A post-install inspection tells you whether your new furnace or A/C was installed right
A city inspection says your install is legal. It doesn’t say the airflow was ever measured. We measure what the permit never checks.
Got an HVAC question?
Ask it on the online quote page: a real answer, a second opinion, or a firm quote, whichever you need.
We’re not here to put down your installer
Most installers do solid work under real time pressure, and this isn’t about putting one down or talking you into work you don’t need. An install can be completely safe, pass a proper permit and inspection, and still not be quite right — not wrong, just not protecting you the way it should. And with some cities now allowing remote video inspections instead of someone actually walking the job in person, there’s an even bigger gap between “passed inspection” and “installed correctly.”
A float switch, surge protection, and a proper P-trap on the A/C condensate line are small, inexpensive parts — but they’re also some of the most commonly skipped. Sometimes they were never in the original bid. Sometimes the installer just didn’t get to it. Either way, once a job is closed out, adding them usually means a separate service call. We catch it during the inspection, before it ever becomes a problem — and sometimes it’s something as small as a correct blower speed setting, which alone can add years to a system’s life and mean far fewer breakdowns along the way.
Not sure what to ask before you sign in the first place? See what should be included in a quality A/C install or furnace install.
The numbers a permit doesn’t cover
Every number below gets measured on your new furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump and written down — not eyeballed.
Airflow & static pressure
The actual CFM and static pressure your system is moving — one of the biggest factors in comfort and equipment life.
Electrical & amp draws
Capacitors, contactors, and connections checked and measured, not just visually inspected.
Combustion safety (furnaces)
A CO safety test and a real look at venting and clearances — not just “it lights.”
Gas pressure
Verified against manufacturer spec on non-modulating furnaces. Fully modulating gas valves adjust electronically and can’t be manually checked the same way.
Blower speed & fan settings
Verified against manufacturer spec, not left on a factory default — running too much or too little air stresses the blower motor, compressor, and heat exchanger.
Ductwork & connections
Checked for air leaks where the furnace cabinet meets the ductwork, sealed properly at the plenum and takeoffs, sized right, and not choking the airflow you’re paying for.
Condensate & P-trap
Proper slope, a correct P-trap, and drainage tested under operation — a detail that’s sometimes left out of the original bid entirely.
Mounting, slope & securing
Equipment set level or to the correct slope and properly secured — sloppy mounting causes vibration, noise, and premature wear.
Float switch & surge protection
Two cheap parts that are often missing entirely — sometimes left out of the original bid, sometimes just skipped. If yours are missing, we’ll tell you and can add them.
Refrigerant charge check
Verified by the numbers, not a gauge — bring your owner’s manual and ask your installer exactly how much they charged, and we’ll confirm it against spec.
Code, best practices & clearances
Permit compliance is the floor, not the ceiling — we check against manufacturer requirements and accepted best practices, not just what the inspector signed off on.
We’re not trying to win your next install
We do not sell or install new systems. We’re not evaluating your install so we can pitch you a different brand or talk you into a bigger system. The inspection is done by a licensed technician from our own team who spends his working days on equipment far larger than anything in your basement. We measure what’s there, write it down, and hand it to you.
If everything checks out, you get real numbers proving it. If something is off, you’ll know exactly what and why, in writing, instead of carrying around a bad feeling you can’t put into words. We can’t promise your installer will act on it, since most workmanship warranties only run through their own process, but you won’t be guessing anymore. And if the fix is bigger than a quick adjustment, or the system genuinely needs replacing, you’ll leave with the exact findings and a repair quote from us, and in cooling season we can usually set up a portable A/C the same day so the house stays livable in the meantime.
- One price: $150No trip charge. If we find something small worth correcting, we tell you.
- A written System Health ReportThe actual measured numbers, in plain English, that you keep.
- An independent set of eyesWe did not install it, so you get a straight read on what is actually there.
- Missing safety parts flaggedA float switch and surge protection are cheap, and they’re often left out of the original bid entirely. We’ll tell you if yours are missing and can add them.
- Straight replacement answersWhen a system truly needs replacing, we walk you through the diagnosis and why a new system wins the math — with a trusted install company recommendation if you want one.
- Straight answersIf it’s right, we’ll tell you. If it’s not, we’ll show you exactly what and why.
