If you’re a facility manager, you’d know about the daily challenges that you have to face. The challenges and risks are always different for each facility manager. Though the goals are typically similar and shared, there are some facilities that struggle with high recurring expenses while others find it impossible to locate the best HVAC system that suffices the needs of their building.
The main issue faced by a facility manager is that preventive maintenance gets ignored and all sorts of repairs are put on hold. Delayed maintenance and waiting for further funds to arrive, can lead to costly upshots, thereby maximizing further problems down the road.
This article will let you take a detailed look into the costly consequences of deferred maintenance. Keep reading to know more.
#1: Comprehensive costs for the long run
Deferred costs are always associated with costly ramifications. Suppose the yearly cost of maintaining a piece of machinery is $1000. Moreover, if there is no funding to support the hardware, you have to deal with it unless you have any choice. The lowest price that is available for the equipment is present time as the price will increase later. So, if you put off maintenance for a span of 5-7 years, you will incur comprehensive costs throughout the long-term.
#2: Total system failure
Does your facility experience a total system failure? If yes, this can be disastrous for your company. For example, if there is an HVAC system in your hospital and it has to run for 24 hours in a day. These are important systems that control the risks and hence you can’t afford failure. You have to monitor and review these systems that are almost close to the end of their cycle so that you can avert total system failure. This can reduce emergency repairs, which leads to business disruption.
#3: Diminished efficiency of equipment
One of the main objectives of maintenance is to maintain the efficiency of the equipment. Whenever you increase the time between each maintenance activities, you actually reduce its effectiveness. A machine that is not maintained properly, it consumes more energy than required. By crafting a preventive maintenance approach, you can let the machine perform better. Hence scheduling daily maintenance will ensure best performance.
#4: Health and safety hazard for all occupants
Being a facility manager, you will be held liable for ensuring a safe environment for everybody in the building. Just as the above-mentioned example of HVAC system failure, if you have to maintain a safe and secured environment, you have to make sure all systems work efficiently and properly. Deferred maintenance can increase safety hazards. Mention all these tasks in a maintenance planner job description while you hire one for your facility. A professional planner will keep up with maintenance and guarantee good air quality inside the building.
#5: Single issue escalating into graver concerns
Whenever you leave problems unaddressed, this can escalate to many more problems. Suppose you take into account a leaky ceiling in a building. This will start off as a small leak, but if you don’t repair, this can end up damaging your walls, the light fixtures and other building materials. This will keep adding up to the already-existing cost of roof-repair. Similarly, if there is a leak in a gas system in a medical infrastructure, this will arise safety and cost concerns. You have to therefore monitor the source of gas and the piping.
#6: Reduced life cycle of equipment
By now it is clear that preventive maintenance is done to keep the machineries and equipment running effectively. Anytime you fail to perform any of the maintenance activities, you actually end up reducing the operating life of the machine. Whenever the systems are not serviced regularly, they deteriorate faster.
Hence, if you’re the owner of a large or small facility, invest in proactive maintenance rather than reactive work. Hire a maintenance planner who has your best interests in mind.
