VAV boxes are the most numerous pieces of equipment on most jobs, which is exactly why they get rushed. This checklist walks each box through four passes — installation, point-to-point, airflow balance, and functional sequence — so problems get caught at the box instead of as a hot-and-cold call after occupancy.
1. Installation (pre-functional)
- Box tag, size, and location match the drawings and schedule
- Straight inlet duct run meets manufacturer minimum (typ. 3 diameters)
- Flow sensor tubing connected high/low correctly, no kinks
- Damper actuator mounted, linkage tight, rotation direction verified
- Reheat coil piped (or electric heat wired) with isolation and control valve
- Zone sensor mounted at correct height, away from supply diffusers and heat sources
- Controller powered, addressed, and communicating on the network
2. Point-to-point
- Zone temperature reads within ±1 °F of a calibrated reference
- Airflow reading present and stable with box under control
- Damper commands 0% / 100% and position feedback tracks
- Reheat valve (or heat stages) commands and responds
- Discharge air temperature sensor reads correctly (if installed)
- Setpoint adjust and occupancy override work from the zone sensor
3. Airflow balance
- Minimum and maximum cooling CFM entered per schedule
- Heating airflow setpoint entered per schedule
- Flow coefficient (K-factor) confirmed against TAB hood reading
- Measured airflow at min and max within ±10% of design
4. Functional sequence
- Cooling: zone above setpoint, airflow ramps from min toward max
- Deadband: airflow holds at minimum, no heating
- Heating: airflow goes to heating CFM, reheat modulates, DAT limit respected
- Unoccupied: box responds to setback setpoints
- Loss of communication / power: box fails to documented safe position
- Alarms (high/low zone temp, low flow) trigger and clear correctly
FILL-IN CHECKLIST
VAV box sheet
Use one sheet per box. Paste into a text file, spreadsheet, or your field app.
VAV BOX COMMISSIONING CHECKLIST ===================================================================== Project: [PROJECT NAME] Box tag: [VAV-X-XX] Served AHU: [AHU-X] Zone / room: [ROOM] Controller: [BACnet ID / DEVICE] Box size: [INLET DIA] Design CFM: Min [ ] Max [ ] Heat [ ] CxA: [NAME] Date: [YYYY-MM-DD] ===================================================================== Mark each item: P = Pass F = Fail N/A = Not applicable --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. INSTALLATION (PRE-FUNCTIONAL) --------------------------------------------------------------------- [ ] Box tag, size, and location match the drawings and schedule [ ] Straight inlet duct run meets manufacturer minimum (typ. 3 diameters) [ ] Flow sensor tubing connected high/low correctly, no kinks [ ] Damper actuator mounted, linkage tight, rotation direction verified [ ] Reheat coil piped (or electric heat wired) with isolation and control valve [ ] Zone sensor mounted at correct height, away from supply diffusers and heat sources [ ] Controller powered, addressed, and communicating on the network --------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. POINT-TO-POINT --------------------------------------------------------------------- [ ] Zone temperature reads within ±1 °F of a calibrated reference [ ] Airflow reading present and stable with box under control [ ] Damper commands 0% / 100% and position feedback tracks [ ] Reheat valve (or heat stages) commands and responds [ ] Discharge air temperature sensor reads correctly (if installed) [ ] Setpoint adjust and occupancy override work from the zone sensor --------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. AIRFLOW BALANCE --------------------------------------------------------------------- [ ] Minimum and maximum cooling CFM entered per schedule [ ] Heating airflow setpoint entered per schedule [ ] Flow coefficient (K-factor) confirmed against TAB hood reading [ ] Measured airflow at min and max within ±10% of design --------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. FUNCTIONAL SEQUENCE --------------------------------------------------------------------- [ ] Cooling: zone above setpoint, airflow ramps from min toward max [ ] Deadband: airflow holds at minimum, no heating [ ] Heating: airflow goes to heating CFM, reheat modulates, DAT limit respected [ ] Unoccupied: box responds to setback setpoints [ ] Loss of communication / power: box fails to documented safe position [ ] Alarms (high/low zone temp, low flow) trigger and clear correctly --------------------------------------------------------------------- MEASURED AIRFLOW Min CFM: design [ ] measured [ ] % [ ] Max CFM: design [ ] measured [ ] % [ ] Heat CFM: design [ ] measured [ ] % [ ] --------------------------------------------------------------------- SIGN-OFF Items failed: [ ] Logged in issues log: [Y/N] Overrides removed: [Y/N] Contractor: [NAME] Date: [YYYY-MM-DD] Verified by (CxA): [NAME] Date: [YYYY-MM-DD] Notes / exceptions: [DEFICIENCIES, DEVIATIONS] ===================================================================== Shine CX Authority — field practice checklist. Not a permit submittal.