Over The Years: Irregular Maintenance Tasks and Updates For Your Building


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Over The Years: Irregular Maintenance Tasks and Updates For Your Building

Every building will slowly wear down over time no matter how much regular maintenance you perform over the years. You’ll likely have to deal with plumbing leaks, roofing issues, broken glass, structural issues, and more as well as all the associated costs. Most maintenance tasks are done on a recurring schedule of a few weeks or a few months. However, other tasks might not need to be repeated as often. Add these irregular maintenance tasks into your established schedule to keep your building running at top efficiency for as long as possible.

HVAC System

A building’s heating, ventilation, and cooling system is essential to maintaining a safe temperature and keeping both clients and employees happy. It can also help preserve your products. An HVAC should be professionally maintained at least once a year to check for leaks, rust or corrosion that can spread throughout the ductwork and affect the entire building. While you likely switch out the filters on a regular basis every couple of months, you should also have a professional monitor your system, especially if it’s older than 10 years.

Roof and Gutters

The roof of the building often faces the harshest weather conditions, including damaging precipitation, high-speed winds, and scorching sunlight. You can protect it with spray polyurethane foam for a long-lasting solution that minimizes leaks and lengthens the lifespan of your roof. Avoid further damage in the building, animal nests and infestations and the hazards of rotting wood and roofing materials. 

Monitor your roof on a yearly basis and spray polyurethane foam when faced with pesky leaks or water issues. While this protection can often last several years at a time, talk to a commercial roofing company, like Everest Systems, about your roof’s specific needs and roofing schedule.

Structural Areas

Regular building maintenance can often take up a lot of your time, from winterizing the landscape to repaving the parking lot. Frequently inspect all structural areas and materials for rot, peeling paint, rust, and other signs that its integrity has been compromised. Repainting or covering issues on the walls or support beams can lead to huge costs in the future if the damage spreads and compromises other integral parts of the building.

Electrical and Plumbing

It’s easy to put off certain maintenance until an issue develops like the breaker constantly blowing or water issues in the basement. Scheduling routine professional inspections for the pipes and wiring in your building can keep you informed of all issues before they become dangerous and costly. Technicians are trained to spot clogs, broken pipes, fire hazards, and more that could compromise the safety and security of the building and everyone inside.

Sidewalks

You may assume that your buildings’ sidewalks, especially those on the borders of the property fall under the responsibility of the city. However, it’s actually up to the owner of the property to fix these when they become cracked and uneven over time. Sidewalk squares may break or crumble due to water damage or the gradual shifting of the ground under and around them. They can also be pushed out of place and broken by roots from nearby trees and shrubs. 

These are unsightly, but worse than that, they’re a hazard to employees, clients, visitors, and passersby. In fact, if someone were to trip and hurt themselves on the uneven sidewalks, you could be held liable for their medical bills. While your company’s general liability insurance should help cover this, your rates could go up, and the incident could cause you to lose business.

Parking Lot

The parking lot is something that almost everyone uses but very few people actually think about. However, a poorly maintained lot can easily become a nuisance to both employees and visitors. Crumbling asphalt could make it rough to drive or walk across, so any large cracks or potholes should be filled and smoothed over as soon as you notice them.

Additionally, the painted lines that separate parking spaces will fade over time. When this happens, many drivers will start making their own spaces wherever they like. This can cause trouble if they end up inadvertently blocking another space, a business entrance, or a driving lane. When lines start to fade, have them repainted so that spaces are clearly defined. You may also want to post signs in areas that you don’t want people to park.

Finally, help improve the flow of traffic through your parking lot to prevent confusion and accidents. You can paint arrows down the driving lanes to demonstrate where traffic should be and which way it should go. This is especially important if you have thin lanes that don’t allow for cars to pass one another.

Landscaping

If your building has landscaping around it, you probably make sure it’s maintained with regular mowing, watering, and weeding. However, after a few years, it might still start to look rundown. The grass may have become patchy in areas, or you might have muddy spots with poor drainage. If that becomes the case, you’ll want to update the landscaping’s water system. Check the irrigation to make sure it’s all working properly, and have any leaks or loose connections in the pipes repaired. If there isn’t an issue with the irrigation system, look at the drainage. If too much water collects, it can start to harm the plants. Fixing this may be as simple as aerating the ground. However, you may also need to redirect water that drains from the rooftop and the surrounding property or plant vegetation that can better absorb water.

Taking time to complete irregular maintenance tasks and updates to your building can keep your business running smoothly. It will also protect your business, your employees, and your customers.