Preventative Maintenance: Saving Money in the Long Run

You already know that a car needs regular services like oil change, tire rotation, engine service etc., but what you don’t know is your home also needs the same commitment and care to stay functional and look at its best. Just like most people, it’s easy for you to overlook regular maintenance, thinking you still have time, or it’s all good cause everything looks okay. Preventative maintenance is an integral part of homeownership, as your home is your first line of defense that safeguards you from any sudden or unforeseen harm. In this blog post, we will explore how you can stay on top of your home maintenance by catching problems early, and how you can save significant amounts of money in the long run.  Preventive Maintenance is a proactive approach to maintaining facilities of daily life and Equipment that can lead to major and significant cost saving to long run of life that can prevents major breakdown, expands lots of expenses in lifespan which can improve efficiency. In a very simple words preventive maintenance, which is often known as preventative maintenance is a different procedures and techniques, we can use and make a long-term money safe. 

Basics of Preventive maintenance: 

Preventative maintenance serves as a targeted plan consisting of actions that help prevent any major issues by staying proactive, and top of things. One of the key elements of this type of plan is to preserve the operational state of all the equipment involved in a building between major servicing intervals. Some of the involved tasks includes: 

• Inspection for any wear, damage, misalignment, or leaks. 

• Cleaning out dust and debris that may clog the equipment that can affect its function 

• Lubrication of equipment to reduce friction and better working lives. 

• Tighten loose parts or fittings to ensure proper optimal operation. 

• Operational tests to verify performance and identify irregularities. 

• Replacing parts that are near or beyond their service life. 

• Calibrating instruments or systems to maintain accuracy. 

• Documenting maintenance logs for compliance and tracking. 

What is Preventive measurement: 

Preventive measurement are some actions to perform on our personal things to avoid any unexpected problem or challenge like schedule inspection, cleaning and design of different replacements to prevent them from any unexpected problem before their occurrence. This has a sever contrast and difference to Reactive maintenance which is always done after the occurrence of an issue. 

Here are some examples of preventive measurement; 

• Regular checks and maintaining of industrial machinery 

• On Server checking of system logs and software updating 

• Vehicle’s regular oil change 

• Replacing the filters of HVAC systems 

Types of Preventive Maintenance: 

To understand all about preventive maintenance, let’s delve into its different types with respective examples to make it more comprehensible for you. Different types of preventive maintenance are as follows: 

1. Time-based Maintenance 

2. Usage-based Maintenance 

3. Condition-based Maintenance 

4. Predictive Maintenance 

Time-based Maintenance 

As the name suggests, time-based maintenance has to do with maintenance at specific time intervals. It consists of a well-devised strategy scheduled at predetermined intervals. Regardless of assets or equipment condition, preventative maintenance aims to undergo activities that help prevent future failures and increase its reliability. It’s beneficial to create a schedule monthly or annually as per the manufacturer’s inspection and cleaning recommendations. This can help you stay on track. examples of interval-based maintenance include tasks like: 

• Air conditioner servicing every month in summers 

• Restoring salt content in soft water systems 

• Cleaning vents biannually as per health standards 

Predictive Maintenance  

Predictive maintenance is primarily about retrieving data after tracking historical trends which enables accurate failure predictions. Predictive maintenance is based on real-time equipment condition and does not follow a schedule like preventative maintenance. The key element of predictive maintenance includes smart asset management, thus low operational costs, low downtime, and optimal resource allocation. Giving the owners the luxury to act only when needed, all the while ensuring extended equipment time and high operational efficiency. This type of maintenance includes tasks like: 

• Continuous tracking of equipment health using digital diagnostics 

• Identifying signs of degradation through tools like ultrasonic testing 

• Failure prediction models built to estimate the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of components 

• Integration with maintenance systems for reporting and automation of workflow  

• Using vibration and acoustic emission analyses on rotating and revolving equipment to predict equipment failures 

