Guide
HVAC preventive maintenance checklist — residential and commercial, with pricing
Published
A preventive maintenance visit is not a vibe check. A proper HVAC PM call is a 22–30 point inspection and tune-up that takes 60–90 minutes on residential equipment and 30–60 minutes per unit on commercial rooftop units. Typical residential PM pricing runs $95–$195 per visit as a standalone service or $140–$320 for a dual-system tune-up (verified April 2026 via published HVAC contractor pricing across 30+ markets). Commercial PM runs $180–$380 per RTU per visit depending on equipment size. The checklist and documentation matter for three reasons: they protect the tech legally, they generate the findings that drive repair and IAQ sales, and they justify the PM price customers are paying. Here is the standardized checklist, the documentation workflow, and how to charge for PM without losing money.
The residential PM checklist (full 28 points)
Arrival and baseline
- Confirm homeowner is present; verify system make, model, serial, and install date
- Check thermostat operation and settings; verify calibration against reference
- Inspect return and supply registers; note any blocked or missing grilles
- Record indoor ambient temperature and relative humidity at start
Air-side (blower, filter, coil)
- Inspect and replace air filter (if included in plan)
- Check filter rack seal and bypass leakage
- Inspect blower wheel for dust loading and balance
- Check blower motor amperage against nameplate FLA
- Measure static pressure (supply and return); note against equipment spec
- Inspect evaporator coil (visible surface); photograph if soiled or biofilm present
- Check condensate drain line for slope, clogs, and P-trap presence; flush if needed
- Test condensate safety switch (float or secondary pan)
- Check ductwork for visible damage, disconnections, or insulation loss
Refrigeration-side (cooling)
- Inspect outdoor condenser coil; wash if soiled (consent-based; charge add-on if heavy)
- Check condenser fan motor bearings and amperage
- Measure superheat and subcooling at operating conditions
- Inspect electrical connections on disconnect and contactor
- Check capacitor microfarad reading against spec
- Measure compressor amperage
- Inspect refrigerant line insulation
Combustion-side (heating / gas)
- Inspect heat exchanger (visible surfaces, cracks, rust); photograph findings
- Check flue and venting for obstruction
- Test CO levels at flue and indoor air
- Check gas pressure (inlet and manifold)
- Inspect ignition system (hot surface igniter or spark electrode)
- Clean burners and flame sensor
- Test safety switches (rollout, limit, pressure)
Closeout
- Document findings with photos, readings, and condition notes; review with homeowner; present any recommended repairs or upgrades with written quotes
Heat pump-specific additions (replace items 14–20 with heat pump versions):
- Reversing valve operation check
- Defrost cycle verification
- Auxiliary heat operation
- Outdoor sensor calibration
Boiler-specific additions:
- Combustion analysis (O2, CO2, CO, stack temp)
- Pressure relief valve test
- Expansion tank pressure
- Circulator pump operation
Residential PM pricing (April 2026)
| Service | Typical price | Labor time |
|---|---|---|
| Single-system tune-up (cooling OR heating) | $95–$165 | 60–75 min |
| Combo tune-up (cooling + heating) | $140–$220 | 90–120 min |
| Dual-system home (2 furnaces / 2 AC) | $195–$320 | 2–3 hours |
| Heat pump full tune-up | $115–$195 | 75–90 min |
| Boiler PM | $155–$275 | 90–120 min |
| Ductless mini-split PM (per head) | $75–$135 | 40–60 min |
| Condenser coil wash (add-on) | +$65–$130 | 30 min |
| Filter replacement (beyond 1-inch) | +$40–$120 | 15 min |
| Blower wheel cleaning (heavy) | +$150–$280 | 60–90 min |
Pricing verified April 2026 via published HVAC contractor rate sheets across Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and the Northeast corridor.
Maintenance-plan members typically pay 20–40% less than non-members for the PM visit itself, but the plan bundles 2 visits per year plus repair discounts. See /guides/hvac-maintenance-plan-business for the full plan pricing structure.
The commercial PM checklist (per RTU)
Commercial PM differs from residential in three ways: it is per-unit rather than per-home, it includes safety and code compliance items, and the documentation is submitted to the property manager as a condition report.
Rooftop unit PM checklist (typical 4-visit annual):
- Equipment nameplate capture (photo, any changes since last visit)
- Condenser coil inspection; wash per contract spec
- Evaporator coil inspection; wash or chemical clean per contract
- Condensate drain and pan inspection; clean and treat
- Filter replacement (MERV per spec; often 4 × MERV 8 or 13)
- Belt inspection and tension (for belt-drive units)
- Pulley alignment (belt-drive)
- Bearing lubrication (greaseable bearings)
- Static pressure measurement
- Refrigerant superheat/subcooling check
- Compressor amp draw vs nameplate
- Contactor and electrical connection inspection
- Capacitor measurement
- Thermostat / BAS interface check
- Economizer damper operation test
- Outside air damper operation test
- Smoke / fire damper operation test (if equipped)
- Gas pressure check (gas units)
- Combustion analysis (gas units)
- CO2 sensor calibration (if DCV-equipped)
- Roof curb and flashing inspection
- Cabinet integrity (rust, penetrations, missing panels)
- Refrigerant leak check (visual + electronic sniff)
- Documentation: photos of nameplate, coil condition, any findings
Commercial PM revenue is per-unit. A 12-RTU strip mall with quarterly PM generates 4 visits × 12 RTU × $240 average = $11,520/year on PM contract alone, plus demand repair work the PM pulls with it.
