Free checklist
Base-mounted HVAC pump annual maintenance checklist
The annual base-mounted pump 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
- 6
- Photos required
- 8
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The mechanical service crew on the annual, with the pump locked out for the alignment and bearing work.
When in the schedule
Once a year during a system shoulder period, when the pump can be locked out long enough to break the coupling and check alignment cold and hot.
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.
Alignment and coupling
- 2 photos
Coupling alignment checked and corrected
Coupling broken and shaft alignment measured, angular and parallel offset brought within the manufacturer's tolerance, soft foot checked and shimmed.
- 1 photo
Coupling element and shaft condition inspected
Coupling insert or spider inspected for wear and cracking, shaft and keyway sound, no fretting at the hubs.
Bearings and seal
- 1 photo
Bearings lubricated or replaced per the schedule
Bearings greased to the correct type and quantity or replaced at interval, no over-packing, end play and runout within limits.
- 1 photo
Seal condition assessed and seal water verified
Mechanical seal inspected or planned for replacement based on run hours and leakage, seal flush or gland water flowing where fitted.
Base, vibration and VFD
- 2 photos
Base, grout and anchor bolts inspected
Grout under the base sound and uncracked, anchor bolts tight, vibration isolators or inertia base in good condition and not bottomed out.
- 1 photo
Vibration checked and VFD interface verified
Overall vibration checked with the pump at operating speed, no excessive level pointing at imbalance or misalignment, VFD in auto with speed following the control signal and no leftover hand or bypass override.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Coupling alignment 'eyeballed' at install and never re-checked, so a soft foot or thermal growth chews through seals and bearings on a cycle.
- Grout under the base cracked or the anchor bolts loose, letting the pump walk and throwing alignment off between services.
- VFD left in a hand or bypass mode after a past troubleshooting call, so the pump runs full speed and the drive's energy and soft-start are doing nothing.
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 base-mounted hvac pump annual checklist cover?
- 6 items across 3 sections, covering alignment and coupling, bearings and seal, base, vibration and vfd. 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 crew on the annual, with the pump locked out for the alignment and bearing work.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year during a system shoulder period, when the pump can be locked out long enough to break the coupling and check alignment cold and hot.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 8 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 base-mounted hvac pump annual inspection?
- Coupling alignment 'eyeballed' at install and never re-checked, so a soft foot or thermal growth chews through seals and bearings on a cycle. Grout under the base cracked or the anchor bolts loose, letting the pump walk and throwing alignment off between services. VFD left in a hand or bypass mode after a past troubleshooting call, so the pump runs full speed and the drive's energy and soft-start are doing nothing.
- 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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