Usage-based Maintenance 

This type of maintenance is correlated with equipment usage. Knowing how to prevent future equipment failure by staying on top of proper care through usage-based preventive maintenance will ensure long-lasting use of your equipment. For instance: 

• Schedule maintenance tasks when contamination levels reach a critical point in a hydraulic system 

• Machine oil change after it has been used for a set number of hours 

• Replacing machine parts after they have reached their life before it causes any operational difficulty 

Condition-based Maintenance 

Condition based maintenance is all about finding maintenance activities and needs by condition monitoring of your most crucial assets. The main approach here is devising different maintenance techniques to prevent future failure based on the condition metrics of a particular part of equipment. For example: 

• Using temperature and vibration sensors to detect any functional anomalies 

• Other sensors like Infrared sensor that detects if an equipment is operating above the set temperature level 

• Using real-time information about the equipment to prevent any future failure 

Preventative maintenance offers lots of benefits by extending equipment lifespan, reducing overall cost and Minimize downtime. It also minimizes unexpected breakdowns, enhances safety, and improves operational efficiency. 

Preventive Maintenance Checklist for Australian Homes

Area	What to Check	Recommended Action	Frequency
Roof	Look for broken tiles, rust, cracks, moss	Replace tiles, clean gutters, seal leaks	Every 6 months / After storms
Gutters & Downpipes	Debris, blockages, sagging	Clean out leaves, secure loose fittings	Quarterly, especially autumn
Windows & Doors	Cracks, broken seals, drafts	Seal gaps, repair locks	Seasonally
Plumbing	Leaks, water pressure, corrosion	Fix leaks, clean aerators, check for rust	Twice a year
Hot Water System	Rust, odd noises, water temperature	Flush tank, inspect valves	Annually
Air Conditioning	Dirty filters, airflow issues	Clean/replace filters, service unit	Before summer/winter
Smoke Alarms	Function test, battery check	Test monthly, replace batteries	Monthly / Yearly battery
Pest Control	Signs of termites or   cockroaches	Apply treatments if you have the right product or contact pest control	Every 6 months
Exterior Walls	Cracks, paint flaking paint, or any signs of water damage	Repaint, seal, fix damage	Annually
Driveway & Paths	Cracks, loose pavers	Pressure clean, reseal, fix damage	Annually
Garden & Trees	Overgrowth, branches near roof	Trim trees, clean green waste	Seasonally

Preventative Maintenance Checklist for Australian Commercial Buildings 

What to Check	Recommended	Recommended Action	Frequency
Roof & Flashing	Leaks, deterioration and molds on ceiling	Seal leaks and cracks, inspect flashings, schedule repairs based on your findings	Every 6 months
HVAC Systems	Airflow, filter condition, energy use	Clean coils and closed spaces, replace any worn-out filters, and calibration of thermostats	Quarterly / Seasonally
Electrical Panels	Burn marks, loose wires, breaker function	Test breakers, secure connections, call licensed electrician	Annually
Emergency Systems	Fire alarms, disfunctional extinguishers, exit lights	Inspect alarms, service extinguishers, test exit lights	Monthly / Quarterly
Elevators & Lifts	Noise, button function, emergency systems	Schedule inspections and servicing per legal requirements	As per code / Monthly
Plumbing Systems	Leaks, drainage speed, visible pipe wear	Fix leaks, clear and clean drains, replace damaged parts	Biannually
Windows & Doors	Lock function, seal integrity, operation	Adjust hinges and door knobs, repair seals, replace any cracked glass	Quarterly
Interior Paint	Peeling paint, stains, damages	Repaint and refurbish common areas	Annually
Pest Control	Infestation signs in storage, break rooms, basements	Professional inspection and treatment	Quarterly / As needed
Security Systems	Camera function, motion sensors, access systems	Run system diagnostics and update software	Monthly
Lighting Systems	Burnt bulbs, faulty sensors	Replace bulbs, test motion sensors and timers	Monthly / Quarterly
Parking Area & Exteriors	Line visibility, surface cracks, lighting	Repaint lines, repair potholes, replace faulty lights	Annually

Other Benefits: 

• Better Resource management 

Using preventative maintenance, we can restore better management as it has to be on schedule. 

