Missed HVAC Final Inspection in New Port Richey, Florida: Engineer Letter and Site Visit

The situation

In 2017 a gas furnace and cooling coil were replaced in a home in New Port Richey, Florida, under a mechanical permit. The final inspection was never completed. According to the owner, nobody was home when it was due.

With a property closing coming up, the owner began the paperwork to reopen the permit. Normally the installing contractor would help close out a permit like this. That wasn't possible here because the contractor had gone out of business and had since died.

What the owner asked for

The owner asked us for an engineer letter for a missed inspection, addressed to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), meaning the building department that issued the permit. The letter would describe the existing installation as we found it, so the department would have information to use in deciding how to handle the permit.

What we did, and its limits

Our work had two parts.

Records review. We reviewed what the owner could provide: the permit record and inspection history, the department's requirements, equipment documentation and the owner's photos. According to the furnace data label, the unit was manufactured in April 2017, which matches the permit year.

One site visit. We visited the house once to document the installed furnace and coil and the conditions we could see and reach. These included equipment clearances, the gas connection, venting, refrigerant lines, electrical connections, condensate provisions and the exposed ductwork. We then compared those observed conditions with the applicable code requirements and the available documentation.

Here are the limits. Our visit took place years after the work was done. We did not perform the original 2017 inspection, and we did not see the installation while it was being put in. We could not evaluate anything concealed or out of reach. For the history of the installation we relied on the records and photos we were given, and the people who supplied them are responsible for their accuracy. We did not prepare drawings, load calculations or equipment sizing.

What was delivered

We issued a signed and sealed engineering letter to the building department. It sets out our observations and findings, the limits of the evaluation, and any required corrections we found.

• October 21, 2026: request received
• October 22, 2026: engagement accepted
• October 28, 2026: letter issued

The timing on this project depended on when the records and site access were available. Other projects will vary with the documentation available.

The letter does not reopen or close the permit. The owner and the building department handle reopening, fees, inspection scheduling and the final inspection. The department decides whether to accept the letter, subject to its own review, and what else it needs.

If you're dealing with an old open permit

• Start with the permit record. Ask the building department for the inspection history and its requirements for reopening the permit.
• Gather your paperwork. Invoices, receipts, warranty or startup sheets, product data and any photos from the installation are all useful. Equipment data labels can help date the work.
• Clear access to the equipment. An engineer can only describe what can be seen and reached.
• Expect possible corrections. An evaluation done years later may find items the department wants fixed before it closes the permit.
• The building department decides. An engineer letter gives the department information. It doesn't guarantee acceptance by the department, a lender, an insurer or a title company.