To keep a school in good condition and protect both students and staff with a consistently safe environment, you must have planned school maintenance. Many elements of school buildings experience wear and tear over time, making it crucial to take certain measures to prevent potentially devastating damage. Not only does extensive property damage cost more to repair, but it also leaves students and staff vulnerable to injury, leading to steep liability costs.
In this checklist, we'll cover the different ways school maintenance can protect your property, as well as students and staff members.
Why a School Maintenance Plan Is Essential
Without routine maintenance, school buildings are prone to different levels of wear and tear over time. This could lead to serious issues that put occupants at risk of injury, lead to more costly emergency repairs, and generally reflect poorly on property management.
Eventually, unaddressed property damage can lead to huge expenses. It can also leave prospective students and their parents unimpressed with the facilities. As a result, your school could suffer from poor attendance along with the costs of extensive repairs and liability.
With the right school maintenance program in place, you'll be able to successfully avoid potential issues and keep your school running optimally.
What Planned School Maintenance Should Cover
A good school maintenance plan will consist of many elements. The following is a checklist of what your plan should cover.
Safety and Security
Many types of security and safety equipment factor into a safe school environment. These include bells and sirens that alert staff and students to potential dangers. Fire safety systems like smoke alarms and sprinkler systems are also essential. Other security measures include gates and fences for perimeter protection and evacuation signage.
Electrical
A school's electrical system must also undergo routine preventative maintenance to keep systems functioning and safe. This entails testing circuit breakers, plugs, switches, and cables. It also includes ensuring that electrical tags are correct and up-to-date.
Plumbing
Plumbing systems are equally integral to a functioning school. They are responsible for maintaining sanitation, supplying water for drinking, and performing other functions. A school maintenance plan should cover toilets, basins, showers, bubblers and drink stations, drains, and other components.
Interior
To provide proper insulation and prevent deteriorating building materials from presenting safety risks, school maintenance programs must also include interior maintenance. This would provide maintenance for all doors, windows, locks, interior paint, fans, and air conditioning units. Additionally, maintenance would address wall cracks to prevent moisture buildup and the growth of mould and mildew.
Exterior
Along with the interior upkeep demands, maintenance plans need to help maintain the exterior of the school. Repeated exposure to weather and sunlight can cause damage to paint and building materials, requiring regular maintenance to prevent substantial damage. Professionals must perform maintenance on the roof, gutters, downpipes, drains, signage, water pipes, and paint. They must also remove rust and wood rot to prevent this damage from spreading further and affecting the interior of the building.
Get the School Maintenance You Require From the Right Provider
All of these elements can contribute to a consistently well-maintained and safe environment for students and staff in your school. You'll also be able to avoid costly extensive repairs that could otherwise come from poorly maintained facilities. To make sure you get the results you need for your property, you need to work with the right contractors.
Good school maintenance contractors will have plenty of experience with maintaining these facilities. Regardless of what you require for your property, a reliable team of professionals can develop a program that works for you based on all of your school's unique requirements.
At First Response, we provide all-in-one school maintenance plans that ensure minimal disruption for your staff and students. If you’re curious about our services, we offer free and no-obligation quotes for maintenance contracts. For a free quote or just a chat, click the button below.