No matter the type of business you are running, there are certain things that every commercial property is going to need regular repairs on. Taking care of these things does not only keep your company's image looking good, but it can also minimize the chances of accidents occurring. Fewer accidents, of course, mean less downtime from employees, less chance of lawsuits from customers, and overall reduced costs across the board. But exactly what areas should a business owner keep an eye on throughout the year? Read on to learn about some of the most important repairs and maintenance your business location needs taken care of regularly.
Parking Lot Area
The parking lot
may not seem like an essential part of business, but its condition can
drastically affect day-to-day business operations in a variety of ways. Let's
begin with the safety aspect of a well-maintained parking lot. Because your
employees and clients will be walking through this area daily, their
safety must be taken into consideration. Cracked concrete and uneven surface
can quickly lead to someone tripping and seriously hurting themselves. In terms
of legality, parking lines and a clearly marked handicap area must be
maintained. During the winter, you want to be taking care to remove snow as
quickly as possible to prevent any car accidents or slips and falls from taking
place on company property, as those accidents are something you can become
liable for regardless of the weather. While it’s impossible to always have a
snow-free workplace, you must get it done as soon as possible
to show a history of reasonably
swift action against accidents.
Preventive Maintenance Checkups
on Machines
If your business
utilizes machines to create a product or provide a service, preventive
maintenance checkups are highly recommended. This is because a sudden malfunctioning machine can quickly bring all your productivity to a screeching
halt, and thus no revenue is being created. Yes, it might be an extra expense
to have a maintenance person come in every month, but that cost will be much
less than having to replace or halt production. This will also help you
maintain compliance and be one step ahead of any surprise inspections that
could otherwise cause you costly downtime.
Business Sidewalks
One of the most common areas that tend to get neglected is the sidewalk in front of a business.
This should not be confused with public sidewalks that city governments usually
control. Rather, we are talking about the area right in front of your front
door. Much like a parking lot, a neglected sidewalk/stairs can lead to people
potentially injuring themselves. Therefore, it is highly recommended to contact
concrete services
to come in and take care of uneven surfaces. Uneven walkways are dangerous for
those with mobility problems, such as wheelchairs, walkers, and even canes. If
someone were to fall or be hurt because of an uneven walkway on your property,
you could be looking at a lawsuit, especially if it is decided that your
walkways were not disability-friendly.
HVAC System
Commercial
properties often have their air conditioning or heater on throughout the day
and even within the night. This can take a toll on an HVAC system, and thus
regular repairs and maintenance should be scheduled throughout the year.
However, because commercial HVAC systems are much more complex and expensive
than residential homes, this is not something that you want to neglect for too
long. This is especially important for the health of your employees. Excessive
heat can make it impossible for employees to work and focus, even if they do
show up for work that day. Instead of baking your talent, make sure that you
have your HVAC system serviced for routine maintenance at least once a year to
make sure you don’t have unexpected downtime during the hottest times of the
year. The same thing goes for your heater in regards to the coldest times in
the winter. Whether your employees do labor or typing, nobody wants to work
while bundled up like a marshmallow.
Understandably, business owners have a lot of things to worry about. However, certain
things must always be prioritized, with essential repairs and maintenance
being one of them. Building maintenance is important both for the health and
safety of your customers as well as for your employees that work in your
building every day. If you aren’t able to keep up maintenance and repairs
there, you could be opening yourself up to costly lawsuits that would end up
losing the company a lot more money than the building care ever could have. To
reduce costs, see if you can create relationships with local contractors who
can give you discounts for regular maintenance subscriptions.
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