Free checklist
Fluid-applied air barrierFluid-applied air barrier pre-cover inspection checklist
A fluid-applied air barrier pre-cover inspection is the hold point before concealed work disappears behind the next layer. This checklist is built for that walk: verify, photograph, then release the cover, not the other way around. Work is commonly verified against the applicable building/energy code, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 4
- Photos required
- 7
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The applicator's foreman with the GC's superintendent, and often the manufacturer's field rep, walking the whole wall before any cladding goes up.
When in the schedule
After the barrier has cured and before furring, insulation or cladding covers it — the last moment the full membrane is visible and repairable.
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.
Continuity and coverage
- 2 photos
Membrane continuous with full coverage
Field coat continuous with no holidays, pinholes or thin spots at reveals and corners, coverage confirmed against the specified thickness or wet-mil target with no bare sheathing showing.
Transitions and tie-ins
- 2 photos
Transitions tied in and lapped correctly
Barrier tied continuously to window flanges, roof-to-wall and deck flashing, and the below-grade or foundation barrier, laps shingled to shed water and fully bonded.
- 2 photos
Penetrations sealed and integrated
Every pipe, conduit and support penetration sealed and integrated into the field membrane, no gaps or bridged sealant at the collar.
Cure and repair before cover
- 1 photo
Barrier cured and defects repaired before cladding
Membrane cured per the instructions, damaged or thin areas repaired and re-inspected, sign-off recorded before any cladding or furring covers the wall.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Cladding furring started on one elevation before the barrier was signed off, so the tie-ins behind it can never be confirmed and the whole elevation is taken on faith.
- Thin or holidayed spots at reveals and shadow lines left uncoated, invisible until wetting testing or a leak, by which time the cladding is on.
- Transitions to windows, roof-to-wall flashing and the below-grade barrier left disconnected, so the membrane is continuous everywhere except the joints that matter.
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 fluid-applied air barrier pre-cover checklist cover?
- 4 items across 3 sections, covering continuity and coverage, transitions and tie-ins, cure and repair before cover. 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, and often the manufacturer's field rep, walking the whole wall before any cladding goes up.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the barrier has cured and before furring, insulation or cladding covers it — the last moment the full membrane is visible and repairable.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 7 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 fluid-applied air barrier pre-cover inspection?
- Cladding furring started on one elevation before the barrier was signed off, so the tie-ins behind it can never be confirmed and the whole elevation is taken on faith. Thin or holidayed spots at reveals and shadow lines left uncoated, invisible until wetting testing or a leak, by which time the cladding is on. Transitions to windows, roof-to-wall flashing and the below-grade barrier left disconnected, so the membrane is continuous everywhere except the joints that matter.
- 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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