Seller installing new AC system in old house: Do they need to upgrade to 200 amp electrical system? (air conditioning, water heater)
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I have a contract on a 1930s Arts & Crafts-style home in Virginia. The Seller (a construction company) is installing a new air conditioning system (with duct work). The house currently has a 150 amps electrical system. Should I be concerned about the electricity needed to run a new AC system in this old house? Should it be upgraded to 200 amps?
Furthermore, I called the city office and found out that the Seller does not have a permit to install the AC system nor one for upgrading electricity. We have finished the Home Inspection and are currently negotiating on the repairs so we're going to ask about the permits.
The answer is it all depends. It depends on how the load is distributed and what's available.
My current house is 40 years old and has 100 amp service. We run 2 dual zone Heat-pumps with gas back-ups and have no problems with service over-load. Since we have a gas water heater and gas cooking range, I really don't need anymore juice.
But you should seek the advice from an electrical professional to check the service and see if it's okay to handle the load.
I have a contract on a 1930s Arts & Crafts-style home in Virginia. The Seller (a construction company) is installing a new air conditioning system (with duct work). The house currently has a 150 amps electrical system. Should I be concerned about the electricity needed to run a new AC system in this old house? Should it be upgraded to 200 amps?
Furthermore, I called the city office and found out that the Seller does not have a permit to install the AC system nor one for upgrading electricity. We have finished the Home Inspection and are currently negotiating on the repairs so we're going to ask about the permits.
Not unless it is a huge house with a lot of appliances and electrical load. A 150 Amp service will run quite a bit.
What I would be concerned with is the 150 Amp service. Is it actually 150 Amp?? You mentioned that the seller is installing a new HVAC system without a permit and they are a construction company. Did they perform the 150 Amp upgrade without a permit? How did the Inspector determine it was 150 Amp service? Was it just reading the main breaker size or more properly checking the service entrance and lateral line sizes, checking the service meter rating, etc., etc.?
A problem area is the lack of permits. First, the city may hold up any future remodel work because there were no permits on the prior work. There is also a chance that should this un-permitted work be the cause of damage to the house, your insurance company may not pay the claim.
A seller installing an HVAC system makes my spine cringe...
The seller is a construction company. You would think they should know what they are doing or have experienced subs doing the work. Of course, the lack of permits would lead me to wonder.
Panel sizing ... depending on what other loads are present, it may be sufficient. That said, without permits, it's unlikely that the main feeder was properly upgraded too - which is a BIG issue. Much bigger than the unpermitted HVAC, I'll say.
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