — you decide what to act on and when.
You typically can’t tell from the outside — a cracked heat exchanger may show no visible symptoms until it’s advanced. A technician uses a CO detector and visual inspection with lighting to check for cracks, discoloration, or stress fractures in the heat exchanger. If your furnace is over 15 years old, has had recent repairs, or you’ve noticed headaches or nausea indoors during heating season, a heat exchanger inspection is important.
Your report covers every inspected component — condition ratings, efficiency readings, safety findings, and photos of any flagged items. Each finding includes a severity rating (Good / Monitor / Service Soon / Urgent), a plain-language explanation, and estimated service costs. The report is stored in your customer portal and can be referenced when requesting follow-up quotes.
The two best windows are spring (before A/C season) and fall (before heating season) — when you can find any issues and fix them before peak demand. Booking during mild weather also means faster scheduling and no emergency-rate pricing. If your system is over 10 years old, annual inspection regardless of timing is worth it.
Yes — ductless mini-split systems are included. The inspection covers the outdoor condenser unit, all indoor air handler heads, refrigerant line sets, electrical connections, filter condition, and drainage. Mini-split systems have their own specific failure modes (dirty air handler coils, drain blockages, refrigerant line issues) that the inspection addresses.
Yes — same-day availability in 100+ cities. If you’re experiencing an active system symptom — no heat, no cool, unusual odors, or a system that won’t start — flag the urgency when booking. For suspected CO situations, exit the home and call 911 before booking a service appointment.
