Duct Testing and ECC Verification: HVAC Changeout Documents Explained

02Find out which stage is missing

Homeowners often hear “get the Title 24” when a contractor or inspector actually needs a particular construction-stage record. Start by identifying whether the missing task is design compliance, installation certification or independent field verification. Paying for a new model does not create a missing test result.

For an applicable single-family project, CF1R describes the design compliance features and required measures. CF2R addresses installation certification by the responsible installing parties. CF3R records required verification by a qualified ECC-Rater where applicable. The names are a sequence of responsibilities, not three interchangeable versions of one report.

Ask for the exact permit comment or inspection note. A request saying “duct test missing” should not be silently converted into an order for an unrelated whole-house performance package. The existing energy documents and actual equipment scope can show which handoff has not yet happened.

CF1R, CF2R and CF3R explainedRecover a “provide Title 24” comment

03What can trigger duct-leakage review?

The applicable single-family HVAC alteration provisions address changes to space-conditioning systems and ducts. New or replaced equipment, new or altered ductwork and the retained distribution system can affect the required measures. The exact scope and all applicable exceptions must be checked against the edition-specific provisions.

Do not assume that keeping existing ducts eliminates testing. Conversely, do not publish one leakage target as if it covers every changeout, new duct system, multifamily building and nonresidential project. The required procedure and criteria depend on the actual category and scope.

A possible exception needs evidence. Identify the cited condition and who determines it; do not mark “exempt” because access is inconvenient or a previous installer says the ducts are old. CEC forms include pathways for work not requiring ECC verification, but the existence of such a form is not proof that this project qualifies.

CEC additions and alterations chapterCEC single-family HVAC chapter

04A five-stage timeline for an HVAC changeout

Use this sequence to coordinate participants before installation and inspection. It is a workflow explanation, not a new service-level promise or a substitute for the required procedures.

• +Scope and edition: obtain the AHJ-recorded application date, existing/proposed equipment and duct description, and the applicable design-document requirements.
• +Design records: prepare the appropriate CF1R with supported equipment, system characteristics and required verification measures; coordinate required registration before the applicable submittal.
• +Installation: the contractor installs the coordinated system, documents changes and completes the applicable installation records instead of assuming the consultant signs for the work.
• +Verification: a qualified ECC-Rater performs the required measure-specific verification and documents results through the applicable process.
• +Close the handoff: reconcile the drawings, CF1R, installer records and verification documents; resolve failed or missing items before treating the record set as complete.

05Who pays for testing, and what the report price excludes

Field verification is a separate service from design-document preparation. The project’s contract and participants should establish who engages and pays the verifier. This guide does not invent a standard tester price, claim that a test is free or decide who is legally responsible under a construction contract.

Title 24 Lab’s published report pricing excludes ECC field verification/field testing, nonresidential acceptance testing, registry fees, CALGreen documentation and AHJ fees. Ask the contractor and verifier to state their own scope, access requirements and any retest arrangements. A report order does not imply a scheduled site visit.

Keep program and document fees separate from professional testing fees. Required registration may still be part of the project’s workflow even though registry fees and registry operation are not included in the report service. Coordination means identifying the handoff honestly, not claiming that one quote covers every party.

Published report prices and exclusionsDesign-document service scope

06ECC versus HERS: preserve the governing cycle

For current 2025-cycle guidance, use Energy Code Compliance, or ECC, and the applicable ECC-Rater terminology. Homeowners may still search “HERS duct test,” and older documents may use HERS. Translate the request into the actual cycle and required task rather than dismissing the older wording.

A permit issued or completed during 2026 is not necessarily a 2025-code application. Obtain the AHJ-recorded application date. Applications on or after January 1, 2026 use the 2025 Energy Code; valid earlier applications can retain earlier-cycle documentation and program treatment.

Do not simply edit the word HERS to ECC on an older record or create a new-cycle CF1R to replace an unresolved construction certificate. Ask the responsible parties how the specific project should proceed. The CEC transition resources help explain the program; the AHJ and qualified participants resolve project-specific requirements.

HERS-to-ECC transition guideWhich code applies by application date?

07Illustrative example: a changeout and an unexplained missing certificate

ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY: a homeowner replaces ducted HVAC equipment while retaining much of the existing distribution. At inspection, a note asks for duct-leakage verification. The owner has a CF1R PDF but no clear installer or verification handoff. No leakage target, exception or test result is assumed here.

The first step is to obtain the actual note and confirm the CF1R measures and permit scope. The installing contractor identifies the installed equipment and duct changes and supplies the applicable installation records. The qualified verifier determines and performs the required procedure, rather than asking the report preparer to certify a site result remotely.

If the installed equipment differs from the CF1R, the designer/preparer must also review that substitution. Fixing the design record and completing a required field test are separate tasks that can both be necessary. A new PDF alone does not cure a failed or absent verification.

08What to upload before requesting correction help

Send the inspection or plan-check note, complete CF1R, available CF2R/CF3R records, equipment schedules and a clear existing/proposed duct description. Include the application date, permit identifier, installed-versus-designed differences and which party is requesting assistance.

A duct layout or marked plan can clarify which parts are new, replaced or retained. Photographs can supplement that record, but they do not substitute for a required test or establish leakage performance. Never ask the preparer to infer a passing result from photos or a contractor’s generic assurance.

If the question is only who should schedule a site test, contact the responsible contractor/verifier rather than assuming a report order includes testing. If the design package needs review, upload the coordinated documents so the request can be scoped without duplicate work.

HVAC changeout decision guideExisting HVAC guideUpload the comment and records

09Six duct-testing and ECC questions

10Turn the question into a scoped documentation request

Title 24 Lab is a provisional brand for design-phase energy-document preparation. Field testing, acceptance testing, registry fees, CALGreen documentation and AHJ fees are excluded. This is educational information, not legal advice; confirm the application date, classification and requirements with the AHJ. Review the shared published pricing, then upload the current plans and identify unresolved inputs. Submission is not payment, production acceptance or permit approval.

See published residential and commercial pricingWhat to send with the plansGet a quote / upload plans privately