A finished installation should leave you able to use the system and find its records. Set aside time for the handover while the installer is present, rather than trying to learn everything from a stack of manuals that evening.
Have the accepted proposal available so the completed equipment and scope can be reviewed together.
Ask to see the normal controls
ENERGY STAR's installation guidance emphasizes correct selection and installation for expected performance. At handover, ask which commissioning checks were completed and request the relevant records for your system.
Have the installer demonstrate normal heating and cooling controls where conditions permit, the fan settings and any ventilation or humidity accessories. For a heat pump, ask how backup heat is managed and what ordinary defrost behaviour looks like.
Confirm the schedule and supported settings you are expected to use. Installer thresholds should not become homework for the homeowner.
A practical final walk-through
- Identify filters and the approved replacement specification.
- Review owner maintenance and required clearances.
- Locate accessible shutoffs and explain when professional help is needed.
- Confirm model and serial records, manuals and warranty registration.
- Review drainage, outdoor placement and any unfinished restoration.
- Identify the contact for service and outstanding work.
Where electrical work was included, retain the applicable completion documentation. Where an incentive applies, confirm the remaining submission steps and who handles them.
If a seasonal operating check cannot be completed that day, agree on how it will be addressed and record that item. Do the same for any missing document or small finishing task.
Try the controls yourself during the demonstration. A question about a confusing icon is easier to answer with the installer beside you.
The handover is complete when you know how to operate the system, what care it needs, where the records are and how any remaining items will be resolved.
