Prepare for an HVAC Rough-In Inspection

A. Finished-Project Specification

Scope: one complete HVAC rough-in inspection-readiness package covering equipment, ducts, combustion, venting, refrigerant, condensate, ventilation, and energy-coordination items for one defined residential project, verified against approved documents, tested through the qualified party where required, photographed, corrected, and carried through a scheduled inspection to a recorded result.

B. Verification Zone Schedule (Component Schedule)

Zone	Quantity	Verification Source	Required Content	Verification / Purpose
Equipment	1 per unit	Approved plans / manufacturer instructions	Type, capacity, fuel, location, support, service and electrical clearance	Matches approved equipment schedule
Ducts	1 system	Approved plans	Supply, return, exhaust, outside-air routing, size, material, support, sealing basis	Matches approved duct layout
Combustion & Venting	1 per appliance	Approved plans / manufacturer instructions	Combustion-air openings, flues, chimneys, terminations, clearances	Matches listed equipment requirements
Refrigerant & Condensate	1 per unit	Approved plans / manufacturer instructions	Line-set insulation, protection, condensate pans, traps, drains, overflow protection	Matches approved equipment connection details
Ventilation	1 system	Approved plans / energy documents	Exhaust fans, whole-house ventilation, controls, balancing documentation	Matches energy and ventilation requirements
Energy Coordination	1 record	Energy documents	Duct sealing, insulation, air-handler location, controls, testing requirements	Matches Chapter 12 energy matrix basis
Testing	As required	Approved requirements	Duct-leakage, gas-pressure, condensate, or other required test and qualified party	Performed and documented by qualified party
Deficiency Log	1 record	Working document	Item, location, cause, responsible party, correction, verification	Closed before inspection is scheduled

C. Resource Takeoff

• Document set: approved mechanical plans, load calculations, equipment schedules, energy documents, and current revisions for the defined project.
• Access equipment: ladder or attic platform, flashlight, and camera or device for photographing concealed conditions.
• Testing allowance: licensed mechanical contractor availability for any duct-leakage, gas-pressure, refrigerant, or condensate test reserved for qualified trades.
• Records: permit card, prior inspection approvals, deficiency-log template, and inspection-request confirmation record.

D. Acceptance Standards

Check	Standard
Permit and prerequisite check	Mechanical permit is active and all prerequisite structural, plumbing, and electrical approvals required before HVAC approval are complete or scheduled
Equipment verification	Every unit's type, location, support, and clearances match the approved equipment schedule and manufacturer instructions
Duct verification	Every duct run's routing, size, material, support, and sealing basis match approved plans, with no discharge into unapproved spaces
Combustion and venting verification	Combustion-air openings, flues, and terminations match listed equipment requirements and approved plans
Testing completeness	Every required duct-leakage, gas-pressure, or condensate test is performed and documented by the qualified party
Deficiency closure	Every identified deficiency is corrected and reverified before the inspection is scheduled
Concealment control	No duct, piping, damper, firestopping, or equipment connection is concealed before the required approval is documented

E. Preparation — Confirm Permit, Documents, and Prerequisites

1. Confirm mechanical permits, responsible licensed contractor, approved plans, load calculations, equipment schedules, energy documents, and revisions. Record the permit number and the current approved revision on the readiness worksheet.
2. Identify separate mechanical, gas, duct, ventilation, fireplace, equipment, or final inspections. Confirm which inspection types apply to this project's scope from the Chapter 1 authority register.
3. Verify equipment type, capacity, efficiency, fuel, location, support, and access, and manufacturer instructions. Compare the installed unit against the approved equipment schedule item by item.
4. Do not approve equipment selection or sizing beyond the authorized design documents. Refer any mismatch between installed equipment and the approved schedule to the design professional or licensed contractor.
5. Verify furnace, air handler, heat pump, boiler, water heater, mini-split, ventilation unit, and related equipment clearances. Measure each clearance directly and record it against the approved value.
6. Verify service access, filter access, replacement path, electrical working space, drain access, and attic or platform access. Confirm each access path remains clear and usable after remaining rough-in trades finish their work.

