..

Older Homes (Pre-2006) May Encumber
Total Air-Conditioning Replacement

On Jan. 23, 2006 federal law changed to require installation of higher efficiency 13 SEER air-conditioning in new construction and when replaced in older homes. (Any home built prior to Jan. 1. 2006 with less than a 13 SEER system and R-6 air flow ducts.)

All replacements in the future will have to be upgraded to the higher (and more expensive) 13 SEER units and existing older units may not be covered by the home third-party warranty companies. The availability of the lower rated SEER units will be doubtful as cities will require compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and the new federal standard.

Standard third-party home warranty coverage for upgrading equipment in resale properties under their limited warranty should not to be expected unless agreed to in writing beforehand.

If you purchase an older home, at some point the HVAC system will need to be changed out whether from failure or age. The serviceable life of mechanical equipment can never be guaranteed. Even new units fail that require replacement under warranty and many existing properties have systems not adequately and properly maintained even under the yearly check offered by some HVAC contractors. Many existing homes have systems that show no apparent attempt of periodic maintenance.

When one component of an air-conditioning system is replaced (outside condenser or indoor evaporator coil) the other component (condenser or coil) will need to be replaced to obtain the 13 SEER rating which may indicate a whole system change out is needed in lieu of a partial replacement.

This could also potentially require a change out of some older furnaces as the blower fan inside heaters (shared by the heater and a/c system) may not be compatible for the fan speeds or air flow needed for the increased SEER rating.

Also, air-flow ducts are required to be R-6 rated in residential structures to comply with the federal rules and the IECC. If you have the older R-4 duct standard or less then to obtain the benefits of the SEER 13 rating change out the air ducts will also need to be replaced.

There is a trade-off system with higher SEER units and ducts.

Note: the higher the SEER the less the stystem may dehumidify so trade-offs should be considered. Dehumidification is necessary and critical along the Gulf Coast.

Buyers are advised to consult a HVAC contractor on options and potential costs prior to continuance on resale properties built prior to Jan. 23, 2006 and/or on properties that do not have a 13 SEER system.

As SEER ratings are not printed or labeled on equipment the HVAC contractor will need to use the manufacturer rating book (ARI) to determine the SEER listing of the many different manufacturers and equipment combinations based on model and serial numbers of what is

.Warning: in resale properties, a unit that may be labeled as "high efficiency" may not be a SEER 13 rated unit. In the past, anything over SEER 10 was marketed as "high efficient".

Inspections and/or the state inspection standards in Texas do not circumvent the need to have a licensed HVAC contractor do diagnostic pressure and efficiency testing on the equipment which is beyond the bounds of the state inspection standards. By law, only HVAC contractors can do this. Inspections for resale properties are not HVAC inspections.

In short, do not rely on a home inspection to determine the SEER ratings or system efficiency of air-conditioning equipment.  This change in federal law is in the multi-thousand dollar cost range per home.

For more information contact a qualified reputable HVAC contractor in addition to your property inspection.