Sheridan Maple Run New Builds: First-Year HVAC Punch List

You closed on a new build in Maple Run, got the keys, walked through with the builder's rep, and checked HVAC off the list because everything is brand new. Understandable assumption. Wrong conclusion.

New construction HVAC is not the same as a professionally commissioned HVAC system. The equipment itself may be fine — but it was installed under construction-site conditions by subcontractors working under schedule pressure, in a building that was full of drywall dust, wood shavings, and concrete dust for months before the system was ever turned on. There's a specific punch list that every new Maple Run homeowner should run through in year one, and there's a narrow window to do it before your builder warranty expires and you're holding the bag on problems that could have been documented and covered.

The New-Construction HVAC Myth

The myth is that new means problem-free. In HVAC, new means the equipment has not yet failed — which is different from saying it was installed correctly, commissioned properly, or that the system as a whole is operating at design intent.

Maple Run is a development in Sheridan built out primarily from 2023 through 2025, serving the Sheridan Community Schools district. It's a rural-adjacent location — different from the suburban Whitestown and Zionsville developments in that service response times from most HVAC companies are longer, parts availability from local supply houses can mean next-day or second-day turnaround instead of same-day, and the sub-zero installer pool is smaller. Having a relationship with a contractor before something fails is more important here than in a development 10 minutes from a Carrier distribution center.

Why New Builds Have First-Year HVAC Issues

Construction site conditions are hostile to HVAC systems in ways that don't get fixed by the certificate of occupancy:

• Construction debris in ductwork: Ductwork is typically installed before drywall. During the drywall and finishing phases, dust, joint compound, insulation fibers, and wood debris enter open duct ends. If registers weren't properly covered — and they frequently aren't — that debris is now inside your duct system. The first few months of operation, your filter is catching construction dust that got deep into the ducts, not just normal household particulate.
• Filter not installed during construction: Builders' HVAC subs frequently run the system for commissioning and testing without a filter installed, or with the filter slot left open, to allow construction dust to pass through the system without blowing a filter every day. This means the blower wheel, evaporator coil, and heat exchanger were all exposed to construction particulate during the testing phase.
• Rushed commissioning: A subcontractor completing multiple houses per week under builder schedule pressure may run startup checks but not a full commissioning — static pressure measurement, airflow balancing, refrigerant charge verification, condensate test. The equipment starts. That's the check.
• Drywall compound in the drain pan: If an evaporator air handler was installed with the drain pan facing up before drywall work completed, joint compound dust settles in the drain pan. When the system first runs condensate, that compound reconstitutes and can partially block the drain line — causing overflow in year one.

The Year-One Punch List

Run these checks within the first 6 months of occupancy, before summer cooling season if possible:

1. Verify the Filter Is Installed and Correct

Confirm a filter is in place, that it's the right size for the filter slot, and that it's seated with no air bypass around the edges. Check the arrow direction (points toward the blower, away from the return air). Replace it — regardless of what it looks like — to start with a clean baseline after construction dust has been in the system.

2. Open and Balance All Registers

Walk every room and verify supply registers are open. During construction, registers are often taped closed or covered — and occasionally forgotten when covers go back on. A room that's consistently too hot or too cold with the thermostat set properly is often a partially or fully closed register, not a sizing or equipment problem. In Maple Run's two-story plans, check second-floor registers especially — they're more likely to have been covered during painting and not fully reopened.

3. Check the Condensate Drain Line

High-efficiency furnaces (90%+ AFUE) produce condensate that drains through a PVC line to a floor drain or condensate pump. Pour water into the drain pan or secondary port (if accessible) and verify it drains freely and quickly. A slow drain indicates a partial blockage — construction debris, joint compound residue, or an algae growth that started during the construction phase. Flush the drain line with a dilute bleach solution (1/4 cup bleach in 1 gallon water poured through the clean-out port or access point).

4. Verify All Zones If You Have a Zoned System

Some larger Maple Run plans were installed with zoned systems — multiple thermostats, dampers in the ductwork, and a zone control board. Test each zone independently: set one zone to call for heat or cool while the others are satisfied and confirm the correct dampers open, the correct registers get airflow, and the zone shuts off correctly when setpoint is reached. Zone damper actuators can be incorrectly wired or stuck during installation and not caught during a rushed commissioning.

5. Run the System Through Both Modes

Within your first year, run the heating system through a full heating cycle and the cooling system through a full cooling cycle. Don't wait until the first cold snap in October to discover the furnace has a problem — test it in September when a repair can be scheduled without urgency. Similarly, don't wait until July to find out the AC isn't cooling correctly. Run both systems proactively and note any unusual sounds, failure to reach setpoint, or short cycling.

Builder Responsibility vs. Homeowner: What the Warranty Actually Covers

Most new construction HVAC warranties work like this:

• Builder labor warranty: 1 year from closing date, typically. Covers installation defects — improperly run refrigerant lines, incorrect wiring, drain lines plumbed incorrectly, ductwork connections that leak. This is the builder's sub's work.
• Manufacturer parts warranty: The equipment manufacturer provides a separate warranty — typically 5 years standard, 10 years if you register the equipment within 90 days of installation. This covers component failures in the equipment itself.

