Quick Tips for Effective Facility Maintenance in Your Business
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1. Introduction to Facility Maintenance
1.1 Understanding the Significance of Facility Maintenance
Why do businesses need facility maintenance? What exactly they can gain from spending money on facility maintenance services? If you have these questions in mind, let's discuss the reasons.
Every business has its physical place and equipment that needs proper maintenance to run the business operation smoothly. Facility maintenance can ensure that all systems in the building work properly with minimum hassles or breakdowns.
These systems can be crucial for running a building facility and are known as:
- Heating Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC)
- Water Supply System
- Electricity Distribution
- Sewage System
- Vertical Transportation (Elevators & Escalators)
- Fire Safety
- Vehicle Parking and Security
Apart from these systems, there can be many other important systems found in buildings that are relevant to the type of buildings and their operation.
Moreover, improper facility maintenance can lead to more system breakdowns and eventually impact business operations. Therefore, companies need to have a proper maintenance system to uphold operational efficiency and reduce maintenance hassles.
1.2 Key Areas of Facility Maintenance
A combination of key areas that are prioritized when performing facility maintenance in business organizations. It helps effectively reduce major issues in the buildings.
A business facility can contain several services and the critical areas should be properly maintained to minimize operational breakdowns and ensure smooth running.
These systems need daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, biannually, and annual services and maintenance to upkeep. Thus, business organizations should implement necessary maintenance strategies to run the facility smoothly and ensure the continuity of their operations.
2. Discuss Different Areas that Require Maintenance
2.1 HVAC Systems for Comfortable Working Conditions
An HVAC system refers to heating ventilation and air-conditioning that is necessary to ensure adequate ventilation or heating requirements of a building. It is most commonly used for a ventilation system that contains major equipment such as
- Chillers
- Air Handling Units (AHU)
- Cooling Towers (in water-cooled systems)
- Fan Coil Units (FCUs)
- Ducts
- Pumps, and Other Necessary Equipment.
The chiller is the most important part of the HVAC system and it includes vital components like a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator coil.
The system needs proper maintenance where these critical equipment and components should function properly to meet the ventilation requirement of a building.
2.2 Electrical Systems to Prevent Outages
An electrical system is another crucial thing in a building where a necessary power supply is needed for the smooth operation of all important equipment and building components. Mainly electrical system of a building contains various sub-systems such as:
- The Ring Main Unit (RMU)
- Main Switch Box (MSB)
- Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) panels
- Synchronizing Panels
- Generators as backup
- Bus bars
- Tap-Off Units and other important systems
These systems require proper maintenance to prevent electrical outages and operation breakdowns. This is a very critical system where interruptions in electricity distribution can impact every other system and its continuous functionality.
2.3 Water Supply System for Drinking and Washing Needs
Water supply is another important system in a building that contains primary elements such as
- Sumps
- Water Purification Systems
- Supply Pumps
- Valves
- Overhead Tanks
- Risers
- Taps and Other Fixtures
These elements need necessary maintenance to enable continuous water supply to the building occupants. All necessary elements require daily, weekly, monthly, and annual maintenance to minimize defects.
Without sufficient water supply HVAC system can also get affected where water-cooled chillers require an adequate and continuous water supply.
Also washing, drinking, and cooking purposes can depend upon on water supply, and therefore facility maintenance staff need to ensure the systems' continuous functionality.
2.4 Structural Maintenance for Safety and Aesthetics
Structural maintenance involves fixing wear and tear, cracks, water seepages, paint fades, broken fixtures, and many other civil works. A building structure comprises many essential features like walls, pillars, windows, doors, stairs, ceilings, façade, carpets or tiles, and many other vital structural fixtures.
These elements can malfunction or cause problems that need proper facility maintenance to uphold the longevity of the system components and reduce frequent defects. This can also enhance the building's aesthetics and ensure a safe place for its occupants.
3. Quick Tips for Efficient Facility Maintenance
3.1 Regular Inspection and Maintenance
Regular inspection and checks can keep the building in optimum condition by catching issues as soon as they appear. It helps rectify the building and its essential components from going into defects or malfunctioning which can lead to potential problems in business operation.
