Free checklist
Air-source heat pump annual maintenance checklist
The annual air-source heat pump 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 IMC, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Coils and airflow
Every feed locked and tagged before panels come off
Outdoor unit, indoor unit and any backup heat circuit locked and tagged; for powered tests, panels on, people clear, locks lifted by whoever hung them, then relocked before hands go back in.
Both coils cleaned and airflow restored
Outdoor and indoor coils washed through, fins combed where bent, blower and drain pan cleaned, filters renewed.
Base pan heater and drain line heat checked where fitted
With the unit locked out, base pan heater and any drain heat tape leads intact and secured; heater seen to warm during the powered tests so meltwater cannot refreeze in the pan.
No photo
Refrigerant and controls
Charge assessed by superheat and subcooling
Readings taken and compared against the unit's charging chart, not adjusted without evidence of an actual charge problem.
Reversing valve and defrost control proven
Full changeover confirmed in both directions, defrost forced and terminating correctly, sensor and control response checked.
Sealed-system faults referred to a certified refrigerant technician
A stuck or leaking reversing valve, a leak or any charge change is left to a certified refrigerant technician, with type and amount entered on the refrigerant log.
No photo
Backup heat and electrical
Auxiliary heat lockout and staging tested
Backup heat locked out so the compressor is proven alone, then staging and any balance-point control brought in and confirmed.
No photoLow-ambient and backup heat settings read at the controls
Compressor low-ambient cutout and any backup heat enable or balance-point setting read at the controller and matched to the design or commissioning record, not a stray default.
Backup heat section inspected for its type
Relocked first: electric strip elements, limits and lugs checked for scorching and looseness, or on a dual-fuel unit the furnace serviced to its own checklist by a qualified gas tech.
No photoElectrical connections and contactor checked
Terminations tight, contactor and disconnect sound, amp draw on compressor and fans within the unit's published range.
Crankcase heater checked with the compressor off where fitted
Under the site's energized-work procedure and its PPE, heater current read or shell warmth confirmed with the compressor idle, so liquid refrigerant is kept out of the crankcase.
No photo
Return to service
Unit run through a full heating call after the service
Panels and guards on, locks lifted by whoever hung them, unit run in heat pump mode until temperatures settle, backup heat staging in only as the controls intend.
Settings as left and readings entered against the unit
Lockout, balance point and defrost settings as left, charge readings and staging results recorded, so a later change to the controls shows up at the next service.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Charge called good off head pressure alone with no superheat or subcooling taken, so a slow leak reads normal until capacity drops on the coldest day.
- Backup or strip heat never locked out during the test, so it quietly carries the load and masks a weak compressor.
Verified against
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this air-source heat pump annual checklist cover?
- 13 items across 4 sections, covering coils and airflow, refrigerant and controls, backup heat and electrical, return to service. 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 annual service visit.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year, best scheduled ahead of the heating season so the defrost and backup-heat sequence is proven before it is relied on.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 7 of the 13 items call for photo evidence, 8 photos in all. 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 an air-source heat pump annual inspection?
- Charge called good off head pressure alone with no superheat or subcooling taken, so a slow leak reads normal until capacity drops on the coldest day. Backup or strip heat never locked out during the test, so it quietly carries the load and masks a weak compressor.
- 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.
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.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.