Your field technicians have a lot of work to get through when they are visiting worksites and clients’ homes. Even employees who have an eidetic memory may benefit from working off of a detailed HVAC inspection checklist PDF to ensure duties are performed in an efficient order and there is a record of the work completed. Fluix makes it easy to create and share a routine HVAC maintenance checklist for off-site technicians and more.
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Professional HVAC Maintenance Requires Attention to Detail
There are many different parts that make up a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. When you can boil it down to coils, vents, blower motors and heat exchangers, there are also a lot of other smaller components and moving parts that require regular inspection and maintenance. Years of experience will help your field technicians know what to look for and how to efficiently diagnose a problem, and a checklist keeps track of what was inspected and repaired.
When an issue is not as easily diagnosable, a detailed commercial HVAC inspection checklist assists technicians in eliminating potential causes of the problem, drawing closer to finding the answer. When a problem is identified, having a checklist that shows the parts that are in good condition and components in need of repair or replacement can help facilitate work orders and billing.
HVAC Inspections and Report Forms Are Essential
Inspections for HVAC equipment are recommended at least once a year and ideally every spring and fall as the weather changes and a facility switches from using heating to cooling and vice versa. Some facilities require an inspection and report to stay up to date on the condition of various components of the HVAC system. For this reason, the client may expect a detailed inspection checklist and access to a report with the inspection of the results after a seasonal inspection.
The checklist is essential because it spells out exactly what the technician is looking for. The report outlines for the client the state of the HVAC system’s components and whether different parts need to be lubricated, cleaned or replaced. If you have HVAC technicians out in the field performing inspections, your checklist and results reports should be clear and easy to read.
The Essentials of an HVAC Inspection Checklist
The details of your inspection team’s checklist may differ depending on the project. For example, an HVAC commercial checklist may have different areas to inspect than a residential HVAC maintenance inspection checklist. There are likely to be more vents and different grades of parts that require inspection in a commercial building than in a house. If your business performs a variety of inspections, make sure you have quick access to checklists that cover the main areas of the type of system you are inspecting.
For the most part, HVAC inspections cover three main categories:
- Heating: The heating unit, furnace, boiler or whatever it may be is often located indoors. There are different types of units that may have different power sources, such as gas or oil. Your checklist should be specific to the type of heating unit the facility is using.
- General: The general inspection covers the parts of the HVAC system that may overlap, including ductwork. A general checklist does not necessarily focus exclusively on the heating or cooling aspect of the system but looks at it as a whole. Some general maintenance tasks may be performed by the building owner, such as changing a filter. However, it is still important for technicians to inspect general components to ensure they are in good condition.
- Cooling: The air conditioning or cooling system typically includes a unit comprised of coils and refrigerant as well as a fan and motor that pumps cool air throughout a facility. The air conditioning unit may be in a separate location from the heating unit, and in many cases, it is located outdoors. Your maintenance checklist should include components specific to the cooling unit.
Items Your Checklist Should Include
The checklist you create for your team must have tasks listed under general, cooling and heating to meet basic HVAC inspection requirements. In addition, some states have laws regarding the upkeep of HVAC units, and the checklists need to ensure inspections meet state-specific guidelines.
For digital checklists, you just need to type up the different items your field technicians should look for on each job. You might wish to create different PDFs for commercial inspections and residential inspections. If you have regular clients, you might even consider creating client-specific checklists.
Once you have listed out every task expected of an HVAC inspection, be sure to also include an area for the technician to sign off the completion of the job and a place for any supervisor to also sign if needed. Ultimately, your checklist will be tailored to your business needs and guidelines. However, access to one of Fluix’s high-quality checklist templates can give you a great jumping-off point for starting your own document.
Programs Are Available To Automate Checklist Processes
Ensuring all of your technicians have quick access to the checklist they need to perform their inspections can seem like a daunting task that involves a lot of printing. In an increasingly digital world, using a digital daily commercial HVAC template not only saves you money at the printer but also grants employees, project managers and even clients quick access to finished lists and inspection reports.
Creating a digital maintenance inspection checklist should be a simple process. With the right document management software, your technicians can access an HVAC preventive maintenance checklist PDF through a tablet or phone, fill it out on site and submit it for immediate review. With the right programming, you can even customize the process so that when the technician fills out and submits a checklist, it automatically goes to the supervisor, client or a specified folder.
Automated Software Streamlines Your Checklist Processes
Automated documentation software takes the guesswork and labor out of managing the paperwork of just about any technical project. With Fluix’s field technology solutions, you can create everything you need, from an HVAC install checklist template to a yearly maintenance checklist template for every heating, ventilation and air conditioning job. Contact us today to learn more about how our automated solutions can streamline your business.