What is PPM?
Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) is a proven way to maintain buildings by scheduling maintenance tasks ahead of time, on a regular basis.
These tasks are typically booked in for a 12-month period and are undertaken whether the asset is failing or not. The aim is to deal with problems on-site before they occur or develop. This way of maintaining assets also significantly reduces the chances of an unexpected breakdown.
The scheduling of the works should be carefully planned to reflect the manufacturer’s recommendations as well as any legal obligations.
What are the risks of not having a PPM strategy?
A building without a scheduled PPM strategy will typically be maintained on a reactive basis only. This essentially means running all assets until failure, where they will then be either repaired or replaced.
This strategy can save on some initial financial commitments, however that saving will soon be wiped out. Waiting for assets to fail before replacing them will almost always end up costing more than maintaining them in the first place.
Carrying out regular maintenance on a surface water pump can highlight potential performance issues which can then be investigated.
By identifying this issue in a controlled environment, and more importantly, while the pump is still working, the issue can be rectified through repair or component replacement.
In the instance where there is no PPM program in place, the pump could run until cataphoric failure which could cause a shut down, downtime and would almost certainly require a full replacement.
The cost of that would be significantly higher than the cost of the Planned Preventative Maintenance programme
The impact of unscheduled works can mean unsightly reactive repairs going ahead at very late, or without notice to the residence. Waiting for an asset to fail could mean there are intrusive, emergency works that ultimately disappoint or cause an inconvenience for the residents. This can affect the building’s reputation and potential renewals of rental contracts.
What are the benefits of a detailed PPM schedule?
1. Budget certainty
Operators will know the annual cost of running the building. Unfortunately, there are always times when reactive works will have to take place; parts can fail and there can be elements that need to be repaired that are identified from the PPM works. While these are an additional cost to the PPM, they will often be cheaper when compared to leaving the asset to fail.
2. Peace of mind
Having a PPM schedule that properly manages the building means the staff and residents know the building is being maintained correctly. No-one is waiting for an asset to fail, knowing that it could be a huge issue for the site. For example a boiler system breaking in an BTR apartment block could mean residents have no hot water for days while emergency work is being undertaken.
Other benefits include items such as the overall visual impact that PPM has on the façade of the building ensures that high standards on the inside of the building are in place for the outside too.
With the PPM having a direct impact on the building integrity as a whole, it’s vital that it runs smoothly in order to increase the lifespan of the building and keep it as attractive to potential residents for as long as possible.
The best PPM schedule is a comprehensive one, that covers all elements of the building managementAdam Smith, Business development manager, Hybrid ES
How get the most out of the PPM schedule
The best PPM schedule is a comprehensive one, that covers all elements of the building management.
When partnering with a Facilities Management/PPM company it’s important to have a clear understanding of which assets need to be managed.
This should be a two-way conversation, with the FM company using their experience to recommend what needs maintaining (and how often) and including input from the on-site staff who can guide the FM company through the site, pointing out problem areas.
The communication between the FM company and the on-site staff is key to making the PPM schedule work as smoothly as possible.
There could be times when the FM company is trusted on site alone to complete works, raise issues, and even deal with residents. There should be a close working relationship between the two parties, with work dates booked in advance so there are no nasty surprises on site for building management or residents.