Guides / Rooftop unit submittal checklist

Rooftop unit (RTU) submittal checklist

A packaged rooftop unit spec section can hold more than a hundred requirements. In one test we ran, a major-brand 10-ton unit missed 10 of them outright. These are the areas to check line by line.

Selection and ratings

• Cooling and heating capacity, airflow and external static pressure against the equipment schedule.
• Efficiency ratings the spec asks for (for example EER2, IEER, SEER2, thermal efficiency) and the AHRI certificate for the exact model.
• The efficiency standard edition the spec cites. A unit rated to a newer edition usually meets an older one; say so in the submittal.

Refrigerant

• The refrigerant the spec names against the one the unit uses. Many new units use A2L refrigerants such as R-454B or R-32; if the spec still names R-410A, flag it for the engineer.
• Leak detection or mitigation required for A2L refrigerants, and the listing the unit carries.

Casing, insulation and drain pan

• Single-wall or double-wall casing, insulation thickness and liner. These are common deviations.
• Drain pan material (stainless, galvanized or composite), slope and depth.
• Paint or coating requirements for coastal or corrosive sites.

Fans, coils and filters

• Supply fan type and motor (direct drive, ECM, VFD) against the spec wording.
• Coil construction and coatings. Coatings are usually ordering options.
• Filter depth and MERV rating, and whether the spec wants a pre-filter and a final filter.

Economizer and controls

• Economizer type, fault detection and damper leakage when the energy code requires them.
• Controller, BAS protocol (for example BACnet IP versus BACnet MS/TP) and the points list.
• Safeties the spec lists: smoke detector shutdown, low ambient lockout, anti-short-cycle timers.

Electrical and installation

• Voltage, MCA, MOCP and SCCR against the electrical drawings.
• Unit-mounted disconnect or convenience outlet, often ordering options.
• Roof curb height, isolation and wind or seismic restraint when the spec requires them.