Free checklist
Air handling unit (AHU) quarterly maintenance checklist
A quarterly air handling unit 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 ASHRAE guidance, SMACNA duct construction — confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 7
- Photos required
- 9
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The HVAC service tech on the contracted quarterly visit.
When in the schedule
Every quarter, timed ahead of the season change so a failing component is found before the unit is needed hardest.
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 path
- 2 photos
Filters pulled and inspected, not peeked at
One filter removed per bank, loading and bypass gaps checked, replacement date or pressure drop recorded.
- 1 photo
Coils clean and fins undamaged
Face of the coil inspected for matting and biological growth, fins not flattened across the air path.
- 1 photo
Dampers cycle and seal
Outside, return and mixing dampers driven full stroke, blades closing tight, linkage pinned.
Drive and fan
- 1 photo
Belt tension and condition verified
Deflection measured against the drive spec, no glazing, cracking or misalignment dust.
- 1 photo
Fan and motor bearings checked
No play, noise or heat at the bearings, grease lines intact where fitted.
Drainage
- 2 photos
Condensate pan clean and draining
Pan free of slime and standing water, trap primed, drain line flowing.
- 1 photo
Drain safety devices tested where fitted
Float switch or pan sensor actually trips the unit or alarms, not just present.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Filter condition judged through the rack gap instead of pulling one and looking at it.
- Condensate pan checked in cooling season only, then the heating-season leak finds the ceiling below.
- Belt tension logged as 'ok' with no deflection check, and the belt fails under the first real load.
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 9 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 handling unit (ahu) quarterly checklist cover?
- 7 items across 3 sections — air path, drive and fan, drainage. 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 service tech on the contracted quarterly visit.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Every quarter, timed ahead of the season change so a failing component is found before the unit is needed hardest.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 9 of the 7 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 handling unit (ahu) quarterly inspection?
- Filter condition judged through the rack gap instead of pulling one and looking at it. Condensate pan checked in cooling season only, then the heating-season leak finds the ceiling below. Belt tension logged as 'ok' with no deflection check, and the belt fails under the first real load.
- 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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