While general wear and tear of your commercial property is inevitable, regular maintenance is key to keeping your building in optimal condition.
Learning how to properly take care of your building can prevent costly repairs and save your business a lot of money.
Keep reading to discover our maintenance tips to keep your commercial building in great condition.
Why is proper building maintenance important?
If you run a business or lease a large building, splashing money on maintenance when your building appears to be running smoothly can seem like a daunting and unnecessary cost.
However, there are a number of reasons why building maintenance is absolutely imperative.
Here are just a few of the reasons why regular building maintenance is essential:
Health and safety of employees
The safety of your employees should always be your number one concern. Ensuring your business is safe is a legal requirement and employers are ultimately responsible for the health and safety of their employees.
Damaged, poorly maintained buildings and premises can increase the risk of an individual getting injured because of damage to your building. There are many health and safety risks within a building that may go unnoticed by the untrained eye, which is why regular professional maintenance is essential to ensure the job is done properly.
Emergency repairs are more expensive than routine care
When your business seems like it’s running smoothly, it can be tempting to skip your scheduled maintenance appointments to save some extra money. However, cancelling your routine maintenance appointment and waiting until a bigger problem arises can result in much more costly repairs.
Anytime you are calling a contractor or service professional out to fix a problem that already exists, you are going to pay more than if the problem was detected and fixed before it reached the state of an emergency situation.
Even a leak which, when detected early, is usually a quick and inexpensive fix, can become a major costly repair if left untreated.
Improves the appearance
The first impression potential customers and employees have of your business is through the building itself.
By not keeping your building in good condition, you create the impression that you do not care about your business, which can put off any potential customers or employees.
A well-kept building will highlight that the business is well-managed, professional and has a positive attitude towards the premises.
Budgeting for scheduled repairs is much easier than budgeting for emergencies
While you cannot predict a significant weather event or an emergency, you can make sure that your business is as strong and prepared as possible to withstand any potential emergencies.
By having regularly scheduled maintenance appointments, you can minimise the impact an emergency will have on your building by ensuring that there are no faults or weaknesses in your building’s infrastructure.
It’s easy to set aside a small sum of money every few months for routine checks instead of forking out a large amount of money on short notice for a costly repair that could’ve been avoided.
Routine maintenance limits possible liability
Damaged buildings can increase your liability if someone suffers an injury as a result of the damage. Ensuring your building is in great condition by having regular building maintenance checks can rid your business of liability claims and ensure your employees are kept safe.
Not only this, but a well-maintained building is also much less likely to be vandalised because people will assume that the building is being actively maintained and monitored.
Top maintenance tips for commercial buildings
So, now that we have covered the importance of regularly maintaining your business, it is time to delve into the top tips for maintaining your commercial premises.
Aside from having regular maintenance checks, there are several things you can do to keep your commercial building in great condition.
Have a regular cleaning schedule
A routine gutter cleaning schedule can be extremely beneficial for commercial businesses looking to keep their building in top condition. While it might seem like an increase in outgoings initially, it will save you money in the long run.
Ignoring regular cleaning of your gutter can cause damage to your building’s walls and roof. It is recommended that you clean your gutter at least twice a year, but once every four months is preferable.
Stay on top of pest control
From wasps and bees to rats and rabbits, pests can become a nuisance to your premises all year round.
Pets are a big concern for any commercial building as they can contaminate the workplace, spread disease, destroy your property and ruin your business’ reputation.
To prevent pests from taking over your office, here are some simple tips to keep your business clean and safe:
Cleaning - Ensure that your kitchen area is regularly cleaned and free of leftover food, spills and crumbs to prevent rats and other pests
Regularly take the bins out - Having overflowing, smelly bins with food inside is the number one way to attract pests to your building. Make sure you stay on top of a regular bin routine and ensure rubbish is stored in external pest-proof bins to keep the area free of debris
Check office plants for pest insects regularly to stop them from spreading throughout the office
Encourage employees to report any pest sightings and not to try and handle the situation themselves
Repair damage immediately
If you have noticed any signs of damage around your building, it is important to get it checked out as soon as possible so that any repairs can be carried out before the problem worsens.
Leaving any damage will only make the problem worse and could end up costing you even more money or even becoming a safety hazard to employees.
Eliminate fire hazards
Eliminating fire hazards is an important way of staying on top of your building’s maintenance. A fire can cause detrimental damage to any building, leading to potential injuries and a major disruption to your business.
Here are some tips for eliminating fire hazards in your building:
Dispose of flammable materials correctly and regularly
Store chemicals safely and clean up spillages straight away
Keep fire doors closed and ensure all fire exits are kept clear
Check electrical equipment and machinery often
Carry out regular fire assessments
Regular roof inspections
While your roof might be an easy thing to neglect, your roof is your first line of defence against the elements and keeps you safe and dry.
If you fail to hire a professional roofing company to conduct regular roof inspections on your building, you are putting your building at risk of long-term issues that could massively hinder your business.
A simple leak, which, when spotted early is an easy fix, can escalate into a much larger problem when left unchecked.
Some of the most common issues that can occur in your roof include:
Missing shingles
Curling or buckling shingles
Leaks or cracks
Plants or moss growth
Roof sagging or drooping
To prevent these issues from escalating, regular roof inspections are key. There are a number of other reasons why regular roof inspections are absolutely essential for every business:
Prolong lifespan - Roof inspections can prolong the lifespan of your roof by replacing any broken or missing parts
Save money - A routine roof checkup is much more inexpensive than a big repair. Having regular roof inspections will save you money, time and hassle on large repairs
Keep employees safe - A routine roof checkup gives you and your employees peace of mind that your building is safe
B & D Roofing and Building: Expert roofing services and building repair
If you are looking for high-quality roofing services for both residential and commercial customers in Scotland, then look no further than B & D Roofing and Building.
At B & D Roofing and Building, we offer a range of roofing and building repair services including building restoration, roof tiling, heritage roofing and so much more.
For additional information on the wide range of services we offer, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our friendly team here today. We are always on hand to answer any questions or queries you may have.
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