School districts are responsible for not only educating students, but also for keeping them safe. Building maintenance is an essential piece of this puzzle, as it helps protect students and staff from hazards like electric shocks, falls, and fires. School maintenance can also save money and protect your assets, and it isn’t only a concern during the school year. Every school district should develop a system of preventive maintenance that is in place year-round.
With so many elements to consider, from air quality to plumbing to kitchen appliances, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of necessary maintenance activities. To help simplify the process, we’ve developed an inspection checklist that serves as an important tool for school facility leaders, maintenance management, and maintenance teams.
This list will walk you through every maintenance step, from visual inspections to overseeing part replacements. In combination with your school facility management software, a maintenance checklist can help ensure that your school building is always ready to safely welcome your students, from the first day of class to the last.
How Frequently Should Building Maintenance Occur?
Having an established year-round preventive building maintenance schedule is critical if you want to lengthen the lifespan of your assets and protect students and staff.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave general public school infrastructure in the United States a score of D+, indicating that many systems are in need of repair or replacement. Creating long-term and preventive maintenance programs can go a long way toward improving the state of your school.
No two schools are exactly the same, and determining how often regular maintenance work should occur requires carefully evaluating every aspect of your facilities. For example, older buildings may need more frequent routine maintenance than newer campuses. Regardless of age, all schools should have a set schedule in place for essential maintenance activities, such as:
- Annual inspections of roofs, HVAC systems, and electrical systems
- Quarterly inspections of kitchen appliances
- Monthly inspections of safety and alarm systems
If you stick to a clearly defined maintenance management program, your school is less likely to experience equipment breakdowns, hazardous conditions, and costly repairs.
Download or Print Your Facility Maintenance Checklist
Every member of your maintenance department should have access to your school’s maintenance schedule. Feel free to print or download this handy facility maintenance checklist and reference it when setting up your facility maintenance schedules for the rest of the school year.
Going Beyond the Checklist
Implementing a facility maintenance plan at least twice a year and following a strict and detailed maintenance schedule can help reduce the need for emergency repairs. These last-minute fixes can break your budget and shorten the lifespan of your school’s assets. From outdoor elements like signage and landscaping to critical electrical and plumbing systems, effective maintenance management can save your school money and promote the safety of your students and staff.
Although routine maintenance may seem like a headache, the process is made easier when you have a digital solution in place for both your facilities and asset management. The facilities management platform from Incident IQ allows you to streamline work orders, schedule recurring tasks for better upkeep, monitor on-site staff performance, conduct risk assessments, and monitor reoccurring problems.
Combined, a preventive maintenance checklist and effective facilities maintenance software allow your maintenance team to work more efficiently in creating and executing a proactive building maintenance plan. Schedule a chat with our team to learn how Incident IQ can transform facilities maintenance in your K-12 district.
