Free checklist
Rooftop unit (RTU) quarterly maintenance checklist
A quarterly rooftop unit round is short on purpose: it catches the wear items that fail between annual services. This checklist is sized for a tech with a phone — every item says what to look at and the photo that proves the round happened. Work is commonly verified against ASHRAE guidance, the manufacturer's maintenance schedule — confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 6
- Photos required
- 7
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The HVAC service tech on the contracted quarterly round.
When in the schedule
Four times a year, timed ahead of the heating and cooling seasons so failures surface before peak load.
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.
Air side
- 2 photos
Filters inspected and replaced on condition
Pressure drop across the bank, bypass gaps around the frames, date written on the new filter.
- 1 photo
Belts checked for wear, tension and alignment
No glazing, cracking or fraying; deflection at mid-span within the unit's spec.
- 1 photo
Economizer and dampers stroked through their range
Blades move freely, seals intact, actuator responds to the call.
Drainage and safeties
- 1 photo
Condensate pan and drain clear and flowing
No standing water, algae or rust trails; trap primed and draining.
- 1 photo
Safeties and controls exercised
High/low pressure cutouts, freeze stat and smoke detector interlocks trip and reset.
- 1 photo
Curb, flashing and unit panels secure
No loose panels to blow off, curb seal intact, no water path into the building below.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Round billed for all units but photos only exist for the ones near the ladder hatch.
- Condensate drains checked in cooling season and skipped the rest of the year.
- Belt wear noted quarter after quarter with no replacement and no escalation.
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.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this rooftop unit (rtu) quarterly checklist cover?
- 6 items across 2 sections — air side, drainage and safeties. 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 contracted quarterly round.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Four times a year, timed ahead of the heating and cooling seasons so failures surface before peak load.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 7 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 rooftop unit (rtu) quarterly inspection?
- Round billed for all units but photos only exist for the ones near the ladder hatch. Condensate drains checked in cooling season and skipped the rest of the year. Belt wear noted quarter after quarter with no replacement and no escalation.
- 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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