The federal efficiency floor for Indiana
Indiana is in the Department of Energy's North region. There, split-system central air conditioners installed on or after January 1, 2023 must be rated at least 13.4 SEER2, and split-system heat pumps at least 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2.
When a company proposes new equipment, ask which SEER2 rating the proposed indoor and outdoor pairing carries, and for a heat pump, which HSPF2 rating, and where you can look up that exact pairing.
Muncie's HVAC licensing requirements
Muncie's HVAC licensing requirements include a $5,000 surety bond and at least $500,000 in liability insurance, both listing the City of Muncie, plus a letter from another city where the applicant holds a license showing the license type and block examination scores.
Before any work, ask: "Do you hold a current City of Muncie HVAC license for this kind of work, and when does it expire?"
How this checklist is arranged
Instead of a calendar, this list walks you around the house. Each stop has things to look at in the cooling season and in the heating season, plus a note on when to hand the job to a technician. Do the walk at the start of each season and again whenever something seems off.
Safety first. Before you lift a panel or reach toward the outdoor unit, set the thermostat to off and switch off power at the service switch beside the indoor equipment and at the outdoor disconnect.
At the thermostat
- Check that the clock and schedule are right, and change the batteries if it takes them.
- Switch from heat to cool, or back, a day or two before you need it, so a problem shows up early.
- Watch for a display that reads auxiliary or emergency heat on a heat pump, and note the dates.
- If a room never matches the setting, write down which room, the time and the reading.
At the filter
- Pull the filter and hold it to a light. If little light gets through, replace it.
- Note the size printed on the frame so you buy the right one.
- Check that the arrow on the frame points toward the blower, and that the slot cover closes snugly.
- Write the date on the new filter's edge.
Registers and returns
- Walk each room and make sure supply registers are open and return grilles are clear of furniture, drapes and rugs.
- Vacuum dust from grilles.
- If a bedroom feels stuffy with the door shut, ask a technician whether that room has a path back to a return.
The furnace or air handler closet
- Look at the floor and cabinet for water, rust, soot or scorch marks.
- Keep stored boxes, paint and cleaning products away from the equipment.
- Listen through a full run for new rattles, squeals or a hum that won't stop, and note the date.
- Technician, heating season: burners and flame, ignition parts, heat exchanger, flue, gas pressure where it applies, and a written combustion and carbon monoxide reading.
- Technician, cooling season: indoor coil, blower wheel, wiring connections and refrigerant readings written on the ticket.
The condensate line
- Find where the drain line ends, whether outside, at a floor drain or at a small pump.
- Pour a cup of water into the drain pan or the pump's reservoir and make sure it runs out.
- Water standing in the pan under the coil can mean a slow drain; ask for it to be cleared.
Outside at the condenser or heat pump
- Keep leaves, grass clippings and stored items away from the cabinet, and trim plants to the clearance in the owner's manual.
- With power off, rinse the fins gently with a garden hose from the inside out if you can reach, or from top to bottom if you can't. Never use a pressure washer.
- Check that the unit sits level and that the insulation on the larger copper line is intact.
- In the heating season, a heat pump may pause and release a cloud of vapor while it defrosts. If ice coats the coil and won't clear, call for service.
- If ice or debris collects on top of the unit, clear it by hand or with a soft brush.
Vents and alarms
- If the furnace vents through plastic pipes in a side wall, keep both openings clear of leaves, nests and drifts.
- Press the test button on every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm at each change of season.
- If the house has a chimney-vented furnace or water heater, ask the technician to look at the flue connection.
After a power outage
- Give the system a few minutes before switching it back on, then confirm the thermostat kept its settings.
- Look around the outdoor unit for debris or bent fins.
- If water reached any part of the equipment, leave it off until a technician has looked.
Signs to call about
- A breaker that trips again after a reset.
- A system that turns on and off every few minutes.
- A yellow, flickering burner flame or soot near the furnace.
- A burning smell. If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas company from outside.
- A carbon monoxide alarm. Get everyone outside first, then call.
When replacement comes up
Ask any company quoting new equipment for a room-by-room load calculation, full model numbers, duct work on separate lines, and proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation. Ask which permits the job needs and who applies for them.
The service log
Keep a sheet near the indoor equipment or a note on your phone. Record filter changes, each service visit with the date and the technician's name, readings taken, parts replaced, refrigerant added and the model and serial numbers of each piece of equipment.