Summer is a tough season for commercial buildings and for the staff charged with its maintenance. Between the extreme heat and weather, the list of summer building maintenance list can become quite extensive, both with one-time projects and regular maintenance and cleaning. Use these tips to keep on top of summer building maintenance and get through the list.
Inspect the exterior of your building.
The extremes of Wisconsin weather can do a number of commercial and residential buildings. Do an inspection of the building and all major systems. Look for cracks and other indications of problems that can lead to leaks and problems in the future. Do a close visual inspection of key areas, such as the HVAC system and roof. If there are any areas of concern, check the interior of that same area to see how deep the problem goes.
Complete any construction projects while staffing is light.
Light construction projects, such as putting up new walls or building cubicles, are another task routinely added to the maintenance checklist during summer. To minimize productivity and interruptions, choose a time when staffing is low (such as a weekend when there are many vacation times, during the evening, overnight, etc.). The challenge with this timing can be staffing; with a full maintenance schedule, another staff member for the project is not always available. When staffing is not available, allocate funds in the budget instead; contact local companies to get quotes and the project completed while staffing is low.
Schedule repairs or upgrades to your HVAC system.
The key word in the task is ‘schedule.’ Simply put, the cost of HVAC repairs drastically increases when an immediate repair is needed. Inspect your HVAC system periodically, and schedule any repairs or maintenance before it needs to be done. For routine or minor repairs, decrease the cost even further by contacting a local maintenance company which may be cheaper than a HVAC company.
Get your floors deep cleaned.
A regular deep floor clean and carpet clean can play a key role in preventing workplace injuries and increase productivity. Scheduling a regular floor cleaning can also help you stay on budget; if you wait too long, a build-up of dirt and grime can form that requires numerous cleanings and costs more in the long-term. Dirty floors can also become slippery and hazardous for your workers. Filthy carpets can decrease productivity because workers can get sick or have issues with allergies because of a lack of cleanliness. To check this task off the list efficiently, ask a staff member to tackle floor cleaning before or after maximum staffing hours or contact a company that can do so.
Allocate additional hours for exterior building maintenance.
Summer storms and weather can add additional exterior building maintenance tasks to the list—sometimes time-consuming tasks such as cleaning up downed branches or storm damage. When all staff members are tied up, contact a company who can take on interior and exterior maintenance projects to simplify operations. Make sure an inspection after the exterior maintenance is included to ensure there is no further damage that could cause problems this summer or fall.
