Free checklist
Air compressor annual maintenance checklist
The annual air compressor service is the deep pass: the measurements, cleanings and tests a quarterly round doesn't reach. This checklist keeps the full service on record with the photos that make it defensible later. Work is commonly verified against manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 8
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The compressor service tech on the annual service.
When in the schedule
Once a year. The oil change and the relief-valve lift are the two things the quarterly glance never actually does.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Oil service
- 2 photos
Oil changed and crankcase checked
Old oil drained warm and volume noted, refilled to the sight-glass mark with the manufacturer's grade, no metal or sludge in the drained oil.
Safeties and controls
- 2 photos
Safety relief valve manually lifted and reseated
Valve pulled by its ring against tank pressure, blows freely and reseats without weeping — replaced rather than left in service if it drips or won't lift.
- 1 photo
Pressure switch cut-in/cut-out and unloader verified
Cut-in and cut-out read at the gauge against the switch setting, unloader bleeds head pressure at shutdown so the motor restarts unloaded.
Receiver and downstream
- 2 photos
Receiver tank and automatic drain serviced
Tank exterior checked for rust, pitting or bulging at the bottom seam and welds, automatic drain disassembled and cleared, drain valve reseated.
- 1 photo
Aftercooler or air dryer serviced where fitted
Aftercooler fins cleaned and the coalescing or dryer element checked, dryer holding dewpoint and draining, no water carrying downstream to the shop drops.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Relief valve never lifted because 'it's fine, it's not leaking' — it's seized and would not open on an overpressure.
- Oil changed on schedule but the wrong grade kept on the shelf, so a straight detergent oil goes into a pump that calls for compressor oil.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 8 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Common questions
- What does this air compressor annual checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering oil service, safeties and controls, receiver and downstream. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The compressor service tech on the annual service.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year. The oil change and the relief-valve lift are the two things the quarterly glance never actually does.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 8 of the 5 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a air compressor annual inspection?
- Relief valve never lifted because 'it's fine, it's not leaking' — it's seized and would not open on an overpressure. Oil changed on schedule but the wrong grade kept on the shelf, so a straight detergent oil goes into a pump that calls for compressor oil.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
Related checklists
2642 items and 4211 photo requirements in total.