When the halls of schools fall silent over summer break, it's the ideal time for educational facility managers to spring into action. The absence of bustling students and staff provides the perfect opportunity to perform maintenance tasks that may disrupt students and staff during the school year. This maintenance downtime is crucial for ensuring the school’s safety, functionality, and efficiency, reinforcing an environment conducive to learning. So, what types of services should be on your building maintenance checklist? Let’s look at a few that should top the list.

Seven Maintenance Services to Put on Your Building Maintenance Checklist

Deep Cleaning

A thorough deep cleaning of the entire school facility is a task best done during the summer break when the building is empty. This process is more than just a surface clean–it involves sanitizing classrooms, offices, libraries, cafeterias, athletic facilities, and other high-traffic areas, creating a healthier environment. In light of recent global health crises, it is more important than ever to prioritize deep cleaning. Overlooking this task can allow germs, bacteria, and viruses to thrive, putting the health of students and staff at risk.

Over time, this can lead to a rise in absenteeism due to sickness, affecting the school's overall academic performance. Furthermore, accumulated dirt and grime can degrade the school's infrastructure faster, leading to higher maintenance and replacement costs in the future. With comprehensive janitorial services from a team of experts like those at The Budd Group, you can be assured that every corner of your school is sanitized to the highest standards, mitigating the risk of spreading illnesses when the school reopens.

Flooring Maintenance

Floors in educational institutions see a lot of wear and tear due to heavy foot traffic. Regular cleaning can maintain the look of the floors, but it doesn't address deeper issues such as scratches, stains, and embedded dirt. Failure to maintain school floors properly can lead to a variety of issues. For example, aged and poorly maintained floors become unsightly and can potentially harbor bacteria, contributing to an unhealthy environment. Additionally, worn-out floor surfaces can pose a safety risk, increasing the likelihood of slips, trips, and falls. Over time, neglected floors will likely require more costly interventions, like a complete replacement, which is much more disruptive and expensive than staying on top of regular maintenance.

As you’re materializing your building maintenance services checklist, be sure to include floor care. Summer provides the ideal time to strip, wax, and polish floors or shampoo carpets without worrying about the disturbance of classes or the safety of students. Professional floor care services can revive the look of your floors, improving the aesthetics of your educational facility and increasing its lifespan—as well as minimizing hazards from flooring that has fallen into disrepair.

HVAC System Maintenance

The quieter summer season is an excellent time to perform a comprehensive check and maintenance of the school's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. With the demanding usage during winter and spring months, this is a critical task. An optimally functioning HVAC system ensures the comfort and health of students and staff when the school year resumes, promoting better focus and productivity.

Neglected HVAC systems can lead to significant problems down the line. Systems can become less efficient without regular inspections and maintenance, leading to higher energy consumption and costs. Additionally, poorly maintained HVAC systems can cause reduced indoor air quality (IAQ), leading to health issues such as allergies, asthma, and respiratory infections among students and staff. Even worse, a failing system could abruptly stop working, creating an uncomfortable environment that disrupts learning. HVAC preventive maintenance services should include things like thorough inspections, cleaning, and necessary repairs. By completing these tasks during the summer months, you can ensure your HVAC system runs smoothly for the upcoming academic year.

Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance

Overgrown or neglected outdoor areas can give off a poor impression of the school. They can also become hazardous, with overgrown trees posing a risk of fallen branches and unkempt athletic fields potentially causing injuries. Furthermore, poorly maintained landscapes can lead to issues like soil erosion and poor drainage, damaging the school's infrastructure and creating unsafe conditions during adverse weather.

An appealing outdoor area not only makes a good impression but also encourages outdoor activities among students. Summer is a great time for school grounds maintenance, including landscaping tasks like pruning trees, mowing grass, installing or upgrading irrigation systems, putting in new flora, and maintaining athletic fields. Make sure your school grounds and athletic facilities are safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing when the school reopens for the upcoming year.