Also, regular checks can let building owners maintain their facility as per the operational standard and it enhances facility and asset life span. Moreover, it helps protect businesses from equipment failure losses, operational breakdowns, product delivery delays, and other consequences.
3.2 Prioritize Safety Measures
Prioritizing machinery and human safety is crucial for businesses and it helps avoid unnecessary incident occurrences, and machinery breakdowns which ensures continuous operation.
Every facility has its safety-related concerns and implementing adequate safety measures is the employer's responsibility to protect the building and its occupants.
Facility maintenance is a good supporter to enhance the safety of an organization where it helps reduce equipment malfunctioning, hazardous exposure, and other related stuff. Thus, facility maintenance has been considered an inevitable tool when it comes to workplace safety.
3.3 Effective Cleaning Practices
Effective cleaning is one of the important things in facility maintenance and it drives a more aesthetically appealing, pleasant, and safe environment for the building occupants.
Cleaning involves many essential duties and responsibilities and companies need to hire the best talents for housekeeping jobs. Proper cleaning can enhance overall maintenance and leave a good impression on the visitors to the business premises.
Also, facility maintenance requires comprehensive support from the housekeeping department to perform all their necessary maintenance without any issues or delays.
3.4 Timely Repairs
Every facility has to face many maintenance-related issues and breakdowns that need timely repairs to fix things immediately. Timely repairs can help continue the operation processes without wasting precious money-making time.
Therefore, facility maintenance requires timely repairs like immediate corrective actions when a system fails. It can reduce the amount of time being wasted on maintenance activities and protect companies from losses.
Also, timely repairs need many vital things such as proper work order handling, material sourcing, competent in-house staff, etc. Businesses need to arrange these necessary things at the workplace to do timely repairs on systems.
4. Using Technology for Facility Maintenance
4.1 Smart Monitoring Systems
Technology plays a pivotal role in facility maintenance and when it is used correctly business owners can drastically make improvements in their building facility.
Smart monitoring of systems utilizes advanced technology to maintain the buildings, and it helps professionals reduce the manual burdens of monitoring the facility.
Building Management Systems (BMS), CMMS, CAFM, and various other software are effectively utilized to monitor the systems and components of a facility and these technological tools are capable of producing real value for the business by reducing humanized errors, time-consuming maintenance, energy monitoring, and so on.
4.2 Maintenance Management Software
As we have discussed in the previous section, there are many software tools available for efficient facility maintenance management and such tools can be very helpful in planning, organizing, monitoring, and regulating systems and their components.
For example, A BMS system uses advanced software with the integration of many field devices (sensors) installed in the equipment like HVAC components, lighting components, electrical devices, and various other systems to do maintenance effectively. This software system automates the maintenance workflow and minimizes human errors.
5. Outsourcing vs. In-House Maintenance
5.1 Pros and Cons of Outsourcing
Outsourcing is simply known as obtaining services from external companies or service providers. In facility maintenance, businesses hire outsourced service providers for certain service provisions on a contract basis and it has both advantages and disadvantages as discussed in the below table:
| Outsourcing Pros | Outsourcing Cons |
| Obtaining external talents for, the company | Common communication pitfalls are there |
| Less time consuming to fix complex maintenance issues where service providers are hired based on their skills of service delivery | Service providers have less knowledge about the business and its culture they are dealing with |
| Businesses can save costs by hiring more employees for facility maintenance | There are some chances for a data breach, theft, and sometimes unauthorized access to prohibited areas |
| Businesses have a chance for scalability | Service providers can sometimes provide fake service reports if an authorized in-house staff fails to check post-work |
| Can obtain security where the contractual agreement between the business and service provider ensures adequate safety | Increase the complexity of implementing business solutions with service providers. They are less controllable |
5.2 In-House Maintenance Team
The in-house maintenance team is responsible for performing all facility maintenance works of a business and they are employees generally hired by the organization.
This team mainly consists of engineers, facility managers, and technicians like HVAC technicians, electrical technicians, PABX technicians, and others to maintain different services.
The in-house maintenance team is always accessible for any maintenance-related requirements in the building and they have to attend to maintenance issues, conduct facility checks, perform audits, do preventive maintenance, and many other tasks.
