Things You Can Do to Maintain Your Aging Facilities

Your facilities are important. They house your staff and they are where products, services and ideas that form the basis of your business are created.

Facilities age, but those that receive regular maintenance age more gracefully. Replacing the operational components of your facility (think HVAC!) can turn into a costly proposition that can eat away at your profit margin. Since you can’t afford to replace it…why not maintain it?

The key to maintaining an aging facility is being proactive and preventing breakdown

Here are a few areas to focus on to make sure your aging facility continues to serve you and your business:

• Roof: Roof lifespans vary based on the type of surface installed, weather and the materials needed. According to the National Roofing Contractors Association, your roof should be checked prior to the beginning of winter and summer. Any areas of concern need to be addressed before they become major expenses.
• Plumbing: Aging, defective pipes can contaminate a buildings drinking water. For buildings without any filtration, this could turn into a major health crisis. To combat this challenge, hire a licensed professional to do annual inspections on your plumbing system and make adjustments based on their recommendations. Give some serious thought to replacing your fixtures as new ones can greatly reduce the amount of consumption and lower your annual costs.
• Lighting: Installing a new lighting system can bring life to your aging building and save on costs too. Before adding new lights, consider bringing in more natural lighting if possible. Natural lighting in the workplace has been known to improve morale, lessen absenteeism, and reduce stress according to Psychology Today.
• HVAC Systems: No matter the time of year, these systems are leaned upon heavily which is why maintaining them is a must especially in an aging facility. Sometimes replacing older systems is the best option so long as the new system is compatible with your building. Watch these closely and make sure a strict maintenance regimen is adhered to as the comfort and productivity of your staff depends on their functioning correctly.

Summary

Aging facilities require more attention in order to continue to support the staff that is depending on them. Be proactive in your approach regardless of the need. By doing so, you’ll protect your most costly asset (after your staff of course!) and save precious resources in the process.