Checklists by equipment
2 lists · 13 items · 21 photosCooling tower maintenance checklists
Cooling tower maintenance checklists for the quarterly and annual rounds: 2 free lists, 13 items and 21 photo requirements, each item naming what to look for and the photo that proves it.
The cooling tower rounds
Cooling tower QuarterlyCooling tower quarterly maintenance checklistBasin, makeup, bleed and fan section checked on the quarterly tower round7 items10 photosCooling tower AnnualCooling tower annual maintenance checklistBasin drained and cleaned, mechanical section serviced and structure inspected on the annual6 items11 photos
Where each walk sits in the schedule
- Cooling tower quarterly maintenance checklistquarterly
- Every quarter during the cooling season, timed with the treatment vendor's visit so the dip test and the mechanical look happen together. Run by: The water-treatment or mechanical tech on the quarterly rooftop round.
- Cooling tower annual maintenance checklistannual
- Once a year at startup or layup, when the tower can be shut down and drained. The clean-out is what keeps scale and biofilm from carrying into the next season. Run by: The mechanical service crew on the annual shutdown, with the treatment vendor for the disinfection.
What most often fails on a cooling tower
- Bleed line valved back or plugged so the treatment concentrates and the fill starts scaling before anyone reads a conductivity number.
- Makeup float set high, so the basin overflows to the roof drain all season and no one questions the water bill.
- Fan called 'running fine' from the ladder while the belt is glazed and slipping and the gearbox oil is low.
- Basin scraped and refilled with no plan for the biological control the treatment vendor is supposed to sign off, so the disinfection step gets skipped.
- Vibration in the fan section noted for two seasons running with no cut-limit switch tested and no balance actually checked.
- Structural steel corrosion at the waterline written off as surface rust until a fill support finally lets go.
Common questions
- Which cooling tower maintenance rounds do these checklists cover?
- Cooling tower quarterly maintenance checklist (quarterly): Every quarter during the cooling season, timed with the treatment vendor's visit so the dip test and the mechanical look happen together. Cooling tower annual maintenance checklist (annual): Once a year at startup or layup, when the tower can be shut down and drained. The clean-out is what keeps scale and biofilm from carrying into the next season.
- Who runs the cooling tower maintenance round?
- The water-treatment or mechanical tech on the quarterly rooftop round. The mechanical service crew on the annual shutdown, with the treatment vendor for the disinfection.
- What most often fails on a cooling tower?
- Bleed line valved back or plugged so the treatment concentrates and the fill starts scaling before anyone reads a conductivity number. Makeup float set high, so the basin overflows to the roof drain all season and no one questions the water bill. Fan called 'running fine' from the ladder while the belt is glazed and slipping and the gearbox oil is low. Basin scraped and refilled with no plan for the biological control the treatment vendor is supposed to sign off, so the disinfection step gets skipped.
- Can I run these checklists in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace and load any of the 2 lists (13 items in total). The Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached, and approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.