Free checklist
Snow melt system quarterly maintenance checklist
A quarterly snow melt system 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 manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 4
- Photos required
- 7
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The hydronic or electrical service tech on the seasonal round, most usefully just before first snow and once mid-season.
When in the schedule
Before the heating season and again mid-winter, since a sensor or zone that quietly dropped out is only found when a drive or walk fails to clear.
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.
Controls and sensing
- 2 photos
Controller mode, setpoints and season status verified
Controller in automatic and enabled for the season, slab and hold-off setpoints as specified, no lingering manual override from last winter.
- 2 photos
Slab and aerial moisture/temperature sensors checked
Slab sensor reading a plausible temperature, aerial or gutter moisture sensor clean and undamaged, controller registering a simulated moisture-plus-cold call.
Zone circulation and heat
- 2 photos
Each zone confirmed warming during a call
On an activation, every zone manifold loop running warm on hydronic, or every branch drawing current on electric, no dead lane across the slab.
- 1 photo
Heat source or electric circuits energizing on demand
Boiler or heat exchanger firing and reaching supply temperature, or electric elements and their contactors pulling in when the controller calls.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Slab sensor reading but the aerial moisture sensor iced or corroded, so the controller never sees precipitation and the system stays idle in a storm.
- A controller left in manual or hold from last season, so it either runs on a clear day or never activates on its own.
- One zone not circulating while the neighboring zones melt, so the cold lane isn't noticed until it ices over.
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.
Common questions
- What does this snow melt system quarterly checklist cover?
- 4 items across 2 sections, covering controls and sensing, zone circulation and heat. 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 hydronic or electrical service tech on the seasonal round, most usefully just before first snow and once mid-season.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Before the heating season and again mid-winter, since a sensor or zone that quietly dropped out is only found when a drive or walk fails to clear.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 7 of the 4 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 snow melt system quarterly inspection?
- Slab sensor reading but the aerial moisture sensor iced or corroded, so the controller never sees precipitation and the system stays idle in a storm. A controller left in manual or hold from last season, so it either runs on a clear day or never activates on its own. One zone not circulating while the neighboring zones melt, so the cold lane isn't noticed until it ices over.
- 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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