Home | Contact Us | FAQs | Forms | Site Search

Need to Have HVAC Work Done?

Important! This "Open Letter" from the California Energy Commission tells you what's required when you have heating, ventilating or air conditioning equipment installed or replaced.

Beginning October 1, 2005, you must have your home's ducts tested for leaks when you have a central air conditioner or furnace installed or replaced. Ducts that leak 15 percent or more must be repaired to reduce the leaks. After your contractor tests and fixes the ducts, you choose whether to have an approved third-party field verifier check to make sure the duct testing and sealing was done properly or to have your house included in a random sample where one in seven duct systems are checked.

Duct sealing is not required in the following situations: 1) when homes are in specific coastal climates; 2) when systems have less than 40 feet of ductwork in unconditioned spaces like attics, garages, crawlspaces, basements or outside the building, or 3) when ducts are constructed, insulated or sealed with asbestos. There also are specific alternatives that allow high efficiency equipment and added duct insulation to be installed instead of fixing duct leaks.

You also should know that any contractor failing to obtain a required building permit and failing to test and repair your ducts is violating the law and exposing you to additional costs and liability. Real estate law requires you to disclose to potential buyers and appraisers whether or not you obtained required permits for work done on your house. If you do not obtain a permit, you may be required to bring your home into compliance with code requirements for that work and you may have to pay penalty permit fees and fines prior to selling your home.

The greatest energy use in California homes is for central air conditioning and heating. Most homes with central air conditioning and heating systems have ducts that were never properly sealed. The average home's ducts leak around 30 percent of the conditioned air outside the home. These leaks are taking money straight out of your pocketbook. Properly sealed ducts will lower your energy bills, reduce pollution inside your home, and help to avoid a repeat of the inconvenience and health and safety risks that we suffered during the power blackouts in 2000.

For more information, please contact the Energy Commission Efficiency Hotline at (800) 772-3300, or visit our website at www.energy.ca.gov/title24/changeout."

Date: August 2, 2005

JACKALYNE PFANNENSTIEL	ARTHUR H. ROSENFELD, Ph. D.
Vice Chair	Commissioner

Download Open Letter (PDF)

If a heating, ventilating and air conditioning contractor's bid is too good to believe, don't.

While it may take a little effort, the beauty of getting bids is that it helps protect you from paying too much and non-licensed work. Even so, if you're like most homeowners, you'll probably lean toward the low bid. That's OK but remember: the low bid could be low because the contractor is cutting corners by not going through the steps that will assure you of the best, most energy efficient job possible.

Before you say "yes" to that low bid, here are 5 simple questions you should ask:

1. Will permits be pulled?

If a contractor says he doesn't need to pull the proper permits, you don't need that contractor. Because if a contractor has a "C20" state license, California state law says he has to. Not pulling permits may save the contractor a bit of time, but down the road it could cost you. In some locales, for example, when a house is sold all work done without required permits must be disclosed. That's when permit costs plus penalties may have to be paid.

2. Will the duct system be pre and post tested?

If your heating and air conditioning system is not keeping you cool in hot weather and warm in the cold weather, it's likely the duct system leaks. In fact, if the house is more than 5-7 years old, it very likely leaks in the ductwork are costing you by letting warm and/or cool air escape, while all the other system components may be in great working order. It just makes sense to have the ductwork tested before spending for equipment That may not be needed.

Some contractors may tell you that duct testing is a waste of time and money and to just trust them. It isn't and you shouldn't. Pre-testing your heating, ventilating and air conditioning system tells you exactly where the problems are. Pre-testing should be part of a contractor's bid. It may cost a few dollars, but It'll be a lot less than replacing a major unit (like a compressor or heat pump) that doesn't need replacing. What's more, it makes a lot of sense to have pre and post testing done by an independent third party.

3. Will the HVAC work done be independently verified?

Some contractors don't like having their work checked. But California requires it. Independent verification is the only way the state, and you, can be sure of compliance with current California energy standards. If the work done results in a system that complies with those standards, great. If it doesn't comply…well, your contractor may have some more work to do. Verification may cost a few more dollars, but you'll know for sure the work was done to meet efficiency standards; that your ductwork is sealed and properly distributing warm and cool air throughout your house.

4. Who will you get to verify your new HVAC system?

There are other rating services out there, but only CHEERS (California Home Energy Efficiency Rating Services), the first rating service approved by the California Energy Commission, has upwards to500 trained and certified raters.They're raters who can pre-test and then verify the HVAC work done. (In fact, CHEERS raters usually keep HVAC contractors informed of all the current state guidelines and latest installation techniques).

Yes, there is a cost associated with this service. But, whether the certification is done by a CHEERS or another rating service, the certification is required. And certification is your best guarantee of a job done right.

5. How much will this add in time and money?

Doing things right does add a small cost in dollars and hours. But it's nothing compared to the nuisance and irritation that comes with failing an inspection, paying the fines attached to pulling late permits and getting the contractor to fix his mistakes. That's why asking these few questions, before the work is done, is important in the selection of an HVAC contractor.

The answers to these five questions may lead you to conclude that the low bid isn't always the best bid. That's OK. Because if you get the job done right, you'll end up saving money and time. It's that simple.

Simple questions. Simple Answers. Easy decision.

You and your family will be living with the work done by your heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractor for a long time. So, make sure you've found a contractor who really knows what he's doing, whose bid covers all the bases and who answers all your questions directly. When you get direct answers to your questions, you may discover that the low bid isn't really the best bid. But, when you find a heating, ventilating and air conditioning contractor who refuses to cut corners and can assure you that the work he'll be doing is needed and fairly priced that's the contractor you want to work with.

The bottom line? Get the job done right and, in the long, run you'll save time, money and energy.

Get it done right. Save money, too.

PDF Brochure (1.2M)