Free checklist
Evaporative cooler annual maintenance checklist
The annual evaporative cooler 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 (mechanical code), manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 4
- Photos required
- 6
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The HVAC service lead at the seasonal start-up or winterizing service.
When in the schedule
Once a year at start-up or shutdown, when the sump can be drained and the media pulled without taking cooling away on a hot day.
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.
Media service
- 2 photos
Media inspected, cleaned or replaced
Media replaced when scaled, collapsed or fouled; if reused, cleaned to an even, open face that wets uniformly on start-up.
Water system
- 2 photos
Sump drained, descaled and pump serviced
Sump emptied and scrubbed free of scale and biofilm, pump strainer clean, float and bleed reset, no leaks at fittings.
- 1 photo
Supply, drain and bleed verified through a full fill cycle
Unit filled, level holding, distribution wetting the media evenly, bleed running to drain, no overflow at the sump.
Seasonal changeover
- 1 photo
Unit drained and secured for the off-season where applicable
At shutdown the sump, supply line and pump fully drained ahead of freezing, panels closed, no standing water left in the cabinet.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Media reinstalled scaled and hardened instead of replaced, so this season's cooling is down before it starts.
- Unit left full of water into a freeze because the sump, supply and bleed were never drained at shutdown.
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 6 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 evaporative cooler annual checklist cover?
- 4 items across 3 sections, covering media service, water system, seasonal changeover. 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 at the seasonal start-up or winterizing service.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year at start-up or shutdown, when the sump can be drained and the media pulled without taking cooling away on a hot day.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 6 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 evaporative cooler annual inspection?
- Media reinstalled scaled and hardened instead of replaced, so this season's cooling is down before it starts. Unit left full of water into a freeze because the sump, supply and bleed were never drained at shutdown.
- 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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