Free checklist
Plate-and-frame heat exchanger annual maintenance checklist
The annual heat exchanger 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 manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 8
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The mechanical service tech on the annual service, with both circuits isolated and drained before the frame is opened.
When in the schedule
Once a year, the pass where the exchanger is isolated so the plate pack can be cleaned and the frame closed back to its measured dimension.
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.
Isolation
- 1 photo
Both circuits isolated, drained and relieved
Isolation valves confirmed shut on both sides, unit drained and pressure relieved, and lockout applied before the frame bolts are touched.
Cleaning and plates
- 2 photos
Plate pack opened and cleaned of fouling and scale
Plates opened and cleaned per the published method, scale and biofilm removed from the flow gaps, plate surfaces checked for pitting or perforation.
- 2 photos
Gaskets inspected for cracks, hardening and seating
Each gasket checked for cracking, hardening or a slipped bond in its groove, since a failed gasket is what lets one circuit into the other.
Reassembly
- 2 photos
Frame closed to the marked tie-bar dimension
Plate pack tightened evenly to the dimension marked on the tie bars per the nameplate, not by feel, so compression is correct.
- 1 photo
Unit returned to service and proven leak-tight
Both circuits refilled, vented and brought back under pressure, connections and pack edges confirmed dry and approach temperature restored.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Frame reclosed by feel instead of to the marked tie-bar dimension, so the pack is over- or under-compressed and gaskets leak or crush.
- Plates cleaned but hairline gasket cracks or a slipped gasket missed on reassembly, so the unit passes internally within days of the service.
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 8 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 plate-and-frame heat exchanger annual checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering isolation, cleaning and plates, reassembly. 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 mechanical service tech on the annual service, with both circuits isolated and drained before the frame is opened.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year, the pass where the exchanger is isolated so the plate pack can be cleaned and the frame closed back to its measured dimension.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 8 of the 5 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 plate-and-frame heat exchanger annual inspection?
- Frame reclosed by feel instead of to the marked tie-bar dimension, so the pack is over- or under-compressed and gaskets leak or crush. Plates cleaned but hairline gasket cracks or a slipped gasket missed on reassembly, so the unit passes internally within days of the service.
- 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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