HVAC Inspection - how thorough?

Question

Hi there,

Recently had a tenant move out, did inspection and minimal rehab.

Two months later, new tenant is placed and when the technician goes to check the HVAC, it turns out it’s busted and needs replacing.

Here’s what the report said-

“Tech reset the breaker and the condenser came on. He added 3 lbs r407c freon to the unit. The pressure got to where it should be but the compressor is very loud and it appears someone had added stop leak. There is a leak in the evaporator coil and the compressor has been run low on freon and is not working properly. Tech suggests upgrading to r410a.”

I don’t know anything about HVAC’s but the above sounds like it could have been avoided if during move-out inspection they did a thorough check on the unit, and during rehab, fixed the underlying issues.

My property manager tells me inspection is just visual and I would’ve had to pay more for a thorough HVAC inspection.

Is the property manager at fault here or do I just suck it up and pay the full replacement costs of the HVAC?

Thanks

John Teachout · Answer

The items you're mentioning are probably not caused by the tenant. Most likely the unit has reached the end of it's useful life and needs replacement. R410 units have been the norm for quite a few years so this one is obviously older.

Philip Sriployrung · Answer

Thank you everyone for your replies! I went forward with their recommended part replacements.

Caleb Heimsoth · Answer

@Philip Sriployrung I can get an HVAC inspection for 75 dollars.  You can pay something like that if you want to, but honestly this sort of thing can’t always be avoided.

Depending on cost to replace, you may get a second opinion on if it truly needs replacing, but if the compressor is bad it likely needs to be replaced

John Underwood · Answer

This is just something you'll have to suck and pay for a new one.

The only way to catch this is if you were paying for a HVAC to do regular maintenance.

Scott Mac · Answer

Hi Phillip,

Why would the property manager pay to fix your A/C system. A leaking evaporator coil cannot be considered tenant damage or the property manager's responsibility.

The refrigerant leaked out and will need to be replaced, and the bad part will need to be replaced too.

Also, you might want to think about talking to the tech about replacing the capacitor(s) and the contractor (if they are old) while he's there to avoid having to pay him to come back soon and replace them (one at a time). Both of those parts have a service life of so many seasons dictated by how long your hot season is.

Capacitors vary in quality/lifespan. Many people seem to consider GE Genteq to be a good brand capacitor.

As far as what contractor is best for the machine, it's  probably best to talk to your A/C Tech about the lifespan of different ones. Some are electronic and some are manual.

I mention the Capacitor(s) and contractor because having the units A/C down effects resident comfort/satisfaction as well as your wallet.

A good knowledgeable A/C man is good business asset to have.

Good Luck!

HVAC Inspection - how thorough?

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