Post-install inspection questions
My new system already passed the city inspection — why would I need another one?
A permit inspection checks that the installation is safe and legal to sign off on — it does not verify the airflow was ever measured, the ductwork was sealed and sized right, or the system is actually running the way the manufacturer designed it to. Those are performance details, not code details, and they’re exactly what determine whether your system runs efficiently and lasts.
Do you sell new systems, or try to talk me into a replacement?
We do not sell or install new systems. We did not install this one — we just tell you what we measure. When a system truly needs replacing, you hear it straight: the diagnosis, why a new system is the best option, and — only if you ask — an install company we trust. In cooling season we can usually set up a portable A/C the same day, so you’re not stuck in the heat while you sort it out.
Are you just trying to put down my installer?
No. Most installers do solid work under real time pressure, and plenty of inspections come back clean. This isn’t about criticizing anyone — it’s about making sure small, easy-to-miss details like a float switch, surge protection, a proper P-trap, or the correct blower speed didn’t get left out. Those are often not included in the original bid — and once a job is closed out, adding them usually means a separate service call. We catch it while it’s easy to fix.
What do you check during a post-install inspection?
Airflow and static pressure, blower speed and fan settings against manufacturer spec, electrical connections and amp draws, combustion safety and venting (furnaces), gas pressure where the equipment allows, ductwork connections and air leaks between the furnace cabinet and ductwork, condensate drainage and drain slope, whether the equipment is properly mounted, sloped, and secured, whether surge protection and an overflow switch were installed, refrigerant charge documentation, and general workmanship against code, manufacturer clearances, and accepted best practices. You get the actual numbers and any recommendations in a System Health Report.
Can you verify my gas pressure?
Yes, if your furnace isn’t fully modulating — we’ll check it against manufacturer spec with a manometer. Fully modulating gas valves adjust electronically and can’t be manually verified the same way; we’ll let you know if that’s the case with your equipment.
Can you verify my refrigerant charge?
Not with a gauge — modern systems need an exact factory charge, and guessing at it in the field can do more harm than good. What we can do: if you have your owner’s manual and ask your installer exactly how much refrigerant they charged, we’ll verify that number against what the manufacturer specifies for your line set length.
Do you check for a float switch and surge protection?
Yes — these are two inexpensive parts that protect your new equipment, and we see them left out entirely on a lot of installs, sometimes because they were never in the original bid. If yours are missing, we’ll tell you, and we can add them.
If something wasn’t done right, will the installer fix it?
That’s between you and them, and we can’t promise they’ll act on findings from a company they didn’t hire — workmanship warranties typically run through the installer’s own process. What we can do is give you a straight, independent read on what’s actually there, in writing, so you’re not just taking someone’s word for it.
How much does a post-install inspection cost?
A post-install inspection is $150 weekdays 7am to 6pm, however long it takes; weeknights after 6pm and all weekend add $40. Appointments run weekdays 7am to 10pm, Saturday 8am to 10pm and Sunday 8am to 9pm, and we can often be out that same evening. There is no separate trip charge.
Do you inspect new furnaces too, or only air conditioning?
Both, at the same $150 rate. On a new furnace we check combustion safety and venting, gas pressure against manufacturer spec on non-modulating equipment, blower speed and static pressure, and the ignition sequence. A furnace that was set up wrong tends to announce itself on the first genuinely cold night, so late summer and fall are the right time to have it looked at.
What happens if you find something that needs fixing?
Small corrections are usually handled that same night: a float switch, surge protection, a blower-speed adjustment. When a system truly needs replacing, we tell you straight and walk you through exactly why — and if you’d like, we’ll recommend an HVAC install company we trust. If your A/C is down while you wait, we rent portable units and can set them up the same day.
Get a second set of eyes on your new furnace or A/C
Whether it went in last week or last winter, we’ll check it against the numbers that actually matter and hand you the report. It’s $150, plus the evening, Saturday or Sunday surcharge if that is when we come. We can usually be out the same day, seven days a week.
Portable A/C rental while you wait on a repair
Usually same-day: two high-efficiency portable units and a portable swamp cooler, $150 plus $20 a day.
This inspection is the concierge’s final chapter
The Install Concierge starts long before install day: verification that replacement is truly needed, three competing bids reviewed line by line, the equipment decision, and an on-site inspection during the work — ending with exactly this inspection.