We understand that as a facilities maintenance contractor, your scope of work can vary widely from project to project. For example, with the rise of sustainable energy, you may need to rent a scissor lift to install new LED lights when the old ones burn out. Or you may need to rent a straight boom lift or articulating boom lift to repair a building’s roof or clean the outside of its windows.
That’s why outsourcing your equipment rentals to BigRentz can lighten your load. Your job is to make sure the buildings you’re working on are safe, clean, and operable. Our job is to provide the equipment rentals you need, when and where you need them. Thanks to our supplier partner network, we offer a wide variety of equipment nationwide and can deliver what you need for your next job. Our one-day, one-week, and four-week pricing is structured to be flexible and tailored to the varying durations of your projects.
Facilities maintenance refers to the tasks involved in keeping a structure in safe and operable condition. This includes routine maintenance to prevent failures and extend the lifespan of systems and buildings as well as responsive repairs to address any problems.
Facilities maintenance is often outsourced. About 87 percent of facilities outsource some or all of their maintenance services because their maintenance staff doesn’t have the time, skills, or knowledge to handle these tasks. Though maintenance often goes unseen by the occupants in a building, it’s necessary for everything from apartment homes to hospitals to shopping malls. Facilities maintenance ensures that these buildings are functional and hazard-free for those who use them.
Facilities maintenance is a well-established industry, but the tactics and techniques that are used within it are constantly evolving.
Green buildings are in higher demand, and facilities maintenance professionals are looked to for sustainable solutions that will minimize their facilities’ impacts on the environment. Building owners are expected to invest $960 billion in environmentally friendly building upgrades over the next six years. Smart facilities maintenance practices can help building owners achieve their goals by keeping up with HVAC maintenance for better energy efficiency or using green cleaning products to cut back on pollutants.
Something as simple as swapping out building lighting for more efficient bulbs can make a big difference in the facility’s energy use. By renting a scissor lift for a few days, you can easily upgrade lighting throughout the building for an instant impact on your utility bill.
As in any market, cost savings are always a driving factor behind new innovations. In building maintenance, this is being achieved with the adoption of new technologies. Building automation tools can handle everything from indoor air quality to lighting. Paired with analytics tools, these give maintenance teams the information they need to make informed decisions about the proper schedule for maintenance and other services.
Facility maintenance managers have a broad range of responsibilities. Not only are they responsible for handling maintenance on an as-needed basis, but they must also plan and prepare for regular ongoing maintenance tasks to ensure that their facilities stay in prime condition. This includes:
Most facility maintenance tasks are performed on an infrequent basis. HVAC maintenance, for example, is a twice-yearly task for buildings with both heating and cooling systems. facilities maintenance scheduling is typically either proactive or reactive and falls into one of these categories:
Corrective maintenance addresses current problems with facility systems and equipment. This is done on an as-needed basis when issues are reported to the facilities maintenance team. Repairing a faulty blower in an HVAC system is an example of corrective maintenance.
Preventive maintenance is performed on a regularly scheduled basis. Maintenance teams spend about 19 hours a week on scheduled maintenance tasks. The purpose of preventive maintenance is to improve efficiency and extend the lifespan of building systems. Giving an HVAC system and annual tune-up is an example of preventive maintenance.
Predictive maintenance is the most complex. This type of maintenance relies on a careful evaluation of electrical or mechanical system components to determine what adjustments are needed to ensure peak performance and avoid any corrective or preventative maintenance needs. Performing an oil analysis to determine the optimum time to change a machine’s oil is an example of predictive maintenance.
A well-rounded facilities maintenance program will incorporate all three types of maintenance. Evaluating a property’s needs in all three categories will help maintenance professionals determine what tools and equipment are most appropriate for the job. While basic tools should always be on hand, heavy equipment may be more cost-effective when acquired as rentals on an as-needed basis.
Facilities maintenance encompasses many areas, including the following:
As a facilities maintenance professional, it’s important to thoroughly assess the building and determine all the tasks that will fall within the scope of the job. This might include maintaining refrigeration units in a retail environment or handling temperature and humidity carefully in a greenhouse. The right tools and equipment are essential. You should make sure you’re well-equipped with for basic tasks and know where to turn for a fast rental when you need something more.
Proper facilities maintenance is important for any business. Maintenance management takes up as much as half of a company’s operational budget, so it’s important that this investment goes toward quality services. If you’re looking for a way to improve efficiency and cut costs, evaluating the benefits of a strong facilities management team is a great place to start.
