Free checklist
Unit heater annual maintenance checklist
The annual unit heater 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 IMC, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 8
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The HVAC service tech, with a gas fitter's combustion check on gas-fired units.
When in the schedule
Once a year ahead of the heating season, so the burner, flue and safeties are proven before the units run unattended all winter.
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.
Heat source
- 2 photos
Gas burner, heat exchanger and combustion inspected
Heat exchanger checked for cracks and corrosion, burner ports clean, combustion and gas pressure verified against the rating plate on gas units.
- 1 photo
Hydronic coil and connections serviced where fitted
Coil clear of air and debris, no weeping at unions or the control valve, heat output confirmed after purging on hydronic units.
Venting on gas units
- 2 photos
Flue and draft hood inspected end to end
Vent connector pitched up, joints sound and corrosion-free, draft hood clear, spillage checked at the hood with the unit firing.
Mechanical and controls
- 1 photo
Fan motor and bearings serviced
Motor bearings checked for play and noise, lubricated per the schedule, fan blade clean and balanced, mounting hardware retightened.
- 2 photos
Safety limits and controls tested
High-limit, fan control and any flame-safety or lockout function exercised, unit shuts down correctly on a simulated fault.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Gas heat exchanger cracked from years of thermal cycling and spilling combustion products into the space, never caught because it was only ever checked cold.
- Flue joints on a gas unit pulled apart or corroded at the draft hood, so products spill instead of venting, found only when someone smells it.
- Hydronic coil half-blocked with air or sludge and cutting output, blamed on an undersized unit instead of being purged and cleaned.
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.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this unit heater annual checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering heat source, venting on gas units, mechanical and controls. 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, with a gas fitter's combustion check on gas-fired units.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year ahead of the heating season, so the burner, flue and safeties are proven before the units run unattended all winter.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 8 of the 5 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 unit heater annual inspection?
- Gas heat exchanger cracked from years of thermal cycling and spilling combustion products into the space, never caught because it was only ever checked cold. Flue joints on a gas unit pulled apart or corroded at the draft hood, so products spill instead of venting, found only when someone smells it. Hydronic coil half-blocked with air or sludge and cutting output, blamed on an undersized unit instead of being purged and cleaned.
- 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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