Plumbing and Electrical Systems Check

Plumbing and electrical issues can cause significant disruption if they occur during the school year. Overlooking plumbing and electrical system checks can lead to serious problems. For instance, leaking pipes can cause water damage, resulting in costly repairs and potentially hazardous mold growth. Similarly, neglected electrical systems can cause power outages, equipment damage, and even pose fire risks.

Both plumbing and electrical issues can cause significant disruption to the school's operations, impairing the learning environment. Performing checks and making any necessary repairs and upgrades to your school’s plumbing and electrical systems during the summer break can prevent these potential problems when students and faculty are back in the building.

Fire and Safety Systems Maintenance

A large part of a school’s maintenance is ensuring that students and staff remain safe in the building by mitigating preventable accidents and ensuring solid systems are in place for emergencies. Summer break is an opportune time to thoroughly inspect and maintain the school's fire and safety systems, including fire alarms, extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and emergency exit signage. Regular checks guarantee that these systems, including emergency exit signage and lighting, remain fully operational and compliant with safety regulations. They provide peace of mind that the school is prepared in the event of an emergency.

Failing to maintain fire and safety systems can have severe potentially life-threatening consequences. These systems are designed to detect, control, and mitigate the damage caused by fires. If they’re not functioning correctly, it could result in delayed fire detection, leading to more significant damage, increased risk of injury, and even loss of life. Additionally, inadequate maintenance can result in non-compliance with fire safety regulations, potentially leading to hefty fines or even the closure of the school until compliance is restored. Even more concerning, if a fire were to occur and the fire systems were found to be inadequately maintained, the school could be held liable for damages.

Painting and Drywall Maintenance

Over time, the walls in educational facilities undergo significant wear and tear. Marks, minor dents, and scratches from students using the facility can all contribute to an unkempt appearance. The summer break provides opportune downtime to address these issues through painting and drywall maintenance services. A well-maintained and fresh-looking environment contributes to a positive learning atmosphere and reinforces a sense of pride in the school community among all stakeholders.

Bringing in a team of experts like those at The Budd Group gives you a chance to professionally repair any damage to drywall, prepare surfaces appropriately, and apply fresh paint to restore the appearance of school buildings both inside and out. By taking care of these tasks during the summer break, you ensure a welcoming, safe, and inspiring learning environment for when students and staff return for the new school year.

Why Choose The Budd Group for Your Summer Maintenance Tasks?

As summer begins, partnering with a professional maintenance company like The Budd Group can help you as a school facility manager tackle these monumental tasks more effectively and efficiently. The Budd Group offers a comprehensive suite of maintenance services, ensuring all aspects of your facility are taken care of meticulously. Proactive summer maintenance with The Budd Group can help prevent all kinds of problems—from safety issues to liability risks and aesthetic concerns—and ensure a safe and conducive learning environment for the new academic year.

With over 60 years of experience serving clients across many verticals throughout the Southeast United States, The Budd Group brings a wealth of experience and a comprehensive range of services to meet all your school facility maintenance needs. We offer all the services mentioned above and many more—and can also provide facility maintenance education for facility managers. With a keen focus on safety, reliability, and excellence, we ensure your maintenance tasks are completed to the highest standards. Our team works closely with you to understand your unique needs, providing customized solutions that maximize your school facility's efficiency, longevity, and aesthetic appeal.

We even offer a “Make It Right Guarantee”—our promise that if you’re not completely satisfied with the level of service you received, we will make it right! Maximize your summer break and prepare your school for a successful year ahead by partnering with The Budd Group for your maintenance needs. We've got you covered, whether it's HVAC maintenance, deep cleaning, floor care, landscaping, or plumbing and electrical checks. Right now, we’re offering a spring cleaning discount, so you can save 10% when you book your spring or summer projects. Contact The Budd Group today to get your mid-year maintenance review completed and take a more proactive stance in caring for your facility and its assets.