What does this exhaust fan quarterly checklist cover?

14 items across 4 sections, covering access and lockout, 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 do these items ask for a photo?

10 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 10 photos in all. 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 an 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.

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.

Start free with this checklist Download as PDF

The checklist

Every item, and the photo evidence it needs

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.

Access and lockout

Access and fall protection set up per the site plan
Roof hatch, ladder or lift used as the site plan sets out, tie-off or guardrail in place wherever the fan sits near an unprotected roof edge.
No photo
Lock and tag applied at the fan disconnect
Disconnect opened, lock and tag hung under the site's procedure, fan tried from its normal control and stays stopped before any cover comes off.

Drive and wheel

Belt tension, alignment and condition checked
Deflection against spec, sheaves aligned, no dusting or glazing on the belt.
No photo
Wheel spins free with no rub or play
Wheel rotated by hand with power locked out, no contact with the housing, bearings smooth.
Wheel hub set screws and key tight on the shaft
Hub set screws snug and the key seated on every drive type, sheave set screws checked too on belt drives, no fretting marks on the shaft.
Guards refitted and lock removed by the person who hung it
Belt guard or motor cover and housing panels back on and fastened, tools cleared from the housing, lock and tag taken off by their owner.

Air path

Shutter or backdraft damper opens fully under airflow
Fan run and shutter observed fully open, blades not binding, damper closes when the fan stops.
No photo
Hood, curb and screen clear and intact
No grease, lint or debris restricting discharge, screen in place, hood sealed to the curb.
Fan inlet connection sealed with no gaps or tears
Flexible connector, curb opening or duct collar at the inlet intact, no torn fabric or open seams letting the fan draw from the wrong space.
Exhaust drawing at a served grille
Tissue or vane reading at a grille in the area the fan serves shows air pulling in, weak or reversed flow noted for follow-up.

Operation

Fan runs through its control sequence
Started from its normal control (switch, schedule or interlock), not just the local disconnect.
No abnormal vibration or noise under load
Unit observed at speed, no rattling panels, no vibration transferring to the curb or duct.
Local disconnect and whip in sound condition
Disconnect cover closed and weathertight, conduit or flexible whip secured, no cracked jacket, rust or water inside the enclosure.
Round findings logged against the fan tag
Condition, any noise or airflow shortfall and deferred work entered on the fan's record so the next quarter starts from this one.
No photo

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.

Verified against

IMC (mechanical code)

Common questions

6 answers

What does this exhaust fan quarterly checklist cover?: 14 items across 4 sections, covering access and lockout, 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 do these items ask for a photo?: 10 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 10 photos in all. 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 an 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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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 10 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.