The AC Conversation
Within ten minutes of starting, the inspector was at the HVAC system. He spent more time there than on anything else.
"How old is this unit?" I asked, looking at the condenser outside.
"Twelve years," he said, reading the data plate. "In Ohio, that's middle-aged. In Phoenix, that's getting old."
He explained that Phoenix AC systems run 6,000+ hours per year compared to maybe 2,000 in a moderate climate. A 15-year-old unit here has the equivalent wear of a 25-year-old unit elsewhere. The math was simple but it wasn't something I'd considered.
The unit was functioning fine that day. The inspector noted it was "functional, approaching end of expected lifespan, budget for replacement within 3-5 years." I appreciated the honesty rather than either alarming me or pretending everything was fine.
Roof Surprises
The roof was tile. Coming from the Midwest, I thought tile roofs were fancy and basically permanent.
The inspector explained the Phoenix roof reality. Tile is durable but sits on underlayment that degrades in our extreme heat. The tiles can outlast the underlayment by decades. Eventually, all those beautiful tiles come off, new underlayment goes down, and the tiles go back on. It's a $15,000-25,000 job that Midwesterners and Easterners never think about.
This particular roof was 18 years old. The inspector said the underlayment probably had another 5-10 years but recommended an evaluation around year 25. He showed me how to look for signs of underlayment failure from the attic: daylight peeking through, moisture stains, debris accumulation.
I'd assumed the roof was a non-issue since it looked perfect. It was, for now. But I learned that "for now" has an expiration date.
The Pool Inspection
The home had a pool. In Phoenix, that's not unusual. The inspector treated it as a standard part of the evaluation rather than an add-on.
I watched him check the pump, the filter, the heater, the timer, the lights, the safety drain covers. He tested the equipment, noted ages, and flagged a few concerns.
The heater was 14 years old and showed corrosion. The pool light was original and didn't meet current safety standards. The timer was temperamental. None of these were deal-breakers, but collectively they represented maybe $3,000-4,000 in near-term expenses.
I'd thought of the pool as a bonus feature. The inspection helped me see it as a system with maintenance needs and replacement schedules like any other part of the house.
Desert Landscaping Isn't Maintenance-Free
The yard was all desert landscaping. Gravel, cactus, a few trees. No grass. I assumed this meant minimal maintenance and no water issues.
The inspector found a drip irrigation leak near the foundation. Water had been saturating the soil against the house. In a climate where the ground is usually bone dry, adding water near the foundation can cause the soil to expand and create pressure issues.
He also pointed out that the trees, while attractive, hadn't been properly maintained. Branches were close to the roof and would scrape during wind. Dead growth hadn't been cleared, creating fire risk.
Desert landscaping requires less maintenance than grass, but it's not zero maintenance. That was news to me.
What I Did Differently
Based on the inspection, I negotiated $4,000 in credits for the pool equipment issues. The sellers agreed since they knew the heater was old.
I fixed the irrigation leak immediately after closing. Cost about $50 in parts.
I started changing the HVAC filters monthly instead of quarterly since Phoenix dust is relentless.
And I lived in that Mesa home for four years. The AC made it the whole time, finally dying about six months after I sold. The roof never leaked. The pool heater failed in year two, and I replaced it using part of that closing credit.
The inspection didn't find anything that changed my decision to buy. But it changed how I thought about maintaining a Phoenix home. I came in with Midwest assumptions. I left with desert knowledge.