The in-house maintenance team should be led by a competent professional like a facility manager or director who should have a thorough understanding of building maintenance to enhance the facility's condition.
6. Case Studies
Facility maintenance has helped several business organizations to enhance their core value by comprehensively managing the supporting services and below we can find some real-life examples of such companies that elevate their business core function with the help of facility maintenance:
Singapore Airlines:
An airline facility needs rigorous maintenance and Singapore Airlines is known to be one of the best airlines in the world. They demonstrated the necessity of facility maintenance by implementing vital aircraft maintenance practices.
Also, they ensure their fleet safety and enhance operations through adhering to a tight maintenance schedule, and advanced monitoring system. Moreover, their commitment to facility maintenance lets them earn more customers for their services, ensure safety, on-time departure, reduce downtimes, and many other benefits.
Walt Disney World Resort:
They are well-known for a large theme park facility that tends to provide the best customer experience and their largest facilities are well taken care of by doing necessary facility maintenance.
Their resort and theme park facilities are often visited by a huge number of people and they follow adequate facility maintenance practices to enhance their services, safety, customer experience, and so on.
7. Conclusion
Facility maintenance is considered a crucial business function to ensure business continuity and for a smoother operation. A business facility has several systems and components like HVAC, electricity, vertical transportation (elevators, escalators), water supply, communication, fire safety, and many other systems that require essential care.
The benefits of conducting facility maintenance are huge and it is the reason that mandates the necessity of facility maintenance services in a building. Several technological tools are there to effectively perform facility maintenance tasks and businesses should utilize these advanced technological software tools to properly maintain their facility.
Facility maintenance requires skilled human resources from in-house and outsourced staff to improve the service and it eventually leads to support business core function.
FAQ
Q1: Why is facility maintenance important for business success?
A1: Facility maintenance ensures that a business's physical place and equipment function smoothly. Proper maintenance of systems like HVAC, electricity, water supply, and more reduces breakdowns, operational issues, and impacts on business operations.
Q2: What are the key areas of facility maintenance that businesses should focus on?
A2: Essential areas of facility maintenance include HVAC systems for ventilation, electrical systems to prevent outages, water supply systems, and structural maintenance for safety and aesthetics.
Q3: How does HVAC maintenance impact working conditions?
A3: HVAC maintenance, which includes equipment like chillers, AHUs, and ducts, ensures proper heating, ventilation, and air conditioning for comfortable working conditions.
Q4: Why is electrical system maintenance important for businesses?
A4: The electrical system is crucial for powering equipment. Proper maintenance of components like switches, generators, and panels prevents outages and keeps operations running smoothly.
Q5: What role does water supply system maintenance play in facilities?
A5: Maintenance of water supply systems, including purification, pumps, and tanks, ensures continuous water availability for drinking, washing, and essential purposes.
Q6: How does structural maintenance impact building safety and aesthetics?
A6: Structural maintenance, involving repairs, painting, and fixing fixtures, enhances safety by addressing wear and tear issues, prevents water seepage, and improves the building's appearance.
Q7: What are some quick tips for efficient facility maintenance?
A7: Regular inspection, prioritizing safety, effective cleaning, and timely repairs are key tips. Regular checks catch issues early, safety measures prevent incidents, cleaning improves aesthetics, and timely repairs save time and costs.
Q8: How does technology contribute to facility maintenance?
A8: Smart monitoring systems and maintenance management software like BMS and CMMS help automate monitoring, reduce errors, and enhance maintenance efficiency.
Q9: What are the pros and cons of outsourcing facility maintenance?
A9: Outsourcing brings external expertise and cost savings but can have communication challenges and security concerns.
Q10: How does an in-house maintenance team contribute to effective facility management?
A10: An in-house maintenance team, consisting of skilled professionals, provides immediate responses to maintenance needs, conducts checks, and ensures facility upkeep.
Q11: Can you provide examples of companies that benefit from facility maintenance?
A11: Singapore Airlines ensures fleet safety and operations through rigorous aircraft maintenance. Walt Disney World Resort maintains its large theme park facilities to enhance customer experience and safety.
Q12: Why is facility maintenance essential for business continuity?
A12: Facilities maintenance ensures that critical systems function properly, prevents operational disruptions, and supports the core functions of a business.