F. Verify Ducts, Registers, and Exhaust Systems

1. Verify supply, return, exhaust, outside-air, transfer, and other duct routing against approved plans. Trace each run from equipment to termination and compare it with the approved layout.
2. Verify duct size, material, fittings, connections, support, protection, and sealing basis as documented. Record the sealing method used for later comparison with the Chapter 12 energy matrix.
3. Verify flex-duct length, bend, compression, support, and damage without redesigning the system. Flag any flex-duct condition that does not match the approved installation basis rather than correcting it independently.
4. Verify register, grille, diffuser, return, thermostat, control, and sensor locations coordinate with framing, cabinets, doors, and finishes. Confirm each location against the approved plan and the current finish layout.
5. Verify exhaust fans, kitchen exhaust, bath exhaust, dryer exhaust, and other required systems terminate correctly according to approved documents. Trace each exhaust run to its exterior termination.
6. Verify ducts do not discharge into attics, crawlspaces, garages, or other unapproved locations. Flag any duct terminating in an unapproved space as a deficiency item.

G. Verify Combustion, Venting, Refrigerant, and Condensate Systems

1. Verify combustion-air openings, direct-vent systems, equipment rooms, closets, louvers, and communicating spaces as documented. Confirm opening size and location against the equipment listing and approved plans.
2. Verify flues, chimneys, vent connectors, terminations, clearances, supports, firestops, and roof flashing. Confirm each vent termination clearance against the manufacturer instructions.
3. Verify fuel-gas piping, valves, regulators, sediment traps, supports, bonding coordination, and pressure testing through licensed trade scope. Confirm this work is performed and documented by the responsible licensed party.
4. Verify refrigerant lines, insulation, protection, support, penetrations, line-hide systems, and equipment connections. Confirm insulation continuity and protection at every penetration.
5. Verify condensate pans, traps, drains, pumps, overflow protection, termination, support, and freeze considerations. Confirm the condensate path terminates as approved and includes required overflow protection.
6. Verify mechanical ventilation, whole-house ventilation, local exhaust, controls, balancing, and commissioning documents where required. Confirm the ventilation system's control location and documentation match the approved energy path.

H. Coordinate, Test, and Photograph Before Concealment

1. Verify energy-code duct sealing, insulation, air-handler location, controls, testing, and documentation requirements. Cross-check this item against the Chapter 12 energy-code compliance matrix.
2. Verify fire, smoke, radiation, or other dampers and rated penetrations remain visible at the required stage. Confirm each damper location matches the approved fire-separation detail.
3. Verify structural openings, framing alterations, equipment curbs, pads, hangers, and vibration isolation are approved. Confirm no unauthorized structural modification was made to accommodate equipment.
4. Verify exterior penetrations coordinate with WRB, flashing, roofing, siding, and pest control. Confirm every exterior penetration is sealed and flashed according to the approved envelope details.
5. Confirm required duct leakage, gas pressure, condensate, control, ventilation, or other tests and qualified testing parties. Schedule these tests with the responsible licensed party before requesting the inspection.
6. Collect equipment data, listings, load calculations, ventilation calculations, test forms, and manufacturer instructions. Assemble these documents in the readiness folder alongside the permit.
7. Photograph concealed ducts, supports, dampers, penetrations, condensate, combustion, and equipment access. Label each photograph with location, date, and system for the compliance record.

I. Correct, Schedule, and Attend the Inspection

1. Provide safe access, lighting, attic platforms, ladders, guards, and service clearances. Confirm the inspector can reach every verification zone without an unsafe condition.
2. Complete a system-by-system preinspection with the responsible mechanical contractor. Walk through each verification zone together before scheduling.
3. Create and correct the HVAC rough-in deficiency list. Assign each identified item to a responsible party and verify the correction before proceeding.
4. Confirm required tests are ready and approved documents are onsite. Verify test results are recorded and the approved plan set is staged at the jobsite permit station.
5. Schedule the correct inspection and record confirmation. Use the request method, cutoff time, and confirmation procedure recorded in the Chapter 1 binder.
6. Attend with the permit, approved plans, calculations, equipment documents, and trade representative. Bring a focused question list for any item that could not be fully verified in advance.
7. Record approval, partial approval, corrections, testing status, and work that must remain open. Use the official inspection result as the controlling record rather than a verbal comment alone.
8. Do not conceal ducts, piping, dampers, firestopping, or equipment connections before required approval. Hold all concealment work until the recorded approval authorizes it.
9. File checklist, photographs, tests, inspection result, and correction status. Archive the completed readiness package alongside the permit record for use in the Chapter 20 capstone.