Building maintenance costs are as much as 40% of production costs. It’s a challenge for all companies because they face limited resources, outdated technology, and no strategy to maintain buildings and equipment.
That reactive approach to building maintenance is costly. You’re just waiting for something to break down, which increases downtime and replacement costs.
Getting a handle on building maintenance means lower costs and higher profits. Do you want to know how you can improve building maintenance?
Read on to learn how you get your building in the best shape for 2021 and beyond.
1. Keep a Building Maintenance Checklist
The first step in going from a reactionary mode to a preventative one is to have a yearly maintenance checklist. You need to look at the entire property and look at what needs to be inspected when.
Write down every part of your building that you need to inspect and/or repair during the year. Next to it, write down how often they need to be inspected. You can break that down into an annual calendar and then a monthly calendar.
For example, you need to inspect your HVAC unit at least a couple of times a year. You have to inspect the roof every few months. It’s important to check the electrical systems at least once a year.
The exterior areas of the property require maintenance, too. You have to include an annual exterior building examination to make sure that to spot cracks or chips.
You’ll need to have the windows cleaned every quarter. The gutters need to be cleaned at least once a year.
All of these items have to go on your checklist.
2. Invest in Technology
A Computerized Maintenance Management System is a great tool to have if you have to manage several buildings and a lot of equipment.
A CMMS is an internet-based software that building maintenance staff can access from anywhere. You know exactly what needs attention.
Even if your company doesn’t need something as comprehensive as CMMS, you should still leverage technology to keep track of everything. There are plenty of software programs that you can use that can help you save time.
3. Hire the Best Vendors
There’s a good chance that you’re not doing all of the building maintenance yourself. Most companies have very limited maintenance staff which relies on outside contractors to handle different areas.
You have an HVAC contractor to handle the HVAC unit, landscaping company, pressure washing company, and painting company for large jobs.
It’s necessary to have the best vendors that you can rely on. Check out this site for commercial pressure washing as an example of what you should look for.
Building Maintenance Plans for the Future
Is your building prepared for the future? Having an annual building maintenance plan puts you on the path toward preventive building maintenance.
It’s much more cost-effective to prevent building issues than to put fires out constantly. Develop a building maintenance checklist for each month and use a CMMS if your company has a lot of assets to manage.
Do you want more ideas to implement technology at your company? Visit the Technology section of this site.
