Free checklist
Rooftop unit (RTU) annual maintenance checklist
The annual rooftop 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 ASHRAE guidance, the manufacturer's maintenance schedule — confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 8
- Photos required
- 13
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The HVAC service lead, often with a helper for coil cleaning and electrical checks.
When in the schedule
Once a year, ahead of the dominant season — cooling-dominant units in spring, heating checks before first frost.
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.
Coils and refrigeration
- 3 photos
Condenser and evaporator coils cleaned from the correct side
Before and after photos through the fins; fins straight, no matting left at the corners.
- 2 photos
Refrigerant charge verified by measurement
Pressures and superheat/subcool readings logged against the unit's targets — not topped off blind.
- 1 photo
Evidence of leaks investigated, not just recharged
Oil residue at joints traced; leak location documented if found.
Electrical and combustion
- 2 photos
Electrical connections inspected and re-torqued
Contactors, lugs and terminals checked for heat marks and tightness with power locked out.
- 2 photos
Heat exchanger and burners inspected (gas units)
Flame pattern steady and correct, no cracks or rust-through visible in the exchanger.
- 1 photo
Amp draws recorded against nameplate
Compressor and fan motor draws logged; any reading outside range flagged with the number.
Closeout
- 1 photo
Unit run-tested through a full call cycle
Starts, stages and satisfies without short-cycling or unusual noise.
- 1 photo
Findings and readings entered against the unit's record
All readings attached to the asset, so next year's tech sees the trend, not a blank page.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Coils 'cleaned' from the dirty side, driving debris deeper into the fins — visible only in the after photo nobody took.
- Electrical connections never re-torqued until one fails hot.
- Refrigerant topped off without finding the leak, year after year.
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 13 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.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this rooftop unit (rtu) annual checklist cover?
- 8 items across 3 sections — coils and refrigeration, electrical and combustion, closeout. 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 lead, often with a helper for coil cleaning and electrical checks.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year, ahead of the dominant season — cooling-dominant units in spring, heating checks before first frost.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 13 of the 8 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 rooftop unit (rtu) annual inspection?
- Coils 'cleaned' from the dirty side, driving debris deeper into the fins — visible only in the after photo nobody took. Electrical connections never re-torqued until one fails hot. Refrigerant topped off without finding the leak, year after year.
- 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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