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Home systems

Heating, Cooling & Chimney

Combustion appliances and chimneys are safety items first, cost items second, and they're high up and rarely photographed, exactly where listings hide problems.

The ten second check

What else is typical in a house this age?

Type the year the house was built and I will tell you what else tends to be true at that age, what it costs, and what to ask. One number, ten seconds.

A guess is fine. 1965, or just the 60s.

Anything worrying you? Tap any that apply, or skip it.

Free. No account. Educational and impartial, not a home inspection.

Chimney, flue & cap

High up and rarely photographed, the chimney problems listings hide.

$400 to $4,000Address soon

Aging furnace & HVAC

How old is too old, and what a furnace, AC, or heat pump costs to replace.

$3,500 to $10,500Address soon

Heating oil tanks

Old or buried oil tanks, a leak is a five- to six-figure liability. Verify before you buy.

$2,500 to $100,000+Address before purchase

Aging air conditioner & heat pump

AC and heat pumps last ~10 to 16 years, read the age and budget the replacement.

$3,500 to $12,000Address soon

Wood stoves & WETT certification

No current WETT certificate can mean a declined policy. Check before you buy.

$200 to $500Address before purchase

Heat pump age & replacement

10 to 16 year lifespan, five-figure replacement, read the data plate.

$8,000 to $20,000Address soon

Score a listing before you tour it

Casaroo reads any listing for the bones as well as the appearance, free, in seconds.

Free listing check →