What Jake Writes Down Before He Leaves
Jake doesn’t leave a startup thinking about how well the furnace ran.
He leaves thinking about what will be remembered six months from now — by the homeowner, the next tech, and the furnace itself.
That’s why Jake documents startup like an incident report.
Not because he likes paperwork.
Because memory is unreliable and blame is lazy.
Most callbacks don’t happen because something failed overnight. They happen because no one wrote down what normal looked like on day one.
This article explains exactly what Jake documents before he leaves, why each note matters, and how good startup documentation turns future problems into fast fixes instead of finger-pointing — especially on furnaces like the Goodman GR9S800803BN.
80,000 BTU 80% AFUE Upflow/Horizontal Single Stage Goodman Gas Furnace - GR9S800803BN
🧠 Why Startup Notes Matter More Than Startup Tools
Tools diagnose the present.
Notes protect the future.
When a furnace acts up months later, the first questions are always:
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“Did it do this before?”
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“Was it always like that?”
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“Is this new?”
Without startup notes, those questions become arguments.
“If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen — and you’ll be blamed.”
Jake writes so he doesn’t have to explain himself later.
📋 Jake’s Rule: Write What Changes, Not Just What Works
Jake doesn’t document perfection.
He documents behavior.
That includes:
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What stayed consistent
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What shifted across cycles
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What was borderline but acceptable
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What was corrected and why
These notes become the furnace’s origin story.
🔁 Cycle-Based Notes: Why Jake Separates Data by Run
Jake never writes one set of numbers.
He labels:
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Cycle One
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Cycle Two
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Cycle Three
Why?
Because changes across cycles reveal:
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Voltage instability
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Gas pressure drift
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Airflow adaptation
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Control board learning
A single “final” number hides that story.
Jake writes the story.
⚡ Voltage Notes: What Jake Always Records
Voltage causes more phantom failures than any part.
Jake records:
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Idle voltage
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Lowest voltage under ignition load
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Circuit type (dedicated or shared)
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Ground condition observations
These notes explain:
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Future igniter failures
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Random lockouts
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Board sensitivity issues
This aligns with industry best practices for diagnosing electrical HVAC issues
(HVAC School – Voltage Drop Basics).
🌬️ Airflow & Static Pressure Notes: Numbers With Context
Jake never writes static pressure alone.
He adds:
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Filter type and size
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Blower speed setting
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Return configuration notes
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Any audible airflow issues
Why?
Because static pressure without context gets misinterpreted later.
ACCA airflow guidance emphasizes documentation of system conditions, not just readings
(ACCA Manual D Overview).
🔥 Combustion & Gas Notes: What the Flame Said
Jake documents:
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Ignition timing behavior
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Flame stability
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Cold vs. hot manifold pressure
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Any pressure drift adjustments
He also writes why adjustments were made.
This protects against:
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“Who touched the gas?”
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“Was it always like this?”
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“Did someone misadjust it?”
Manufacturer guidance consistently stresses documenting final operating conditions
(Goodman Furnace Technical Information).
🔊 Noise Notes: Because Sound Is Evidence
Jake writes down noises — even if they’re minor.
He notes:
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Ignition sounds
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Inducer pitch
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Blower ramp noise
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Cabinet vibration points
Why?
Because noise complaints are subjective — unless documented early.
ASHRAE recognizes early noise documentation as a diagnostic aid for future mechanical issues
(ASHRAE – HVAC Noise & Vibration).
💧 Moisture Observations: Presence or Absence Matters
Jake always records:
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Any startup moisture
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Exact location
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Whether it persisted or disappeared
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Venting configuration notes
Even if moisture resolves, the note stays.
Why?
Because moisture that disappears can still cause corrosion later.
NFPA venting standards emphasize moisture as a key indicator of venting issues
(NFPA 54 – National Fuel Gas Code).
🧠 Control Behavior Notes: What the Board Learned
Jake documents:
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Any retries
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Any delays
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Any unusual timing
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Whether behavior was consistent across cycles
Control boards remember patterns.
Jake makes sure the right patterns are recorded.
🧾 What Jake Hands Off (And What He Keeps)
Jake’s notes serve two purposes:
For the Homeowner:
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Proof of proper commissioning
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Confidence the system was fully tested
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Transparency without technical overload
For Future Techs:
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Baseline data
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Known quirks
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Eliminated guesswork
Jake doesn’t overshare — he documents intelligently.
🚫 The Three Documentation Mistakes Jake Sees Most
❌ Mistake #1: Writing only “system operating normally”
That sentence is useless later.
❌ Mistake #2: Recording numbers without conditions
Context matters more than digits.
❌ Mistake #3: Trusting memory over notes
Memory always loses.
🧠 Why Notes Turn Callbacks Into 10-Minute Fixes
With good startup notes:
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Problems are identified faster
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Blame disappears
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Repeat visits shorten
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Trust increases
Without them:
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Everything is a mystery
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Everyone argues
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Time gets wasted
“Callbacks aren’t expensive because of labor.
They’re expensive because of confusion.”
Jake writes to eliminate confusion.
🏁 Jake’s Final Word on Startup Notes
Startup isn’t finished when the furnace runs.
It’s finished when someone else can understand what you saw.
Jake doesn’t document to cover himself.
He documents to tell the truth later — when it matters.
“The best startups leave a paper trail.
The worst ones leave excuses.”
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In the next topic we will know more about: The First Flame Tells the Truth: How Jake Reads Combustion Before the Thermostat Ever Cycles
