When it comes to building maintenance, it’s easy for little problems to become big problems. And of course, big problems usually come with a much bigger price tag. As a Facilities Manger it can be really challenging to handle the work load and manage the ever growing to do list. While the idea of working ahead can be daunting given the amount of work that likely needs your immediate attention, preventive maintenance should be an integral part of your building maintenance plan. If you want to reduce your workload and save money, you need to stop putting out fires and get proactive.
“If you want to reduce your workload and save money, you need to stop putting out fires and get proactive.”
What Is the Real Purpose of Preventive Maintenance?
Preventive building maintenance is not unlike any other kind of preventive maintenance. We get dental checkups to protect our teeth and avoid the costly, painful work that happens when a routine cleaning becomes a root canal. Or our health, we do checkups, vaccines and medication to extend our life and keep small issues from becoming larger ones. Preventive building maintenance is designed to prevent failures, plan maintenance when it is most convenient and cost-effective, reduce the occurrence of unscheduled equipment outages and maintain and extend the lifespan of your assets.
Solid Preventive Maintenance Can:
- prevent failures
- plan maintenance for convenience & cost savings
- reduce unscheduled equipment outages
- reduces unexpected, expensive emergency maintenance
- maintain and extend assets life span
“Preventive building maintenance is not unlike dental checkups we get to protect our teeth we opt for a routine cleaning to avoid a root canal.”
What Should My Preventive Maintenance Plan Include?
There are three basic components to any solid comprehensive Preventive Maintenance Program. You should have an annual master plan with a budget. You should have a jobs plan task for each of your building’s assets. Finally, you should have trained technicians who can perform assigned work and have the tools and equipment to get the job done. It is here that a Facilities Maintenance company or even a Commercial Handyman service can be a huge help. Whether you want on site building maintenance, multi-facility maintenance or on demand, as needed maintenance, the right maintenance services company can be your best ally in tackling your facilities preventive maintenance.
“The right maintenance services company can be your best ally in tackling your facilities preventive maintenance.”
I’m Just Too Busy For Preventive Building Maintenance
Think you are too busy to do preventive maintenance? This can create a never-ending cycle of chasing your tail. Think about it, you get so busy putting out fires that you put off preventive building maintenance thereby creating your next fire to put out. Preventive building maintenance must be routine and expected. You as a Facilities Manager need to make it a part of how you work and manage your building or buildings. Many facility managers feel like they don’t have time for preventive maintenance and perhaps it is because they are so busy putting out fires that they never have time to “fire proof.” It can be challenging to plan ahead but when you fail to make time for preventive building maintenance, you invariably end up with more unplanned or unscheduled maintenance that gives you even less time for being proactive starting the cycle all over again. Repeating this reactive rather than proactive cycle costs you money and shortens the lifespan of your assets.
“Don’t get so busy putting out fires that you put off preventive building maintenance thereby creating your next fire to put out. Repeating this reactive rather than proactive cycle costs you money and shortens the lifespan of your assets.”
But Doesn’t Preventive Maintenance Just More Cost?
Does preventive maintenance cost more? Yes and no. Again borrowing our dental reference, you pay for a routine dental cleaning ahead of a problem but it will cost you significantly less than root canals or even dentures later. The costs involved with preventive asset maintenance are dollars well spent. Of course, well maintained assets mean less down time and happier tenants but the long-term savings go even further. You save money on reduced energy usage, a reduced loss of productivity caused by unexpected failures and service headaches. With preventive maintenance, you can service equipment on a schedule that fits productivity goals and cost savings. Getting a routine maintenance call for you’re A/C off season will typically cost you less than an emergency call on a record heat Michigan summer day. Likewise, preventive maintenance preserves the value and extends the lifespan of costly assets. Finally, when you are successful with routine and preventive maintenance, meaning less downtime and emergencies, tenants and customers have an overall more positive impression of your management ability.
“Preventive maintenance saves you money on reduced energy usage, a reduced loss of productivity and expensive emergency repairs.”
Getting Ahead Of Fires With Professional Facility Maintenance Services
It can be hard to know what labor you need and when you need it. A great solution to the changing needs of your facility is partnering with a building maintenance company or using a commercial handyman service. Part of a great plan is partnering with company rather than handling each issue as it arises. This allows you to conserve your energy by planning ahead and finding a good building services company before you have an immediate need. Even the most experienced, capable Facility Managers can get overwhelmed by the amount of work their facility can generate. The right commercial handyman service can help you tackle day-to-day issues before they snowball. An advantage to working with a commercial handyman service is that you can customize a maintenance schedule that keeps your facility in good shape. Repairs, fixes and installations can be planned, forecast, budgeted for and scheduled.
“The solution to the changing needs of your facility is partnering with a building maintenance company or commercial handyman service.”
What Kind of Professional Maintenance Is Going To Work Best For My Facility?
Perhaps you have thought about bringing in a professional maintenance company or commercial handyman but you don’t know which is right for your facility or where to start. Maybe you only need a little work or perhaps you are worried that there is too much work for one company. Maybe you need help but have real concerns about whether or not you can afford outside help. With an experienced building maintenance company or professional, reputable commercial handyman services, they will customize the work to fit your facility and your budget. Some facilities need regular daily maintenance at multiple facilities. Conversely, other businesses need only a weekly visit or every other week to manage a revolving to-do list and tackle preventive maintenance. Maybe what your building needs need is occasional help during specific short-term periods or seasonally. The right commercial maintenance company will offer you flexibility and a wide range of service options to create a customized maintenance schedule or plan to help you tackle your to do list and keep your facility in optimal condition.
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