The Maintenance Schedule Most Businesses Ignore

Typical maintenance tasks that businesses postpone or forget to do include exterior paint and protective coatings, HVAC maintenance, roof inspections and minor repairs, parking lot and pavement care, gutter and downspout cleaning, window and door hardware maintenance, and lighting maintenance.

Maintenance Tasks That Get Forgotten

Commercial properties are constantly being damaged by environmental factors such as sun, wind, rain, and extreme temperatures. Paint and protective coatings applied by experienced commercial painters perth provide an extra layer of protection for the underlying material and help to protect it from moisture damage, UV degradation, and wear. However, many businesses will wait until the paint is peeling, faded, or cracked before doing anything to correct the issue. In some cases, it may take several years before paint and protective coatings begin to show signs of damage; however, by the time this occurs, significant damage has likely occurred to the underlying material.

In addition to exterior painting, many businesses also neglect interior painting. Interior painting provides the same benefits as exterior painting (i.e., protects the underlying material, improves appearance) as does interior painting. Over time, walls will begin to fade, and scuff marks will occur. At first, these issues may not appear to be severe; however, if the property owner does not take corrective action, the walls will continue to deteriorate, ultimately making the property look old, dirty, and unappealing to potential buyers.

Many businesses also neglect the upkeep and maintenance of their Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems. While it is understood that these systems are crucial to the comfort of those inside the property, many business owners do not understand the importance of maintaining these systems.

It is generally recommended that all commercial HVAC systems be serviced at least two times per year. Service should be performed once prior to the beginning of each heating and/or cooling season to ensure the system is in proper working order and again at the end of each heating and/or cooling season to perform any necessary cleaning, lubrication, and adjustments. Many businesses either do not service their HVAC systems at all or only service them once per year, regardless of the type of system they have. Failure to maintain these systems will result in increased energy consumption, decreased performance, and increased repair costs.

Roofs are another area that many businesses neglect to inspect and maintain. In fact, many commercial roofs are not inspected until there is a leak, and by the time a leak is discovered, it may be too late to make a minor repair. When a leak is present, it will have caused damage to the roof, ceiling tiles, flooring, and possibly other components within the building. While a roof inspection may seem to be a simple and inexpensive process, many businesses fail to perform these inspections regularly, and therefore, any issues that are present will remain undetected until they become serious problems.

While many commercial properties have large parking lots, few businesses take the time to properly maintain and repair the asphalt and concrete surfaces of these lots. As vehicles drive over the surface of the parking lot, the asphalt and concrete will begin to crack, and eventually, potholes will form. If these issues are not addressed promptly, they will become more severe and will eventually lead to costly repairs.

Many businesses choose to put off repairing potholes and cracks in the asphalt and concrete surfaces of their parking lots until they have become so severe that they are no longer safe for employees, customers, or visitors to the property. When potholes and cracks are allowed to develop into deep holes and large cracks, they will become hazardous and will require extensive repairs. By ignoring these problems until they are severe, many businesses will find that it costs much more to repair these issues than it would have had they been repaired them earlier.

Most commercial properties have gutter systems designed to direct rainwater and debris away from the building. However, many businesses do not regularly clean these systems, and as a result, debris accumulates and causes the gutters to clog. When gutters are clogged, water will back up onto the walls of the building and potentially cause damage to the walls and foundation of the building. In addition, debris-filled gutters can attract pests such as rodents and insects that can enter the building through the gutters. Clogged gutters can also create an environment for mold and mildew to grow, both inside and outside the building.

All commercial doors and windows require frequent maintenance to ensure that they continue to function properly. Over time, the hinges, latches, and locking mechanisms of doors will begin to loosen, requiring lubrication and tightening. In addition, the seals surrounding doors and windows will degrade, allowing air to leak in and out of the building.

When doors and windows do not function properly, they will become a security hazard, as unauthorized individuals can enter the building without detection. Furthermore, when doors and windows cannot be closed properly, heat and cold air will escape from the building, wasting energy and increasing utility costs. Additionally, interior fire doors that do not function properly can be a code violation, and can also pose a risk to the occupants of the building.

Finally, many businesses do not properly maintain their lighting systems. Beyond simply changing burned-out light bulbs, lighting systems require periodic cleaning to remove dirt and debris from the lens and reflector. Dirt accumulation on lenses and reflectors will reduce the amount of light emitted, reducing visibility and comfort for occupants of the building. In addition, ballasts used in fluorescent lighting systems can fail over time, causing flickering or delayed start-up of the lights. Many businesses do not notice the decrease in lighting quality, as it occurs gradually. However, once the ballast fails, the entire fixture must be replaced. In addition, LED conversions have become increasingly popular due to their energy-efficient characteristics. Many businesses have not converted to LED lighting because they believe that their current lighting systems are functioning properly. However, switching to LED lighting can significantly reduce energy costs, as LED lighting uses 75% less electricity than traditional lighting systems and lasts much longer.

Costs of reactive maintenance

Costs associated with a strictly reactive approach to maintenance (i.e., reacting only after something has broken) are significantly higher than those associated with proactive maintenance. Emergency repair work is typically charged at premium rates, and equipment failure results in loss of productivity and/or business operation. In addition, deferring maintenance can allow minor problems to create costly secondary damage.

There are also less obvious costs as related to the physical appearance of the building, and what it communicates to customers, employees and potential future tenants/owners. If maintenance is neglected, the building will appear unmanaged or unconcerned with the quality of its space. This negatively impacts customer perception, employee morale and ultimately, the value of the property.

Developing a Real Maintenance Plan

Simple calendars noting when various tasks should be performed can easily prevent those tasks from being overlooked. Regular quarterly walk-throughs of the property help identify emerging issues before they develop into emergencies.

In the end, the financial investment required for proactive maintenance creates long-term benefits, including reduced total costs, fewer emergency repairs, improved appearance of the property, and longer-lasting building system components and finishes. Buildings that appear well-maintained indicate successful management and attention to detail — both characteristics that can never be achieved using a reactive maintenance plan.

A business doesn't need to perform all of its own maintenance functions; professional service agreements can cover specialized work while internal personnel may take care of routine tasks. The most important aspect is that there is a planned maintenance schedule and that it is followed consistently. Operating continuously in a state of reaction — i.e., constantly caught off guard by the next item that fails — is not a viable means of managing maintenance.