A house tour gives you enough time to spot comfort clues, but not enough time to diagnose a system. Your job is to record what you can see, hear and document. The inspector and appropriate trades can then determine what those observations mean.
That distinction matters because heating, cooling and plumbing systems require trained people. ACHR News reports that the PHCC Educational Foundation has awarded a record 80 scholarships totaling about $200,000 to plumbing and HVAC apprentices, trade school students and college students pursuing related degrees. The trade scholarship report is a useful reminder that professional findings come from developed skills, not a quick walk-through.
Print this checklist for each St. Louis house you tour. Keep observations in the first column of your notes. Put explanations, repair estimates and remaining service life in a separate section after the inspection.
Heating and cooling equipment
□ Photograph the furnace, air handler, outdoor condenser, boiler or heat pump. Capture each data plate straight on so the model and serial numbers remain readable.
□ Record the thermostat reading and mode. Note the indoor temperature, the setpoint and whether the equipment was already operating when you entered.
□ Listen during startup and shutdown. Write down rattles, scraping, repeated clicking or unusually hard starts without assigning a cause.
□ Look at the filter slot. Record the filter size, visible loading and whether the cover fits. Do not remove access panels or reach into equipment during a tour.
□ Check whether supply and return grilles are present, open and unobstructed. A room with no obvious return path deserves a question, especially when its door is closed.
□ Ask for installation dates, maintenance invoices, warranty paperwork and major repair records. “Serviced regularly” is not the same as dated documentation.
Room-by-room comfort clues
□ Compare rooms on the same floor. Note spaces that feel warmer, cooler, stuffier or more humid than adjacent rooms.
□ Run a hand near closed windows and exterior doors without touching damaged glass or loose trim. Record noticeable air movement, cracked weatherstripping and daylight around frames.
□ Look for portable heaters, window air conditioners, register booster fans or multiple dehumidifiers. These devices are not proof of a defect, but they justify asking how the room performs during more demanding weather.
□ In an accessible attic, stay on proper decking and do not disturb insulation. Record visible insulation coverage, compressed areas, open chases and disconnected or crushed ducts. Leave measurements and defect calls to the inspector.
□ Note finished rooms above garages, additions and converted porches. Ask how each space is heated and cooled rather than assuming the central system serves it adequately.
Utility bills and operating history
□ Request 12 months of electric and gas bills when the seller is willing to provide them. Record actual usage as well as cost because rates, occupancy and thermostat habits can change the dollar total.
□ Ask which fuels serve the furnace, boiler, water heater, range and fireplace. Confirm whether any tank is leased and whether auxiliary heat is installed.
□ Write down how many people occupied the house and whether anyone worked from home. Bills from an empty house or a lightly occupied property are weak guides to your future load.
□ Do not treat one high bill as a failed HVAC system. Building leakage, duct losses, thermostat settings, equipment condition and household behavior can overlap. The inspection should narrow the possibilities.
Questions for the inspector
Ask the inspector to identify equipment age from available labels, test normal operating modes when conditions permit, describe visible duct and venting defects, check accessible condensate handling, and distinguish immediate safety concerns from maintenance items and longer-term replacements.
Also ask what was not inspected. Outdoor temperature, inaccessible components, stored belongings and seller restrictions can limit a test. If the report recommends an HVAC evaluation, ask what observation triggered that recommendation so the contractor receives a useful starting point.
If the move is connected to supporting an older family member, extend the tour beyond equipment. Check the route between the bedroom, bathroom, thermostat and main exit, then contact a locally owned St. Louis home care agency if you need to understand how the house layout fits an actual support routine.
Keep the two records separate
Your tour sheet should say, “upstairs bedroom felt warmer,” “furnace label photographed,” or “no maintenance invoices provided.” A professional report may later identify restricted airflow, inadequate insulation, equipment trouble or no material defect at all.
That separation keeps the checklist honest. You arrive at the inspection with sharper questions, while the inspector and trades retain responsibility for testing, diagnosis and repair recommendations.