Free checklist
VAV terminal unit quarterly maintenance checklist
A quarterly VAV terminal 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 IMC, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 6
- Photos required
- 8
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The controls or mechanical tech on the quarterly zone round, working off the ladder above the ceiling.
When in the schedule
Every quarter, grouped by floor so a tech opens a run of ceiling tiles once and hits every box on the zone.
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.
Damper and actuator
- 2 photos
Damper strokes full open to full closed
Actuator driven through its range from the controller, damper blade following without binding or lag, no slipping shaft coupling.
- 1 photo
Actuator linkage and end stops checked
Linkage tight on the shaft, actuator reaching both end positions, no chatter or hunting at the stops.
Airflow and reheat
- 1 photo
Inlet flow sensor and tubing intact
Flow ring pickup clean, sensing tubing connected at both ports with no kinks or disconnected legs, controller reading a live airflow.
- 2 photos
Reheat call produces warm air where fitted
Heat commanded from the controller, hot-water valve opening or electric stages energizing, discharge warming with no nuisance high-limit trip.
Filter and enclosure
- 1 photo
Inlet filter present and clean where fitted
Filter media in place and within its change interval, not collapsed or bypassed, no debris drawn onto the coil.
- 1 photo
Access panels and ceiling closed after service
Box access door latched, sensing tubing not pinched by the panel, every lifted ceiling tile replaced.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Box called good from the thermostat while the damper is actually stuck and the zone is riding on the neighboring box's air.
- A box swapped to full heat by an occupant complaint and never returned to auto, so it fights the system all season.
- Ceiling tiles left out or filters found missing at the inlet after the last tech never came back to close up.
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 vav terminal unit quarterly checklist cover?
- 6 items across 3 sections, covering damper and actuator, airflow and reheat, filter and enclosure. 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 controls or mechanical tech on the quarterly zone round, working off the ladder above the ceiling.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Every quarter, grouped by floor so a tech opens a run of ceiling tiles once and hits every box on the zone.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 8 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 vav terminal unit quarterly inspection?
- Box called good from the thermostat while the damper is actually stuck and the zone is riding on the neighboring box's air. A box swapped to full heat by an occupant complaint and never returned to auto, so it fights the system all season. Ceiling tiles left out or filters found missing at the inlet after the last tech never came back to close up.
- 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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