But It Still Works...

Good for you.  Stick to your guns.  This is an area where neither the buyer or seller usually has any knowledge.

Good information for buyers . A good inspector makes our job easier.

Great analogy and very good post. . .having you around in any dispute between buyer and seller after an home inspection must be very helpful

It is great when an inspector will lose their superior attitude and actually explain their results to a client. Many that I have come across don't explain, just send a report with boilerplate language cut and paste from a program and send it over! Nice explanation!

Here in SC we get a HVAC letter as well but very few of them measure and convert the square footage to see if the unit is too small.

I am happy to have found several really good inspectors that I can refer clients to.  A good inspector will tell it like it is and will back up thier findings.  If someone sent a report like the one Dennis describes I would be very upset. 

Good for you Michael.  This rehabber was clearly worng in assuming because the original system owrked it would still work with the added sq ftg.

Very good point you make!

Michael...

Your job is to be impartial and state the facts, not to cover for either party. You did good, my friend.

You explained the reasons for future problems with undersized HVAC very well. The ordinary buyer may not even realize this is a problem if the unit was functioning fine when the home was purchased, but now potentialfor moisture/mold or increased energy use is a big issue for most buyers.

Hi Michael:

Great post, explaination and analogy!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Good information on a frequent problem. Builders tend to install the least expensive systems and they will not meet expanded requirements.

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Good information MIchael. I think it is hard for folks when they sell and nothing has changed but then the inspector for the new buyers finds a defect. When we upgraded our HVCC a few years ago, we had finished our walk-out and increased our BTU's for the lower level.

I just love the analogy!  YOu never seem to be at a loss for words that really make a great impact!  Well done!~

Home inspectors out here don't make judgment calls about whether or not the heating or cooling system is adequate, only the condition of the furnace, air conditioner, and ducts, as well as whether or not the darn thing works. About half of them seem to do a hot/cold split, but that's about it. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we're so far south and get a lot of sunshine here, as well as the fact that so many people don't even use the heating or cooling systems.

Michael,

Sounds like you made a good determination there. When something is obviously wrong, then I tell them whether is specifically is in the standards or not.

Heck Michael, they're asking about the condition and your opinion. Don't change for God sake!

Good job Michael---while we don't usually get into the "adequacy" of systems when something is as far off as this is someone is going to be pissed when they can't cool off enough---and this would make them even hotter:)

Michael - I wonder is some of the newer homes that have better insulation and windows will require a different set of rules than a 30 year old home that just needs a replacement. Just a thought.

I had a customer ask me that question, is this unit large enough, during an inspection. The home she was selling had an undersized unit and her inspector had not checked it. Which was the reason I was doing her inspection and not him. If there has been a renovation or an addition to the home, you should check the size of the unit. It may be a Corrolla in a Hummer.

Good call Michael,

It seems there had been a trend to oversize the units and now it seems like the units are becoming slightly under sized. 

The explination I heard was it was more energy efficient to run the smaller unit longer....