Mechanical system inspections

A mechanical system inspection tells you what condition your heating, cooling, ventilation and plumbing equipment is in, what is likely to fail next, and what to fix first. We inspect the equipment, review how it is operated and maintained, and give you a written report you can plan and budget from.

Mechanical systems are usually the largest operating cost in a building and the most common source of tenant complaints. Problems such as a failing heat exchanger, a stuck outdoor air damper or a leaking backflow preventer often go unnoticed until something stops working. An independent look, done by people with no equipment to sell, gives you a fair picture of where you stand.

What we look at

• Heating plant: boilers, furnaces, unit heaters, radiant systems, burners, flues and combustion air.
• Cooling: rooftop units, split systems, chillers, condensing units and cooling towers.
• Air handling and ventilation: air handlers, fans, dampers, coils, filters, heat recovery ventilators and energy recovery ventilators.
• Hydronic systems: pumps, expansion tanks, valves, piping insulation and water treatment.
• Domestic water and drainage: water heaters, recirculation, backflow preventers, sump and sewage pumps, visible piping.
• Controls: thermostats, building automation system points and schedules, sensors and the sequences the equipment is actually running.
• Records: maintenance logs, filter change history, past service reports and any outstanding deficiencies from mandated inspections.

How it works

1. We start with why. We ask what prompted the inspection: a purchase, a lease, recurring complaints, rising energy bills, budgeting or an upcoming mandated inspection. The answer shapes the scope.
2. Document review. We look at drawings, equipment lists, maintenance records and past reports before we arrive, so site time is spent on the equipment.
3. Site inspection. We walk the mechanical rooms, roof and occupied spaces, inspect equipment in operation where it is safe to do so, and note nameplate data, age and condition.
4. Analysis. We sort findings by risk and urgency: safety issues, items likely to fail soon, maintenance gaps and longer-term replacements.
5. Report and walkthrough. You get a written report and a conversation about what it means, and what to do first.

What you get

A written report that lists each major piece of equipment with its condition, observed problems and recommended action. Findings are ranked so you can see which items need attention now, which can be planned into next year, and which belong in a longer capital plan. Where something is outside our scope, such as an internal boiler inspection or a refrigerant leak repair, we say so and tell you who should do it.

If you want help after the report, we can coordinate contractors, review their quotes against the findings and verify that the work was done.

Who it's for

• Property and facility managers who need a baseline before setting a maintenance plan or budget.
• Buyers and lenders doing due diligence on a commercial or multi-unit building.
• Tenants taking on responsibility for equipment under a lease.
• Owners dealing with comfort complaints, poor air quality or high energy use without a clear cause.
• Condominium boards planning for reserve fund studies.

If you want background before you call, our guides explain how commercial HVAC systems work, what goes into rooftop unit maintenance, and what to expect from boiler inspections. For whole-building due diligence, see commercial building inspections.

Common questions