Not testing the AC in winter is poor service to your client.

Nathan brought this up on a FB post last night. It doesn't get too cold here in Atlanta but I have still tested air conditioners down as low as 19 degrees.
I'm not sure why the fear of testing below a certain temperature is so widespread and why the fear is spreading faster than the education on how to properly test.

For those that wont test, Why? post your reasons here, I'm curious what you tell your clients and agents. and please don't use the "it's in my standards excuse" most of the standards are a joke anyway(another topic). If you do test the AC don't give out the process just yet...

I'd like to know the process others use.

I disagree Peter, assuming you are talking about AC and not the heat pump. There is oil that is used to lubricate the parts inside the air conditioner and when it gets cold that oil gets sluggish. Newer AC units have sensors that prevent cold weather operation. I would say that testing AC in the winter IS poor service to your clients and the homeowner. What do you hope to gain by seeing if a machine operates well outside of its normal temps? Is the same AC that "works" in January going to work under extreme conditions in August?

BBrinke, what is normal? Is it really outside normal operating temperatures?
Case in point. Thanksgiving day. double oven is on, all the burners on the stove are going. house is packed to capacity with so many people the fire marshal would cry. kids are running around and the thermostat reads 78 and is fast approaching 80 and beyond. its lets say 35 degrees outside. Do you say no to your guests when they say turn on the air? I don't, I just turn on the air.

Peter Rossetti wrote:BBrinke, what is normal? Is it really outside normal operating temperatures?
Case in point. Thanksgiving day. double oven is on, all the burners on the stove are going. house is packed to capacity with so many people the fire marshal would cry. kids are running around and the thermostat reads 78 and is fast approaching 80 and beyond. its lets say 35 degrees outside. Do you say no to your guests when they say turn on the air? I don't, I just turn on the air.

This whole post is outside of normal parameters

I would open some windows; that's common sense.

Kevin M, you must not have a huge Italian family that loves the holidays

from what I've seen/read/experienced it is more likely for the evaporator coil to freeze before any damage to the compressor happens in my scenario.
it would be more potentially damaging to the compressor to run the house down to 58 degrees if its 90 degrees outside than it would be to run it during my Thanksgiving scenario.

Peter Rossetti wrote:Kevin M, you must not have a huge Italian family that loves the holidays

from what I've seen/read/experienced it is more likely for the evaporator coil to freeze before any damage to the compressor happens in my scenario.
it would be more potentially damaging to the compressor to run the house down to 58 degrees if its 90 degrees outside than it would be to run it during my Thanksgiving scenario.

No I'm Irish

Peter Rossetti wrote:BBrinke, what is normal? Is it really outside normal operating temperatures?
Case in point. Thanksgiving day. double oven is on, all the burners on the stove are going. house is packed to capacity with so many people the fire marshal would cry. kids are running around and the thermostat reads 78 and is fast approaching 80 and beyond. its lets say 35 degrees outside. Do you say no to your guests when they say turn on the air? I don't, I just turn on the air.

I'm Brad btw. Yes, you open windows. How can you tell an AC is properly working when its 35 degrees outside?

Brad,

Properly working... how should i know when its that cold out. I don't do a full inspection at these temperatures. There is a process I follow that will let me know if the compressor is working.

I don't necessarily disagree with you Peter, but this is different than opening water valves or turning on a fire place. If you read an AC manual, they often warn against turning on an AC below a certain temperature. A lot of HVAC technicians say its crap though, but i am not an HVAC technician. For now, I defer to the manuals.

Peter Rossetti wrote:Nathan brought this up on a FB post last night. It doesn't get too cold here in Atlanta but I have still tested air conditioners down as low as 19 degrees.
I'm not sure why the fear of testing below a certain temperature is so widespread and why the fear is spreading faster than the education on how to properly test.

For those that wont test, Why? post your reasons here, I'm curious what you tell your clients and agents. and please don't use the "it's in my standards excuse" most of the standards are a joke anyway(another topic). If you do test the AC don't give out the process just yet...

in addition to possible damage operating a frozen system...How do you determine the system is cooling effectively, not just the fan spinning? Temperature drop. If the inside air is 68, and the outside temp is 10, the air will show a drop in air temp because the coolant gets cold due to ambient air temp, it could still be broken, non functional, etc...false temp drop, and If you cant rely on the temp drop as accurate because of this, what are you even doing then, you cant give it a "pass" anyway? Just my 2 cents, I don't test it in the cold. Keep in mind it can be much colder in New England than Georgia.

Peter Rossetti wrote:Brad,

Properly working... how should i know when its that cold out. I don't do a full inspection at these temperatures. There is a process I follow that will let me know if the compressor is working.

Spill the beans then.

This thread is titled "Not testing the AC in winter is poor service to your client". You posted this and then you say you don't care if its properly working.

bbrinke wrote:

Peter Rossetti wrote:Brad,

Properly working... how should i know when its that cold out. I don't do a full inspection at these temperatures. There is a process I follow that will let me know if the compressor is working.

Spill the beans then.

This thread is titled "Not testing the AC in winter is poor service to your client". You posted this and then you say you don't care if its properly working.

I personally think that if you cant do an accurate, full inspection of the system you are better off disclaiming it. Lots of times here the agents escrow 2k until it can be properly tested.

bbrinke wrote: I'm Brad btw. Yes, you open windows. How can you tell an AC is properly working when its 35 degrees outside?

No one can, that's what makes this and threads like it so absurd. No one is truly "testing the AC" at these temps. That is an exaggeration and if you advertise it as such to clients you are at best misleading and at worst outright lying. I don't listen to the refrigerator cycle on and then proclaim to my client, "Never fear! Your inspector has officially "tested" the frig! What a super USP I provide!"

Unless the AC is equipped with low ambient controls, you risk damage. Why that fact is so flippantly ignored, I will never understand.