Checklists by equipment
2 lists · 10 items · 17 photosSnow melt system maintenance checklists
Snow melt system maintenance checklists for the quarterly and annual rounds: 2 free lists, 10 items and 17 photo requirements, each item naming what to look for and the photo that proves it.
The snow melt system rounds
Snow melt system QuarterlySnow melt system quarterly maintenance checklistController, slab and aerial sensors, activation and zone circulation checked ahead of and through the season4 items7 photosSnow melt system AnnualSnow melt system annual maintenance checklistGlycol strength, pump and manifold service on hydronic, or full circuit and GFEP testing on electric, once a year6 items10 photos
Where each walk sits in the schedule
- Snow melt system quarterly maintenance checklistquarterly
- Before the heating season and again mid-winter, since a sensor or zone that quietly dropped out is only found when a drive or walk fails to clear. Run by: The hydronic or electrical service tech on the seasonal round, most usefully just before first snow and once mid-season.
- Snow melt system annual maintenance checklistannual
- Once a year in the off-season, when the fluid can be tested and topped or the electric circuits can be de-energized for insulation and ground-fault testing. Run by: The hydronic service tech or the licensed electrician on the annual service, matched to whether the slab is fluid-heated or electric.
What most often fails on a snow melt system
- Slab sensor reading but the aerial moisture sensor iced or corroded, so the controller never sees precipitation and the system stays idle in a storm.
- A controller left in manual or hold from last season, so it either runs on a clear day or never activates on its own.
- One zone not circulating while the neighboring zones melt, so the cold lane isn't noticed until it ices over.
- Glycol never tested, so a diluted or degraded mix leaves the buried slab loops exposed the first hard freeze after a top-off with plain water.
- GFEP on an electric system never functionally tripped, so a nuisance-tripping or dead branch is only found when that stretch of slab won't clear.
Common questions
- Which snow melt system maintenance rounds do these checklists cover?
- Snow melt system quarterly maintenance checklist (quarterly): Before the heating season and again mid-winter, since a sensor or zone that quietly dropped out is only found when a drive or walk fails to clear. Snow melt system annual maintenance checklist (annual): Once a year in the off-season, when the fluid can be tested and topped or the electric circuits can be de-energized for insulation and ground-fault testing.
- Who runs the snow melt system maintenance round?
- The hydronic or electrical service tech on the seasonal round, most usefully just before first snow and once mid-season. The hydronic service tech or the licensed electrician on the annual service, matched to whether the slab is fluid-heated or electric.
- What most often fails on a snow melt system?
- Slab sensor reading but the aerial moisture sensor iced or corroded, so the controller never sees precipitation and the system stays idle in a storm. A controller left in manual or hold from last season, so it either runs on a clear day or never activates on its own. One zone not circulating while the neighboring zones melt, so the cold lane isn't noticed until it ices over. Glycol never tested, so a diluted or degraded mix leaves the buried slab loops exposed the first hard freeze after a top-off with plain water.
- Can I run these checklists in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace and load any of the 2 lists (10 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.