Building materials deteriorate over time due to exposure to the elements. Through routine inspection and regularly scheduled preventative maintenance, facility managers can maintain the value of the asset and extend the useful life of the building.
Don’t Be a Squeaky Wheel-Type
If a facility manager waits until there’s a problem with the exterior of a building to make a repair, it may end up costing them in more ways than one. Lost time, expenditure of repair funds and headaches can be avoided with preventative exterior building maintenance. Regularly inspecting those part of a building that are most likely to get out of working order can alert maintenance personnel to a defect or issue that needs attention before a failure occurs.
Exterior Building Maintenance Checklist
Using a checklist can help a building owner or manager identify and keep an accurate record or inventory of the building’s problems to facilitate systematic repair and maintenance. Here are some of the items that should be on that exterior building maintenance checklist:
- Roofs
- Underside of Roof – Look for water stains and damage on soffit boards, damaged fascia boards. Check to be sure the flashing, which is installed around every protrusion through the roof and at every joint where vertical wall intersects the roof, is not loose, broken or corroded. Check the gutters to be sure they are free of debris aren’t loose, rusted or missing. Make repairs when damage is discovered.
- Exterior Walls
- Stucco or Plaster – Inspect stucco/plaster for cracks, staining, loose, stucco, soft spots, blisters, or areas where the stucco/plaster has fallen off.
- Brick, Stone and Mortar – When inspecting the exterior of this type of building look for cracks, stains, wet spots on the walls as well as loose mortar joints.
- Paint – Signs of peeling, cracking or chipping can indicate the need for exterior painting to protect the building.
- Mold – In Florida, due to the sub-tropic climate, mold can grow on the exterior of a building, particularly if the building is in a shaded area. Often the building can be pressure washed to easily remove the mold.
- Graffiti – The inspector should look for signs of graffiti or other vandalism to the exterior walls of the building. Pressure washing and/or painting should be scheduled to return the building to its original state.
- Wood – Any wood used on the exterior of a building should be inspected for rot, moisture, cracks and missing pieces.
- Caulk & Weatherstipping – Doors and windows constitute main sources of energy loss of heating and air conditioning. Improperly sealed, they can also enable pests to enter the building. An inspection of the windows and doors should be made to ensure the weatherstripping is in place and that any caulk has not peeled, cracked or been broken away.
- Exterior Decks
- Moisture – Moisture problems can cause considerable damage to any exterior deck made of wood. Inspection and replacement should be made of any dry rotted wood.
- Pests – Wood destroying insects, such as ants and termites, and fungi can wreak havoc on not only an exterior deck, but the entire structure of a building. At first detection of infestation, treatment should begin and damaged materials replaced.
- Parking Areas
- Driveways and Sidewalks – Inspector should look for signs of cracks or deterioration of paved surfaces, pools of water, and any safety hazards. Potholes should be repaired, asphalt cracks sealed and any broken concrete curbs or sidewalks should be replaced.
- Debris Removal – Dumpsters should be regularly emptied and excess bulk debris removed.
- Parking Garage – Parking garages should be inspected for trash build-up. Additionally, the inspector should look for oil stains, chemical spills and other stains – these can be easily removed using hydro-cleaning equipment.