The industry rule is that $1 in preventative maintenance saves $4-10 in reactive repair. Yet most commercial facilities under-invest in PM because it doesn't feel urgent — until a chiller fails in July. A written PM calendar shared across vendors is the single highest-ROI facility management tool.
Core PM Categories
- HVAC: quarterly filter changes; semi-annual coil cleaning; annual full inspection.
- Plumbing: annual drain line hydrojet; semi-annual water heater flush; monthly backflow inspection.
- Electrical: annual thermal imaging of switchgear and panels; semi-annual UPS inspection.
- Roof: semi-annual inspection; annual full assessment.
- Building envelope: annual seal inspection; caulking every 3-5 years.
- Fire life safety: monthly extinguisher checks; annual sprinkler test; quarterly alarm test.
The Master Calendar
Build a spreadsheet or CMMS with every recurring PM item, frequency, responsible vendor, cost, and last-completed date. Review monthly. Attach vendor certifications and inspection reports.
How Cleaning Fits
The nightly cleaning crew is often the first to notice PM issues: burnt-out lights, running toilets, ceiling stains, HVAC noises. A cleaning vendor with a facility observation reporting protocol becomes an early-warning network at no extra cost.
Cleaning + Facility Observation
Every Blue Collar contract includes nightly facility observation reports — burned-out lights, plumbing issues, HVAC noise — at no additional cost.