Free checklist
Exhaust fan quarterly maintenance checklist
A quarterly exhaust fan round is short on purpose: it catches the wear items that fail between annual services. This checklist is sized for a tech with a phone — every item says what to look at and the photo that proves the round happened. Work is commonly verified against IMC (mechanical code) — confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 6
- Photos required
- 7
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The HVAC or maintenance tech on the quarterly roof and mechanical round.
When in the schedule
Every quarter, walked with the rest of the roof equipment — fans fail quietly because nobody occupies the roof.
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.
Drive and wheel
- 1 photo
Belt tension, alignment and condition checked
Deflection against spec, sheaves aligned, no dusting or glazing on the belt.
- 1 photo
Wheel spins free with no rub or play
Wheel rotated by hand with power locked out, no contact with the housing, bearings smooth.
Air path
- 2 photos
Shutter or backdraft damper opens fully under airflow
Fan run and shutter observed fully open, blades not binding, damper closes when the fan stops.
- 1 photo
Hood, curb and screen clear and intact
No grease, lint or debris restricting discharge, screen in place, hood sealed to the curb.
Operation
- 1 photo
Fan runs through its control sequence
Started from its normal control — switch, schedule or interlock — not just the local disconnect.
- 1 photo
No abnormal vibration or noise under load
Unit observed at speed, no rattling panels, no vibration transferring to the curb or duct.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Fan running but moving no air because the shutter is stuck closed or the belt is off.
- Grease or lint buildup at the hood ignored until it becomes a fire or staining problem.
- Loose set screws and vibration noise reported by tenants long before the round finds them.
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.
Common questions
- What does this exhaust fan quarterly checklist cover?
- 6 items across 3 sections — drive and wheel, air path, operation. 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 or maintenance tech on the quarterly roof and mechanical round.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Every quarter, walked with the rest of the roof equipment — fans fail quietly because nobody occupies the roof.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 7 of the 6 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 exhaust fan quarterly inspection?
- Fan running but moving no air because the shutter is stuck closed or the belt is off. Grease or lint buildup at the hood ignored until it becomes a fire or staining problem. Loose set screws and vibration noise reported by tenants long before the round finds them.
- 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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