What does this packaged terminal air conditioner (ptac) annual checklist cover?

14 items across 4 sections, covering room and lockout, chassis and deep cleaning, sleeve and seal, electrical, controls and 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 service tech on the annual, with the room out of service long enough to slide the chassis from the sleeve.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

Once a year in a shoulder season, deep enough to reach the fouling on the blower wheel and the back of the coils that the front-grille filter change never touches.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

11 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 14 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 packaged terminal air conditioner (ptac) annual inspection?

Coils rinsed only from the front while the packed dirt between the indoor and outdoor coil sections stays, so capacity never comes back and the compressor runs hot. Blower wheel left caked with the film the filter let past, quietly costing half the airflow that a clean filter is credited with restoring. Chassis reinstalled without re-seating the sleeve gasket, so the room takes on outside air and the unit short-cycles chasing a load that leaks straight back in.

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

Packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) annual maintenance checklist

The annual PTAC unit 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.

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.

Room and lockout

Room taken out of service with the front desk or occupant told
Room blocked from sale or the occupant told of the service window, belongings moved clear of the unit, and a drop cloth down before the chassis comes out.
No photo
Power removed by unplugging or locking out the unit's supply
Plug pulled and held by the tech, or the disconnect locked and tagged. For amp and run checks: cover on, tools clear, lock removed by its owner, then re-locked before hands go back in.

Chassis and deep cleaning

Chassis pulled and both coils deep-cleaned
Chassis slid from the sleeve, indoor and outdoor coils cleaned through the full fin depth, dirt packed between the sections removed, bent fins combed and drainage confirmed after rinse.
Blower wheel, pan and slinger cleaned
Blower wheel cleaned of film to restore airflow, base pan scrubbed to bare surface, slinger ring cleaned and free to throw condensate, drain path proven clear.
Fan motor, wheel set screws and mounts checked for play
Blower wheel and condenser fan blade tight on the shaft, motor bearings turning free by hand with no end play or noise, and rubber mounts and brackets sound.
Heat section inspected at the strip heater or hot water coil
Electric strip element intact with no sag or scorching and its limit in place, or on hydronic or steam units the coil and valve clean and free of leaks.
Refrigerant tubing checked for oil spots and rub points
Tubing, capillary and brazed joints free of oil stains, chafing and vibration contact, with any leak or charge work passed to a certified refrigerant technician.

Sleeve and seal

Wall sleeve and gasket inspected and re-sealed
Sleeve checked for corrosion and pitch to the exterior, gasket and any weather seal renewed at the chassis-to-sleeve joint, exterior grille secure with no gaps for wind-driven rain.
Sleeve floor cleaned and its drain openings cleared
Debris, nests and standing water removed from the sleeve floor, drain or weep openings open to the exterior, and the sleeve free of rust through.
Chassis reseated fully and fastened in the sleeve
Chassis slid fully home against the renewed gasket, hold-down screws or brackets fastened, and the room cabinet or front panel fitted square with no gap at the wall.

Electrical, controls and operation

Electrical connections and compressor draw checked
Terminal and disconnect connections tight with no heat discoloration, compressor and fan amp draw read against the data plate, capacitor sound where fitted.
Full heat and cool operation and controls verified
Unit run through heat and cool with the chassis reseated, discharge temperatures reasonable, thermostat or panel calibrated, setback and setpoint limits reset as intended.
Room returned to service with the unit running at setpoint
Lock or plug control released by the tech who applied it, unit left running at the site's setting, work area cleaned, and the room released to the front desk.
No photo
Service readings recorded against the room number
Amp draw, discharge temperatures and parts renewed logged under the room number, so next year's annual has this unit's baseline to compare against.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Coils rinsed only from the front while the packed dirt between the indoor and outdoor coil sections stays, so capacity never comes back and the compressor runs hot.
Blower wheel left caked with the film the filter let past, quietly costing half the airflow that a clean filter is credited with restoring.
Chassis reinstalled without re-seating the sleeve gasket, so the room takes on outside air and the unit short-cycles chasing a load that leaks straight back in.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this packaged terminal air conditioner (ptac) annual checklist cover?: 14 items across 4 sections, covering room and lockout, chassis and deep cleaning, sleeve and seal, electrical, controls and 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 service tech on the annual, with the room out of service long enough to slide the chassis from the sleeve.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: Once a year in a shoulder season, deep enough to reach the fouling on the blower wheel and the back of the coils that the front-grille filter change never touches.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 11 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 14 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 packaged terminal air conditioner (ptac) annual inspection?: Coils rinsed only from the front while the packed dirt between the indoor and outdoor coil sections stays, so capacity never comes back and the compressor runs hot. Blower wheel left caked with the film the filter let past, quietly costing half the airflow that a clean filter is credited with restoring. Chassis reinstalled without re-seating the sleeve gasket, so the room takes on outside air and the unit short-cycles chasing a load that leaks straight back in.
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

Packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) QuarterlyPackaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) quarterly maintenance checklistFilter, condensate slinger, coil faces and the wall seal checked room by room on the quarterly round14 items12 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 14 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.