Commercial PM pricing (April 2026)
| Equipment | Per-visit price | Annual contract frequency |
|---|---|---|
| RTU 3–5 ton | $180–$260 | 2–4x |
| RTU 6–10 ton | $240–$340 | 2–4x |
| RTU 15–25 ton | $320–$480 | 4x |
| Split system commercial | $200–$310 | 2–4x |
| Chiller under 100 ton | $650–$1,100 per visit | 4–6x |
| Chiller 200–400 ton | $1,800–$3,200 per visit | 6–12x |
| Cooling tower | $380–$650 per visit | 4x |
| Commercial boiler | $285–$480 per visit | 2x |
| Rooftop makeup air unit | $220–$340 per visit | 2x |
Pricing verified April 2026 via commercial HVAC contractor proposal reviews and BOMA operating benchmarks.
See /guides/commercial-hvac-dispatch-operations for commercial PM contract structure and SLA dynamics.
Documentation — the non-negotiable part
The PM checklist is only as valuable as the documentation it generates. Three reasons documentation matters:
1. Legal protection. If a homeowner claims a tech missed a cracked heat exchanger that later caused CO exposure, photos of the inspection protect the tech and the shop. Every PM should include 4–8 photos of key equipment condition.
2. Sales pipeline. A PM that documents a soiled coil, a weak capacitor, or a corroded flame sensor generates a repair or IAQ sale. Undocumented findings generate nothing. Shops running documented PM see IAQ attach rates 3–5x higher than shops doing "quick tune-ups" without photos.
3. Customer trust. A customer who receives a PDF condition report with photos trusts the shop. A customer who receives a verbal "everything looked fine" does not — and does not renew their plan.
Standard documentation per PM visit:
- Equipment nameplate photo (serial, model, install date)
- Refrigerant pressure readings (if cooling)
- Combustion analysis printout (if gas)
- Filter condition before/after
- Any finding photo with brief note
- Recommended repair or upgrade list with written quotes
Shops using ServiceTitan, FieldEdge, or Housecall Pro can generate the PM condition report as a branded PDF that auto-emails to the customer at job close. This is a high-leverage feature; manual PM documentation eats tech time and is inconsistent.
How to charge for PM: plan-included vs standalone
Most residential HVAC shops offer PM two ways:
1. Included in maintenance plan. Plan members get 2 PMs per year as part of their $18–$32/month plan. The PM visit "revenue" is internal cost allocation; the actual revenue is the plan. See /guides/hvac-maintenance-plan-business.
2. Standalone (non-plan customer). Non-plan customers pay $95–$195 per tune-up. This is the entry-point product that should convert to plan membership at 25–40% attach rate.
The mistake to avoid: pricing standalone PM so low it undercuts the plan. If a standalone spring tune-up is $69, the plan ($240/year for two) looks bad. Standalone PM should price at a level that makes the plan obviously better value.
The PM-to-repair conversion
Well-executed PM visits convert to repair work at 25–40% of calls (operator benchmarks, April 2026). The findings that most frequently trigger repair/upgrade sales:
| Finding | Typical repair quote |
|---|---|
| Weak capacitor (within 10% of failure spec) | $185–$340 |
| Contactor pitting | $220–$385 |
| Cracked heat exchanger (or suspect) | $1,800–$3,500 for repair; $6,000–$14,000 for replace |
| Refrigerant low (leak likely) | $450–$1,200 (leak search + repair + recharge) |
| Evaporator biofilm | $650–$950 UV light install |
| Condensate drain compromise | $180–$320 |
| Failed or weak flame sensor | $140–$245 |
| Soiled condenser coil | $85–$185 wash |
These are not upsells if the conditions are real. They are findings. The difference between an ethical shop and a predatory one is whether the conditions are documented with photos and whether the tech can point to the specific reading or visible issue.
See /guides/indoor-air-quality-business-for-hvac for the IAQ attach angle on PM findings.
Standardization across techs
The biggest PM quality failure is variance across techs. One tech runs a thorough 90-minute PM with photos; another does a 35-minute walk-through and leaves. The fix:
- Written checklist tied to the service call type (in ServiceTitan or Jobber, this is a custom form)
- Required photos and readings before job close (software-enforced)
- Per-tech PM time averages reviewed monthly; outliers coached
- Ride-alongs with senior techs quarterly
- PM condition reports reviewed by dispatch or service manager before customer email
Shops that standardize see PM-to-repair conversion climb from 15% to 35%+ within 6 months.
Software support for PM workflow
Platforms that handle PM well:
- ServiceTitan — strong custom forms, photo capture, and branded condition report PDF
- FieldEdge — HVAC-native PM tracking; plan integration is clean
- Housecall Pro — flexible forms; good customer-facing deliverable
- Jobber — workable with custom forms
- JobNimbus — more project-oriented; usable on PM with setup
- Workiz — budget-friendly; workable for smaller shops
See /guides/hvac-software-buyers-guide-2026 for the full comparison.
For solo operators
Solo HVAC contractors can run PM using the same checklist with lighter software. See /guides/hvac-software-for-solo-contractors for the solo-specific setup. The checklist does not change — a solo contractor running good PM with photos has a repair pipeline that eliminates the need for expensive lead acquisition.