Mechanicals & Appliances
Decode manufacture dates from model/serial plates, estimate remaining economic life, and feed
the effective-age and condition analysis.
Steps
Collect inputs: data-plate photos in photos/mech-*, plus any serials dictated on-site.
For each component, extract brand, model, serial, then decode the manufacture date using
references/serial-number-decoding.md (brand-by-brand rules: Rheem/Ruud MMYY, Carrier/Bryant
week-year, Trane year-letter, A.O. Smith/State/Bradford White letter codes, etc.).
- Show your decode work (which characters → which date) so the appraiser can sanity-check.
- If the brand's scheme is ambiguous or the plate is unreadable:
VERIFY: with a suggested
tiebreaker (ANSI cert date on plate, installer sticker, permit date, owner interview).
Cross-check decoded age against context: install stickers, tax card "year built",
dictated owner statements, visible wear. Contradictions → discrepancies.md.
Build the component inventory in mechanicals.md:
| Component |
Brand/Model |
Serial |
Mfg date |
Age |
Typical life |
Est. remaining |
Condition notes |
Photo |
Typical-life baselines are in the reference file (furnace 15–25, boiler 20–35, water heater
8–12 tank, heat pump 12–15, asphalt roof 15–30 by grade, etc.) — adjust for observed condition
and note climate context from the state module (e.g., Maine heating systems run hard; check
the state module for fuel norms like oil-fired boilers and monitor heaters).
Roll up to valuation inputs (appraiser confirms): components at/near end of life →
candidate condition/effective-age commentary and possible cost-to-cure notes; recent
replacements → updates/renovation commentary with dates for the UAD "updated/remodeled"
timeframes.
FHA/VA assignments: flag MPR-relevant findings (water heater TPR valve/discharge, heating
adequacy, roof life < 2 years).
Output
End with: the inventory table, items needing VERIFY:, the proposed condition/effective-age
commentary for the report, and next skill suggestion.
1---2name: mechanicals-appliances3description: Turn data-plate photos of the furnace/boiler, water heater, heat pump/AC, roof, and appliances into decoded ages, expected remaining life, and condition notes. Use when the user shares data-plate photos, serial numbers, or asks "how old is this furnace/water heater".4---56# Mechanicals & Appliances78Decode manufacture dates from model/serial plates, estimate remaining economic life, and feed9the effective-age and condition analysis.1011## Steps12131. Collect inputs: data-plate photos in `photos/mech-*`, plus any serials dictated on-site.142. For each component, extract **brand, model, serial**, then decode the manufacture date using15 `references/serial-number-decoding.md` (brand-by-brand rules: Rheem/Ruud MMYY, Carrier/Bryant16 week-year, Trane year-letter, A.O. Smith/State/Bradford White letter codes, etc.).17 - Show your decode work (which characters → which date) so the appraiser can sanity-check.18 - If the brand's scheme is ambiguous or the plate is unreadable: `VERIFY:` with a suggested19 tiebreaker (ANSI cert date on plate, installer sticker, permit date, owner interview).203. **Cross-check** decoded age against context: install stickers, tax card "year built",21 dictated owner statements, visible wear. Contradictions → `discrepancies.md`.224. Build the component inventory in `mechanicals.md`:2324 | Component | Brand/Model | Serial | Mfg date | Age | Typical life | Est. remaining | Condition notes | Photo |25 |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|2627 Typical-life baselines are in the reference file (furnace 15–25, boiler 20–35, water heater28 8–12 tank, heat pump 12–15, asphalt roof 15–30 by grade, etc.) — adjust for observed condition29 and note climate context from the state module (e.g., Maine heating systems run hard; check30 the state module for fuel norms like oil-fired boilers and monitor heaters).315. **Roll up to valuation inputs** (appraiser confirms): components at/near end of life →32 candidate condition/effective-age commentary and possible cost-to-cure notes; recent33 replacements → updates/renovation commentary with dates for the UAD "updated/remodeled"34 timeframes.356. FHA/VA assignments: flag MPR-relevant findings (water heater TPR valve/discharge, heating36 adequacy, roof life < 2 years).3738## Output3940End with: the inventory table, items needing `VERIFY:`, the proposed condition/effective-age41commentary for the report, and next skill suggestion.
bedardandy