Frontline Property Inspections LLC

Ms. Acosta, As you know, I performed the inspection at your condo on 7/15/2017. That same evening, I provided you with an extremely detailed and informative 26 page report, sent via email. Since you live in Arizona and could not be present, I followed up with a phone call to let you know that the email had been sent and we discussed the major issues that were discovered during the inspection. Your sister and your realtor were both present for the inspection that day. The report outlined numerous repairs that were needed, from damaged windows & flooring to numerous plumbing issues and a full page worth of electrical problems. At this point, your main concern is obviously the HVAC system, ironically, I documented a half page of issues with the HVAC system and noted specifically that the emergency pan was full of water during the inspection. I stated that there should never be water in the emergency pan and that it needs to be serviced to prevent flooding in the home. [This is how water gets into the pan: the condensation from the evaporator coil falls into a tray which then drains into a condensate line which then delivers the water to the exterior of the home. When the coils and condensate line are clogged, the water will not drain to the exterior of the home like it should, it then falls into the emergency drain pan and hopefully, the automatic float switch is working correctly so that it shuts the system down before it floods the house.] I explained to everyone at the time of the inspection and that the seller should have the system to be cleaned and serviced ASAP, to avoid the risk of the pan overflowing and flooding the ceiling in the bedroom. At this point, any other unforeseen issues would have also been diagnosed. Evidently, no one took my advice or read my report. I stated in the report FOUR times between pp. 12 & 15 that you need to have the system looked at by a professional as I have no means of dismantling a system for further diagnosis. Actually, the state guidelines for home inspectors & ASHI standards dictate that I am not to attempt to dismantle these systems. At the very end of the report, my last comment that I wrote to you: ?Due to the age of some of the major appliances and mechanical equipment, you may consider purchasing a home warranty for protection. I recommend that you obtain estimates for repairs mentioned in this report, PRIOR to closing. Please review the entire inspection report for details in all areas of the home and call me if you have any questions or if you need clarification...? This makes a total of Five times that I recommended further evaluation for repairs of the system. Also, I specified that much of the ductwork in the attic was damaged and would need to be replaced. Again, please note that if the system had not been working, then there would not have been water in the emergency pan. The system shut down and stopped working after your sister moved in because it was dirty and the lines were clogged. If there were other issues with the system on top of this, then it was impossible for me to know about it. Trying to forecast a leaking coil on an old HVAC system is like trying to predict when a lightbulb will quit working ? it is impossible. However, I did inform you that the system was older and I gave you a general life expectancy for this type of equipment. When I spoke with the HVAC tech that went to your home, he said that he added Freon and recommended that you monitor the system to see how long it would last. The photos that you have included coincide perfectly with my report. In fact, my report included two photos of the unit and one with water in the emergency pan. I included several photos if the damaged ductwork for you in the report. By the way, a new system for a condo that size would not be 5-7k?it should be under 4k. You need to deal with reputable people. I wish you all the best in your new home. Todd Johnson (If anyone reading this would like to view the report, I will remove the address/personal information and will make it available by request.)