Tustin: what we look for during a system inspection
A few Tustin homeowners have asked us to walk through what we actually look at during a pre-purchase inspection or a system evaluation. It’s not magic. It’s a checklist. Sharing it here because the more you know, the easier it is to spot a tech who’s just guessing.
The walkthrough
Start outside at the condenser:
- Cabinet condition (rust, dents, missing access panels)
- Coil fins (clean, bent, salt-corroded)
- Refrigerant line set insulation intact
- Disconnect box working, no scorching
- Pad level, drainage away from unit
Then inside at the air handler:
- Filter type, size, and last-changed date
- Evaporator coil access and visible condition
- Drain pan and condensate drain line
- Plenum sealing and duct connections
- Blower motor running quietly without grinding
Then with instruments:
- Refrigerant pressures (high side and low side) with gauges
- Superheat and subcool calculated
- Capacitor microfarad reading vs nameplate
- Contactor pull-in voltage check
- Static pressure across the air handler
What the findings tell us
A unit can pass a visual inspection and fail the instrument tests. That’s where it pays to have someone with the right tools. We’ve inspected Tustin homes where a “tune-up” had passed the system three months earlier, and we found a 30% refrigerant undercharge that was about to kill the compressor.
If you’re buying a Tustin home and want a pre-purchase HVAC inspection, ask the tech for the written findings with actual measurements. More on what’s in our AC repair visits.