Maintaining your commercial building’s appearance is a matter of constant vigilance. From the moment your capital improvement is completed, preventative maintenance becomes the order of the day in an attempt to extend the life of your roof, windows and building exterior.
The top 5 facility management challenges, in no particular order, are exterior coatings, roof integrity, window and glass seals, preventative maintenance and cost.
Exterior coatings and facades are the first thing a potential customer sees when approaching a building. The facility manager needs to ensure that the building’s exterior is always sound and also uniform in appearance. So many times, when a coating is approaching the end of its lifespan, you will notice touch up jobs here and there that look like scars on your building’s exterior. This takes away from the professional appearance you are trying to maintain. The approximate life of a coating on a building’s exterior is 8-10 years. If your building coating is approaching the end of its life span, consider soliciting bids from a commercial painting company to recoat or repaint your building.
An integral part of your building’s exterior is the windows and glass. The windows and glass on a building’s exterior is a significant source of leaks and water intrusion. The glass itself is not as much of a concern as the caulking that helps hold the window in place. The integrity of window and glass seals is just as important as the window itself. Over time, the caulk can deteriorate which leads to cracks and imperfections. These imperfections will lead to water leaks around your windows. These will become more apparent during wind driven rain events.
If you are considering a new coating for your building, a commercial painting company with experience in commercial buildings is a must. Most commercial painting companies will provide you with a comprehensive package which will include not only the coating but also window and joint sealing. The old seal will be removed and a new seal will be placed. These companies also tend to use the latest technology available in their coatings.
Roofs are a significant part of your capital improvement budget. Most roofs have a life of 10 to 15 years. Routine inspection of your roof can extend its life. Monthly roof inspections can reveal trouble spots and keep small problems from turning into big problems. By identifying cracked shingles or water intrusion spots on a flat roof early, you can prevent damage to your interior ceiling and walls.
Having a quality vendor for your exterior coating needs and a quality vendor for roof repairs is essential in maintaining your building. Some small, quality vendors were unable to weather the economic downturn therefore the pool of small, responsive vendors has dwindled. However, there are still some quality painters and roofers still available. A smaller vendor is usually more responsive to your needs and their price is better than a larger company. By developing a good relationship, a small vendor can provide you with years of outstanding service.