• Increased Customer satisfaction 

By giving the best production and manufacturing and having the best service system by preventative Maintenance we can make customers happy and reliable. 

• Improved liability 

If the system is good and customers are happy automatically, it improves the liability of both system and customers. 

• Improved Compliance 

By giving the services of preventative Maintenance we can improve compliance. 

Here we have a cost comparison between Preventative Maintenance and Reactive Maintenance; for a five-year Maintenance period of a small manufacturing facility. 

Year	Preventative Maintenance	Reactive Maintenance
1	$5000	$3000
2	$10000	$6000
3	$15000	$9000
4	$20000	$12000
5	$25000	$15000
Total	$75000	$45000

There should be several practices to do to prevent from any sever damage for Preventative Maintenance, some are below; 

Use of Computerized maintenance management system 

• Create maintenance Schedule 

We can make better service of preventative maintenance in computerized to create a schedule of maintenance. 

• Conduct Regular Audits 

In the use of computers, we should conduct regular audits to make them better and more reliable. 

• Write down Everything 

Being very professional we should write down every single step of preventative maintenance in a computerized management system. 

• Keep a Trained Staff 

To make it better and more reliable and satisfy the customers we should hire very professional and trained staff to do their duties well. 

Here are some Industries which can gives a high pay off for preventative maintenance; 

Industries	Payoff Benefit for Preventative maintenance
Transportation	Breakdowns Fewer and Efficiency in Fuel
Health Center	Compliance of equipment and patient safety
Software House	Reliability of time and data Security
Manufacturing	Longer machine time and less downtime
Facilities	Improve HVAC and Utility cost

Final Thoughts 

To conclude, instead of waiting for something to break (which usually happens on a very busy day), preventative maintenance involves routine inspection and servicing equipment, so it doesn’t break in the first place, which seems out of the blue. But it’s mostly random; tiny fixes can turn into hefty repairs. Phase one of this type of maintenance is identifying fixes that can turn into costly bills if left unchecked. Phase two consists of addressing potential issues by doing the necessary repairs and fixes. I have devised checklists for you that can help you in knowing which tasks are safe enough to be done at home by yourself and which ones require proper professional care. Don’t know who to contact? Book a free demo with All Areas Maintenance and get on top of your maintenance game.  

Not only does preventative maintenance keep your operations functional, but it can also help you yield around 500% ROI and saves 12-18% of costs compared to reactive maintenance. Additionally, preventative maintenance can decrease unplanned downtime by over 18% and result in over 83% fewer defects and lags in production. 

FAQs 

Is preventive maintenance cost-effect as compared to reactive maintenance? 

Yes, it sure is. As in preventive maintenance steps are taken to prevent serious issues like mold on your ceiling or system failure. While in reactive maintenance you fix it when it needs fixing, which can cause costly repair bills depending on the gravity of the damage. 

Which tasks can be handled at home without a professional? 

DIY tasks like touch ups, gutter cleaning, checking smoke alarms, etc., can be done at home by you. But tasks that involve electrical, roofing or gas must be taken care of by certified professionals. 

What happens if you do not take preventative maintenance seriously? 

If you’re not taking it seriously, then you can expect higher utility bills in future, and reduced safety in general. You can also miss out on some potential insurance claims. 

Will preventative maintenance help with the resale value of my property? 

Absolutely. A documented maintenance history reassures buyers and can help pass building inspections with ease. Making your property beautiful inside and out. 

Can preventative maintenance be done annually? 

As advised by professionals, you should do seasonal maintenance at least 4 times per year. On the other hand, HVAC or roofing systems may need more frequent attention and care. It also depends on the climate conditions that your property faces over the year.