The weather will soon warm up again, and air conditioning units will get a workout. That’s the classic time for lurking problems to surface. In winter, you’ll switch on the air conditioning just long enough to inspect it. But when the weather is warm and the unit might be running more often, problems that have been waiting to emerge can come to the surface.
With ICA School training, you’ll have the foundation that you need to inspect air conditioning units with confidence. Here is what’s waiting for you in our program.
Types of Air Conditioners You’ll Probably Encounter
A lot of different looking air conditioners are on the market. You’ll encounter some newer systems, and some that are so old they’re barely hanging on for dear life. You’re not typically required to inspect portable air conditioners or those installed in a window. The others will be central units and ductless ones.
Central units can be split systems, with one component inside and one component out, heat pumps, which work the same way as a kitchen refrigerator, natural gas, which uses a combination of heat and refrigerant, and mini-splits that use heat pump technology without a house full of ducts. In the ICA School program, you’ll learn to identify the different systems, including some older ones.
Principles of Heat Transfer
Part of understanding how air conditioning operates is learning the principles of heat transfer. In general, heat transfer refers to the natural migration of heat to a cooler area, like the way heat from the sun passes through to the inside of a house in summer and heated air migrates out in winter.
As it applies to air conditioning, heat transfer deals with refrigerants that capture heat and move it someplace else. In our program, you’ll learn how each type of air conditioning removes heat from the interior of the home and releases it outdoors.
Different Types of Defects
Air conditioning is easy to operate, but there’s a lot going on inside. Defects might be obvious, with physical damage, or not so obvious, with defective electronics, leaks, or a number of other problems. Some defects only deal with an overgrowth of vines and similar neglect.
ICA School devotes two modules to identifying the wide range of defects that you might find with any air conditioning system, from high-velocity to a run-of-the-mill split unit. Full of color photographs, you won’t just read about air conditioning, you’ll see it and real world examples of defects that should go into your report.
Air conditioning is one a home’s major systems. Maintained properly, they’ll last several years or longer. Left in disrepair, they’ll need replacement much sooner. A home buyer relies on the information that you provide to help guide him to a wise choice. Just remember that defects don’t necessarily mean a home isn’t worth buying, not that you’d offer any advice about that.
You don’t need a background in HVAC, carpentry, plumbing or anything else to become a qualified, reliable and knowledgable home inspector. With ICA School training under your belt, you’ve got the best education to help you set your course for a future in home inspections. Get a free course demo today and see for yourself how straightforward our method of teaching the trade really is.