Free checklist
Electric duct heater annual maintenance checklist
The annual electric duct heater 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 NEC (NFPA 70), IMC (mechanical code), manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 4
- Photos required
- 7
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The HVAC service lead with the licensed tech who certifies the safeties; the field observes and documents the results.
When in the schedule
Once a year ahead of the heating season, coordinated with the air handler service so the duct can be opened.
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.
Element and contactor service
- 2 photos
Elements cleaned, checked and resistance verified stage by stage
Coils cleaned of dust and lint, no cracked or grounded elements, each stage's resistance and draw checked against the nameplate and logged.
- 1 photo
Contactors and terminations serviced
Contactor contacts clean and not pitted, no sign of welding, all power and control terminations re-torqued to spec with no heat discoloration.
Interlock verification
- 2 photos
Airflow interlock function-tested by interrupting airflow
With a stage calling, airflow actually interrupted and the heater confirmed dropping out immediately — result documented and certified by the licensed tech, interlock left as-designed.
Cutout verification
- 2 photos
High-limit cutouts function-tested and reset
Automatic and manual limits confirmed opening the heater under test and the manual limit confirmed requiring a physical reset — documented and certified, never left bypassed.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Airflow proving and high-limits function-tested by talking, not by actually interrupting airflow and confirming the heater drops out.
- Contactor contacts pitted from stage cycling and never checked, so a stuck contactor holds an element on with no call.
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 7 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 electric duct heater annual checklist cover?
- 4 items across 3 sections, covering element and contactor service, interlock verification, cutout verification. 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 lead with the licensed tech who certifies the safeties; the field observes and documents the results.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year ahead of the heating season, coordinated with the air handler service so the duct can be opened.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 7 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 electric duct heater annual inspection?
- Airflow proving and high-limits function-tested by talking, not by actually interrupting airflow and confirming the heater drops out. Contactor contacts pitted from stage cycling and never checked, so a stuck contactor holds an element on with no call.
- 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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