Chances are you’ve heard the saying that “Those who fail to plan are planning to fail.” While this is sound advice for life and business, it is also applicable when it comes to building cleaning and maintenance. As a commercial property owner or building manager your property represents a major investment in your success. Keeping it cleaned and properly maintained not only factors into your financial income, but it also goes a long way toward preventing costly liability issues in the future.
Having an annual, seasonal and even quarterly maintenance plan in place, ensures that all the necessary measures are being minded, and that no box goes unchecked. Of course, for something on the scale of a large commercial property, this can seem like a somewhat daunting task. In this article we break down some of the best reasons for establishing a maintenance program, as well as measures you should strongly consider adding to that plan.
What Is An Annual Maintenance Program?
With decades of experience, Building Services Inc. has managed a wide range of problems for a wide range of clients. This includes things like dealing with multiple vendors and contractors to ensure a commercial building has proper facility solutions in place. Many times this calls for taking a proactive role in coordinating these parties to ensure that everything is completed efficiently.
Establishing an annual maintenance program, further ensures that the facility is set up for success, and that nothing goes unaddressed. This often includes drafting up a comprehensive checklist for seasonal, annual, and quarterly maintenance measures. This plays into effective scheduling as well as routine custodial maintenance that proactively monitors key areas for any potential problems.
This lets the commercial property owner or building manager stay focused on what you do best, without having to divert your important man hours to routine maintenance, scheduling and custodial duties. The end result is less stress for you and your building’s staff, while also resting confidently knowing that every square inch of your major investment is being properly cleaned and cared for.
Annual Maintenance & Cleaning Checklist
The following things should be included in any seasonal, quarterly or annual building maintenance checklist. When you outsource these tasks to an experienced company like Building Services Inc. you get the peace of mind that comes with knowing that true professionals are using industry-best practices to maintain every square inch of your commercial property. If our trained eyes do happen to spot a potential problem or an area that needs repair, we will keep you apprised and recommend the necessary measures to proactively address it.
The following is a common checklist of things that need to be done as part of either an annual, seasonal, or quarterly maintenance program.
Electrostatic Disinfectant Treatment
Building Services Inc. is proud to offer electrostatic disinfectant treatments to all our clients. This advanced sprayer system represents the state of the art in removing pathogenic contamination from a building. Best of all it is safe for sensitive surfaces, including equipment and electronics. The commercial-grade sprayer emits positively charged particles that help clean hard to reach places like impossible corners, and crevices.
Matting Services
Dirt and bacteria easily cling to footwear and can easily track into a commercial property. This potentially means harmful contagions and grime can easily spread into your building along high-traffic areas. Properly cleaned, high-quality floor mats not only save you money, but also help your building’s floors look better than ever. Building Services’ technicians can get your mats professionally clean and ready for everything the coming season has to throw at them.
Carpet Cleaning
Most commercial properties and retail spaces have carpeted areas. Just like floor mats, they too can trap dirt, grime, bacteria and dust. Without routine deep cleaning these materials contaminants can not only cause discoloration, but they can also start to damage the carpet fibers and affect the underlayment base. Removing them with professional deep cleaning goes a long way toward preserving the overall lifespan of your carpets, as well as maintaining the floor’s professional appearance.
Hard Floor Care
Hardwood, tile and laminate flooring can all become prone to dust buildup and discoloration. Stripping and rewaxing tile and laminate floors once or twice a year helps preserve their appearance. It also keeps discoloration to a bare minimum, which is important for maintaining your building’s professional appearance. Hardwood floors also benefit from routine deep cleaning and professional preservation to maximize their lifespan and overall appearance.
HVAC Maintenance
Climate control systems play a critical role in the health and safety of any commercial property. Not only do they make sure employees and guests are comfortable, but they also help prevent other major maintenance problems. An improperly maintained air conditioning system that is pushed to its limits can heave excess condensation that promotes the growth of dangerous indoor mold colonies. At the same time, a failing heating system can shut down overnight or over a long weekend during a winter cold snap. This could lead to frozen plumbing systems and water damage from ruptured pipes.
Exterior Maintenance & Window Washing
A building’s exterior says a lot about the professional manner of the interior. Things like bird droppings, stuck-on gum, hard water stains, and dirty windows can send a bad message to tenants as well as make a bad first impression on guests. Having the exterior of your building professionally cleaned and power washing away unwanted materials helps maintain a truly professional appearance. It can also help maintain compliance with health and safety codes. Most commercial property managers have the exterior of their building professionally cleaned in the spring and again in the fall to keep up with the seasonal accumulation.
Lighting
Light fixtures usually go under-appreciated until there is a problem. Though outdated and malfunctioning light fixtures can prove to be very energy inefficient. Left unaddressed, a failing light fixture can even pose a serious fire risk. Having all burned-out bulbs and malfunctioning light fixtures addressed at least once, if not twice a year on a building-wide scale, helps shine a light on your professionalism. It can also save you a lot of money in the long run.
Parking Lot Services
The parking lot or parking garage is typically the first thing that guests see when they visit your property. Stuck-on gum, bird droppings, loose refuse, and sidewalk stains not only send the wrong message, but they can also turn into serious health & safety violations. Having your parking area professionally deep cleaned annually or seasonally helps send the right message while providing a safe & clean environment to everyone who parks there.
