Free checklist
Air and dirt separator quarterly maintenance checklist
A quarterly air and dirt separator round is short on purpose: it catches the wear items that fail between annual services. This checklist is sized for a tech with a phone. Every item says what to look at and the photo that proves the round happened. Work is commonly verified against IMC (mechanical code), manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 4
- Photos required
- 5
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The HVAC or building maintenance tech checking the separator on the quarterly mechanical-room round, venting air and blowing down the collected dirt.
When in the schedule
Every quarter, and more often on a loop that's been opened or refilled, since air the separator misses collects at the high points and dirt it doesn't drop settles into the pump seals and control valves.
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.
Air removal
- 1 photo
Automatic air vent operating and not weeping
Vent seen releasing air and reseating dry, float chamber not water-logged, no steady drip that means the seat is fouled or the vent is passing water.
Dirt removal and blowdown
- 2 photos
Blowdown opened and discharge observed
Blowdown or drain valve at the base opened to a bucket or drain, dirty water and settled sediment seen discharging, valve reseating clean with no drip after.
Pressure and body
- 1 photo
System pressure and separator body checked
Loop pressure at the gauge steady in its normal band, no rising make-up suggesting a leak here, separator body and connections dry with no weeping at the flanges or the vent.
- 1 photo
Insulation and mounting intact
Body insulation on a chilled or condensing loop intact so it doesn't sweat, mounting and supports sound, isolation valves in their normal positions.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Automatic air vent stuck or fouled, so air stays in the loop and the pumps cavitate or a high point air-binds and starves a coil.
- Blowdown valve never opened, so the dirt the separator collects packs the bottom and carries back into the loop instead of dropping out.
- Air vent weeping and left dripping, so make-up water keeps feeding the loop and drives fresh oxygen and scale into the system.
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 5 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.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this air and dirt separator quarterly checklist cover?
- 4 items across 3 sections, covering air removal, dirt removal and blowdown, pressure and body. 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 HVAC or building maintenance tech checking the separator on the quarterly mechanical-room round, venting air and blowing down the collected dirt.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Every quarter, and more often on a loop that's been opened or refilled, since air the separator misses collects at the high points and dirt it doesn't drop settles into the pump seals and control valves.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 5 of the 4 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 and dirt separator quarterly inspection?
- Automatic air vent stuck or fouled, so air stays in the loop and the pumps cavitate or a high point air-binds and starves a coil. Blowdown valve never opened, so the dirt the separator collects packs the bottom and carries back into the loop instead of dropping out. Air vent weeping and left dripping, so make-up water keeps feeding the loop and drives fresh oxygen and scale into the system.
- 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.
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