An older furnace or air conditioner is rarely a deal-breaker on its own, but it is one of the most common items a buyer’s inspection turns into a negotiation. The rules are simpler than the arguments: Virginia is a buyer-beware state, the inspection decides what gets discussed, and an old system is a negotiating fact more than a defect. This guide is part of our series on aging home systems, alongside our posts on roof age, old electrical panels and old plumbing.
What Virginia law asks of a seller
Virginia’s Residential Property Disclosure Act says the disclosure statement a seller hands over must tell the buyer that the owner makes no representations or warranties about the condition of the property or its improvements, and that the buyer should do whatever due diligence they consider necessary, including a home inspection. That language is in § 55.1-703 of the Code of Virginia, and it is why no statute requires a seller to guarantee a heating or cooling system. The statute is also being revised: the section has one version in effect now and another effective January 1, 2027, so check the current text before relying on a quotation. Buyer beware does not make it safe to misstate what you know, and our guides to what a Richmond seller must actually disclose and to selling after a major repair cover where the line sits.
What an inspection actually covers
The Code defines a home inspection as a written evaluation of the readily accessible components of a residential building, and the list in § 54.1-500 includes heating and cooling systems. Two phrases in that definition matter. “Readily accessible” means an inspector reports what can be seen and operated, not what is inside a sealed heat exchanger or behind a wall. And the inspection can be limited in scope by the inspection contract, so read what yours includes. A general inspector can tell you the system runs and what it looks like. If the report notes rust, short cycling, an old compressor or a cracked-looking component, the usual next step is a licensed HVAC contractor’s written evaluation and a repair or replacement quote. Our guide to what an inspector will not cover lists other add-ons worth asking about.
Thinking of selling a house with an older system?
A free home valuation shows how comparable homes in your neighborhood have sold, which tells you whether an aging furnace or air conditioner is likely to move your price.
Age is a fact, not a verdict
Equipment carries a data plate with the manufacture date and serial number, so age is easy to establish and hard to argue about. Lifespan depends on the equipment, how it was installed and how it was maintained, and we do not have a source for a single number that would be fair to every system, so we are not offering one. What changes the conversation is condition and records. A 15-year-old system with annual service receipts is a different proposition from a 15-year-old system with none. An older home in the Fan, Bon Air or Midlothian may well have equipment far younger than the house, so ask for the replacement date rather than assuming from the year built.
The refrigerant question on older cooling systems
For central air and heat pumps, one issue is specific to age. The EPA says HCFC-22, also called R-22, was the most common refrigerant in residential air conditioning for decades, and that after 2020 only recycled, reclaimed or previously produced R-22 can be used to service existing equipment. EPA’s guidance for homeowners also says there is no EPA requirement to replace an existing R-22 system, and that units manufactured before 2010 can continue to be serviced with R-22. In practice that means a leak repair on an old R-22 unit relies on a shrinking supply, which is a fair thing for a buyer to price in and a fair thing for a seller to have documented. The same page advises using technicians who hold EPA’s Section 608 certification.
Questions to ask at the inspection
If you are the buyer, being at the inspection for the HVAC portion is worth the time. Ask the inspector which parts of the system they were able to test and which they were not. Inspectors often will not run an air conditioner in cold weather because doing so can damage the equipment, so an inspection in late fall or winter may only test heating, and a summer inspection may only test cooling. Ask about the filter, the condensate drain, the thermostat and any visible ductwork, and whether the report separates cosmetic findings from items that affect operation. If the home heats with gas, remember that service is not available on every street; our guide to which Richmond-area neighborhoods have natural gas service explains how to check an address, and it affects whether a replacement would be a furnace or a heat pump.
If you are the seller, expect these questions and have the answers ready: the install date, the last service date, any repairs in the past few years and whether any warranty is still active. Having them ready keeps the conversation on the findings in the report.
Ways a deal can handle it
Credit or price reduction
The buyer takes the system as is and the seller reduces the price or gives a closing credit sized to a written quote. This keeps the seller out of managing a contractor and puts the replacement decision with the buyer. Our guide to negotiating repairs after an inspection walks through how requests and responses are usually written.
Repair or replacement before closing
The seller has the work done by a licensed contractor and provides the invoice. If the work will not be finished by closing, an escrow holdback can keep money behind until it is. Whoever installs new equipment, ask whether the manufacturer’s warranty needs to be registered and whether it passes to the next owner, because terms vary by manufacturer.
A service plan or home warranty
Some sellers offer a home warranty in place of a fix. Whether that helps depends on what the contract covers and excludes, which we explain in our guide to what a home warranty covers on a Richmond resale.
If you are selling
Collect the service records, the install date and any warranty paperwork before listing. A pre-listing inspection shows you what a buyer’s inspector will see. If you want help deciding between repairing, crediting or leaving it, our selling team can walk through it with your home’s comparables, and you can see homes we currently have listed to see how others present theirs.
Price your home with the system you have
Send us your address and we will show comparable sales, so you can decide whether to repair, credit or leave an older system alone.
Questions about HVAC at a Richmond home sale
Does a Virginia seller have to replace an old furnace or air conditioner?
No statute requires it. The disclosure statement under § 55.1-703 says the owner makes no representations or warranties about the condition of the property, and buyers are told to do their own due diligence. A contract can still require repairs the parties agree to.
Does a home inspection cover the HVAC system?
Yes. The Code of Virginia’s definition of a home inspection includes heating and cooling systems, but it covers readily accessible components and the inspection contract can limit its scope.
What if the inspector flags the HVAC system?
The usual next step is a written evaluation and quote from a licensed HVAC contractor, then a request for a repair, credit or price reduction under the contract’s inspection terms.
Is an old R-22 air conditioner illegal to keep?
No. The EPA says there is no federal requirement to replace an existing R-22 system. After 2020, though, only recycled, reclaimed or previously produced R-22 can be used to service existing equipment.
How do I find out how old the system is?
Read the data plate on the equipment, which lists the manufacture date and serial number, and ask the seller for installation records and service receipts.
Should a seller replace the system before listing?
It depends on the system’s condition and your comparables. A pre-listing inspection and a contractor’s written opinion give you the facts to choose between replacing, crediting or leaving it.
Can a manufacturer’s warranty transfer to the buyer?
Sometimes. Terms vary by manufacturer, and some require registration, so check the paperwork before you promise it in a contract.
When in the year should a buyer schedule the inspection to test the HVAC?
Any time, but ask what will be tested. Inspectors often will not run an air conditioner in cold weather, so a winter inspection may only test heating and a summer one may only test cooling.
