Effective Building Maintenance Tips to Save You Money
If you own a property, building maintenance is an important part of ensuring the building’s longevity, functionality, and the safety of those inside. Building maintenance includes everything from regular cleaning and repairs, to inspections and upgrades that help improve your building.
Failing to perform proper building maintenance can be costly! It is more expensive to perform a large repair than it is to perform regular maintenance. Keeping up with these crucial tasks will not only save you money, but it will keep you in compliance with local building codes and ensure the safety of the people in the building.
In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of building maintenance, some maintenance tips that will help you safeguard your building, and why maintenance is so important.
Types of Building Maintenance
When it comes to maintaining a building, there are three main types of maintenance tasks that can be performed. Here we’ll discuss these three types of tasks and what they entail.
Routine maintenance
Routine maintenance is scheduled tasks that help keep a building functional and prevent decay. These could be tasks that are carried out daily, weekly, or on a schedule. These types of tasks include cleaning, garbage removal, repainting, lubrication of hinges, inspecting utility systems, and weeding.
Preventive maintenance
Preventative maintenance tasks prevent building damage and help keep the structural integrity of the building. This includes measures taken to withstand storms, floods, and other catastrophes.
Corrective maintenance
Corrective maintenance tasks help keep a building comfortable and functional. It’s important to have a strategy in place to prevent damage and decay, as well as ensure that your building stays in operation.
Building Maintenance Tips
What steps should you take to maintain your building effectively? Here are some maintenance tasks that you can perform and why they are so important for the health and safety of the people residing or working in your building. Some of these you can easily do yourself, while others should be farmed out to professional maintenance technicians.
Building Maintenance Tip #1 – Regular Building Inspections
Regular building inspections are a crucial part of building maintenance. You should inspect your plumbing systems, your electrical systems and wiring, your HVAC systems, the locks on your doors and windows, your siding, your roof, and any other parts of the building. Performing routine maintenance tasks is less expensive that having to perform a costly repair when something totally breaks down, so staying on top of things is key here.
Building Maintenance Tip #2 – Clean Your Building Regularly
It’s important to keep all areas of your building clean in order to ensure the health of the occupants. If you aren’t able to do the cleaning yourself, consider investing in professional cleaning services. They can get to difficult areas such as high ceilings and other places that are out of reach. They are also able to identify and rectify potential health hazards that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Building Maintenance Tip #3 – Fix Leaks Promptly
If you uncover any leaks in your plumbing or in your roof, be sure to fix them right away. Water damage from a leak can be expensive, and you’ll want to keep the damage from spreading as much as possible. Again, performing preventive maintenance tasks is less expensive than fixing a bigger problem later.
Building Maintenance Tip #4 – Regularly Check and Maintain Your HVAC Systems
It’s important to regularly check your heating and cooling systems to ensure that everything is operational and there are no problems. It’s also important to ensure efficient energy management. A good practice is to schedule a yearly service for your HVAC system to keep it in tip top shape.
Building Maintenance Tip #5 – Insulate Properly
For maximum energy efficiency and to ensure the comfort of those in the building, be sure that your building has the proper insulation. This can impact the health of those in the building, and it’s also a great way to save money in the long run.
Building Maintenance Tip #6 – Utilize Pest Control Services
Pest control is one of the most important building maintenance services you can invest in. Pests come in the form of spiders, rodents, ants, cockroaches, and more. They cause structural damage to your building, they spread disease, and they can contaminate your food. Have a pest control specialist perform regular inspections to find and fix potential problems right away.
Building Maintenance Tip #7 – Perform Necessary Repairs Right Away
To make your building last longer and protect everyone inside, be sure to perform any necessary maintenance tasks right away. This will ensure that you are in compliance with local regulations and will prevent small problems from becoming bigger.
Importance of Building Maintenance
Maintaining your building properly helps to assure the comfort and safety of the people and possessions inside of the building. Regular maintenance can save you money by preventing bigger problems from occurring. It can also greatly increase the value of your property.
A building that is not well-maintained can become dangerous for the people living and working inside. It’s important to follow safety codes, such as those from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Remember that urgent repairs are usually much more expensive than preventative maintenance. Be sure that you are taking the steps that you need to take to maintain your building effectively.
FAQs
How often should building maintenance be performed?
Different types of preventive maintenance tasks can be performed at different intervals. Some things must be done daily or weekly, such as taking out the trash. Other items can be performed at regularly scheduled intervals, such as repainting or repairing a roof. You may want to hire building maintenance professionals to ensure that all tasks are performed properly. You can also consider hiring an in-house maintenance department.
Can building maintenance records affect property insurance claims?
Yes, building maintenance records can affect property insurance claims. You are responsible for performing regular maintenance for your property, and your insurance company may request access to these records.
What types of building maintenance can affect property insurance coverage?
Insurers will often not cover damage by wear and tear. For this reason, it’s important that you perform routine maintenance tasks to avoid this type of damage.
Can regular building maintenance improve indoor air quality?
Yes, regular building maintenance can impact the quality of your air.
What are the benefits of regularly updating my building systems maintenance certification?
This certification will give you a set of skills that are important for building operators and maintenance supervisors. You will learn the management of crucial building systems, how to create a comfortable environment, and you’ll gain an understanding of HVAC, plumbing, and other building systems. This certification ensures that you are equipped to efficiently manage a building and comply with all codes.
Sources
https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/services/building-maintenance/
https://www.getmaintainx.com/learning-center/building-maintenance/
https://www.rentbottomline.com/blog/7-important-tips-for-building-maintenance
https://riversinsurance.com.au/why-poor-property-maintenance-can-impact-your-insurance/