What neither warranty covers: problems caused by your own filter neglect, lack of maintenance, physical damage, or normal wear items like capacitors after the first year. The gray area is construction-related problems that manifest after the 1-year builder warranty expires — a drain line that was marginal from day one and finally causes an overflow in year 2, for example. Document everything you find in year one while the builder warranty is active. If you find a problem at month 11, notify the builder in writing before month 12.

Construction Debris in Ductwork: How Bad Is It?

In most Maple Run new builds, the ductwork debris situation is: annoying but not requiring professional cleaning right away. The right approach:

• Replace the filter within the first month. Run on a 30-day replacement cycle for the first 6 months.
• After 6 months of filtration, inspect the filter on replacement. If you're still pulling visible construction debris (grey-white drywall compound dust, insulation fibers), consider an HVAC duct inspection before year 2.
• If you have visible mold, a persistent musty odor, or significant visible debris at registers, call for a professional inspection — that's beyond normal construction fallout.

Duct cleaning on a brand-new system is not usually necessary unless contamination is visible at registers or you have documented construction-phase exposure. Don't let a contractor sell you a duct cleaning on a 6-month-old home just because it's a new build.

Was Manual J Actually Done? The Sizing Reality in Sheridan

The honest answer for most new construction outside of custom builds: Manual J may have been run by the HVAC design engineer, or it may have been a rule-of-thumb calculation based on square footage. The builder's HVAC sub uses a spec list from the builder's mechanical engineer — and the accuracy of that spec list varies by how thoroughly the engineer engaged with the specific lot and floor plan.

For Maple Run homes, the relevant check: does your system reach setpoint on a 95°F Indiana summer day without running continuously, and does it dehumidify adequately? If you're comfortable and the system cycles normally, the sizing is adequate regardless of whether a formal Manual J was documented. If you're running the system all day and it struggles to reach setpoint, or if indoor humidity stays above 60 percent with the AC running, you have either a sizing problem or a performance problem worth diagnosing.

Sheridan's Rural Factor: Why the Contractor Relationship Matters More Here

Maple Run is on the north side of Sheridan, in Hamilton County, but it's rural in character — not the same service density as Fishers or Noblesville 20 minutes south. For HVAC service:

• Emergency response on a Saturday night in Sheridan from most Indy-based companies means a 2 to 4 hour window, not 45 minutes.
• Parts availability from HVAC supply houses in the area means some repairs that would be same-day in Lebanon or Zionsville may be next-day in Sheridan.
• Having an established relationship with a contractor who already knows your system — has it on file, knows your equipment, knows the access issues — means faster service when something goes wrong at 10 PM in January.

The best time to establish that relationship is during a scheduled tune-up in year one, not during an emergency call. We cover Sheridan and the surrounding Hamilton County area from our base in Lebanon — see our service area coverage.

Setting Up Properly for Year Two

Before your year-two cooling season, do these things:

• Schedule a tune-up before the builder warranty expires: A professional tune-up in months 10 to 11 serves two purposes — it confirms the system is operating correctly before warranty closes, and it gives you documented evidence of any problems that should be covered. If we find an installation defect, you have time to go back to the builder under warranty.
• Document everything: Take photos of the equipment data plates, write down model numbers, note the installation date. If the system was commissioned correctly, record the static pressure and airflow measurements from the startup report (if the builder's sub provided one). This documentation is valuable for future service calls and warranty claims.
• Register your equipment: See the next section.

Register Your Equipment: The 90-Day Window

Carrier, Lennox, Goodman/Daikin, and most other major manufacturers offer extended parts warranties — typically 5 years standard extended to 10 years — when equipment is registered within 60 to 90 days of installation. For new construction, the clock starts at the builder's installation date, not your closing date. If you closed on a home where the HVAC was installed six months before closing, you may have already missed the registration window.

Check your closing documents for the HVAC installation date. Then:

• Carrier: Register at carrier.com/residential/support/product-registration
• Lennox: Register at lennox.com/resources/product-registration
• Goodman: Register at goodmanmfg.com/resources/product-registration
• Daikin: Register at daikincomfort.com

If the registration window has passed, the base manufacturer warranty still applies — you just don't get the extended term. Call us and we can check the registration status for your specific model and serial.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Sheridan, don't wait for an emergency to find a contractor you trust. Call us at (765) 894-0047 and schedule a first-year tune-up and punch list inspection. We'll run the system through both modes, document the condition, check the drain and filter, and verify the installation before your builder warranty closes. The inspection is $129 flat — and if we find something covered under your builder warranty, that documentation is exactly what you need to go back to the builder with. Our Squadron Maintenance Plan at $189/year keeps the system on an annual inspection schedule after year one.