What does this fluid-applied air barrier final checklist cover?

13 items across 5 sections, covering later penetrations, terminations, drainage and adjacent finishes, interior side and testing, and more. 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 applicator's foreman with the GC's superintendent, closing out the barrier scope after later penetrations are sealed.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

After cladding is underway and later penetrations by other trades have been cut and must be sealed back to the barrier, before the scope is closed.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

7 of the 13 items call for photo evidence, 7 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 a fluid-applied air barrier final inspection?

A conduit or anchor drilled through the finished barrier by a later trade and sealed with the wrong material, breaking continuity the applicator already signed off. The barrier scope closed without confirming that everything cut into it after pre-cover was tied back, so new holes are left to the next leak to find.

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

Fluid-applied air barrier

Fluid-applied air barrier final inspection checklist

Fluid-applied air barrier final inspection is where the punch list is either short or expensive. This checklist walks the finished work the way an owner or AHJ will see it: devices on, systems running, everything labeled. Each item gets the photo that closes it instead of reopening it. Work is commonly verified against the applicable building/energy code, manufacturer's published instructions. 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.

Later penetrations

Post-barrier penetrations sealed to the membrane
Penetrations cut after pre-cover flashed and sealed back into the field membrane with the specified material, not caulk-and-hope, continuity restored at each one.
No photo
Penetration list reconciled with other trades' late work
Penetrations cut after pre-cover listed against the mechanical, electrical and signage work since then, each one found and confirmed sealed back to the barrier.
No photo
Temporary anchor and tie holes in the barrier patched
Holes left by scaffold ties, weather-protection anchors or safety lines patched with the manufacturer's repair method as each item is struck, where the job used them.
No photo

Terminations

Terminations and edges secure
Barrier terminations at the top of wall, base and openings still bonded and sealed, no lifted edges or pulled tape after cladding began.
Barrier at parapet tops, soffits and returns checked before trim
Last exposed membrane at parapets, soffits and opening returns free of tears, heavy UV chalking and dirt that would block the trim's sealant bond before it is covered.
Roof and below-grade laps undisturbed after those trades finished
Overlap between the wall barrier and the roof or foundation membrane still bonded after roof edge blocking, coping and backfill work, no gap opened at the lap.

Drainage and adjacent finishes

Barrier material kept off weeps and sill drainage paths
Membrane overspray and liquid flashing not blocking window sill weeps, through-wall flashing drips or the cladding base drainage.
Overspray cleaned off frames, glass and adjacent finishes
Overspray and drips removed from window frames, glass, masonry and metal with the manufacturer's recommended cleaner, frame finish left undamaged.

Interior side and testing

Wall base and floor lines viewed from inside for daylight
From inside before interior finishes, slab edges, wall bases and opening perimeters checked for daylight or felt drafts that point to a break in the barrier.
Whole-building air leakage report received where specified
The testing agency's whole-building air leakage report on file where specified.
No photo

Documentation

Continuity documented before scope closeout
Photos and the pre-cover signoff assembled per elevation so the concealed barrier's condition is on record before the scope is released.
Wet-mil logs and pail lot numbers in the turnover package
Application logs, wet-mil readings and product lot numbers gathered by elevation alongside the product data for the owner's record.
No photo
Manufacturer's warranty paperwork submitted where specified
Warranty application, the rep's final site report and any conditions it lists submitted, with open conditions noted before the scope is released.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

A conduit or anchor drilled through the finished barrier by a later trade and sealed with the wrong material, breaking continuity the applicator already signed off.
The barrier scope closed without confirming that everything cut into it after pre-cover was tied back, so new holes are left to the next leak to find.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this fluid-applied air barrier final checklist cover?: 13 items across 5 sections, covering later penetrations, terminations, drainage and adjacent finishes, interior side and testing, and more. 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 applicator's foreman with the GC's superintendent, closing out the barrier scope after later penetrations are sealed.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: After cladding is underway and later penetrations by other trades have been cut and must be sealed back to the barrier, before the scope is closed.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 7 of the 13 items call for photo evidence, 7 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 a fluid-applied air barrier final inspection?: A conduit or anchor drilled through the finished barrier by a later trade and sealed with the wrong material, breaking continuity the applicator already signed off. The barrier scope closed without confirming that everything cut into it after pre-cover was tied back, so new holes are left to the next leak to find.
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.

Related checklists

Fluid-applied air barrier Rough-inFluid-applied air barrier rough-in inspection checklistSheathing sound and dry, fasteners set, and joints and transitions treated before the field coat goes on15 items14 photos Fluid-applied air barrier Pre-coverFluid-applied air barrier pre-cover inspection checklistContinuity, thickness and transition tie-ins verified as a hold point before cladding conceals the barrier14 items12 photos Fluid-applied air barrier PunchFluid-applied air barrier punch checklistCloseout callbacks for lifted terminations, unsealed late penetrations and damage from following trades8 items3 photos

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.