Need to inspect air conditioning?

[void.no.spam.com]

My parents insist that I find out if they should pay someone to inspect their home air conditioning. Their home is now 20 years old (they have owned it all that time), and the air conditioning is still working fine. They called one inspector who said they should have it inspected anyway, just to make sure it won't break down any time soon. They called another inspector who said that if it is working fine, then there is no need to inspect it. So should they have it inspected or not?

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Are you saying that in 20 years, a heating/AC person has never been over to perform routine service?

[void.no.spam.com]

Maybe once? My mom has replaced the filter once or twice herself.

[ransley]

Maybe she relpaced the filter once in 20 years, maybe once it was checked, and the car, has it had an oil change in 20 years or been checked out. Get to work and get it fully cleaned, both coils, not just the one outside. My neighbors was like that, the air handler coil was so bad he removed it to power wash it, it finaly cooled and his electric and heating bill went down in half. Obviously they need your help.

[DerbyDad03]

re: My parents insist that I find out... re: My mom has replaced the filter once or twice herself

My Troll-dar is beeping like crazy.

First, if they *insisted* that you find out, it sounds like you didn't want to. What son/daughter wouldn't just do the research for them instead of them having to *insist* that you do it?

Second, I find it hard to believe that an AC unit could move any air at all with a filter that has only been replaced "once or twice" in 20 years. Some filters look like wool blankets after just a few months...I can't imagine what a 10 year filter would look like. Mine would be so thick that I don't I would be able to get it out of the housing!

Don't take offense, I could be wrong, but this smells very troll-ish, at least to me.

[Moe Jones]

You should have your A/C and Heating systems checked every year. I am a retired HVAC Service Technician and you would be surprised of what I would find at my customers places. Do not be surprise, if who ever checks the system finds a number of problems. One way you can save some money is have the technician show you what you can do to help clean up the system if you feel you can do it yourself.

[void.no.spam.com]

..

After they told me that the one inspector said that if it's working fine, then it doesn't need to be inspected, then I thought it must be true, because why would an inspector turn down business? But they still wanted me to find out. And so here I am.

Maybe they have cleaned/replaced the filters more than one/twice over the years. I haven't paid that much attention. But certainly it has not been inspected more than a few times, if at all, because they are very frugal.

[DerbyDad03]

e:

m...

re: because they are very frugal.

Again, no offense, but they may be being "penny wise, pound foolish".

What they've saved in annual or semi-annual inspections may have been spent in reduced efficiency and higher operating costs.

Do 'em a favor - step up and pay for the inspection. I don't know where you live, but where I am they range from $50 for the independents to $75+ for the "Big Names" Heating & Cooling, Inc.

Even before that, pull the filter - if it looks like sheep, replace it. Filters should be replaced on X-months basis (depending on style) not an X-years basis.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Two or three years ago when our neighbor was having a new A/C installed, I asked the installer whether we should get ours checked (we had been in the house for a year or so and had no idea when the previous owner had had it checked). He said that if it was working OK to leave it alone. So all we have done so far is replace the filter regularly, but I was thinking we should get it checked out this year. before things really heat up.

Perce

[DerbyDad03]

When I had my new furnace/AC installed in December 2005, they fired up the AC for a few minutes to make sure it worked, then fired up the furnace and let it run for the winter.

The installer said to call him back in early spring and he would test the AC again (no charge) before the warm season started. He also gave the furnace a quick once over at that time.

At that point he said to wait a full summer/winter/summer before calling him back for an inspection before the 2nd winter. He suggested that anything more than a semi-annual inspection was probably overkill, especially for a new unit. $50 every 2 years (until he raises his price) is fine with me.