CONCEPT OF BUILDING MAINTENACE AND DYNAMICS OF H.V.A.C MAINTENACE
It is worthwhile to develop and own a building. But it is very pertinent to maintain it; that is if the building will stand the test of time. Normally, occupants or owners of a building always expect to reside in buildings which provide them with enough comfort; at least as much as is within their disposal. So whenever there is a default; particularly from the plumbing or any other basic component of the house, the dwellers are usually apprehensive. And the swiftness with which repair works are done are sometimes dependent on the availability of funds. While on some other occasions, home owners or dwellers have moved from enjoying the basic amenities, to enjoying some other facilities which could be seen as luxurious. Yet, the all add to the comfort a building ought to give. These are not particularly to residential buildings; but also commercial buildings such as offices or any other space wherein steady human activity is witnessed and recorded. We all love comfort, wherever we tend to find ourselves. Imagine living in a house with a leaky roof or one with burst pipes. Or working in an office with poor ventilation. The comfort talked about isn’t only beneficial to tenants, but also the owners and all staffers, as the case may be.
No doubt, one of the major obstacles to deriving comfort in living or staying in a particular building is the issue of repairs. Of course these amenities are bound to break down at some point in the course of using them. And when the are not promptly repaired, discomfort sets in. But instead of waiting till the break down, these facilities within the building can as well be consistently maintained, in other to enhance their durability.
What Is Building Maintenance?
In simple terms, building maintenance refers to the act of maintaining a building. But in broader terms, building maintenance can be referred to as the all that is done in order to hold onto and enhance the capacity of the facilities within a building and to ensure the durability too. All in a bid to make the building and the surrounding, comfortable, safe and more habitable. Some of the things done include but is not restricted to basic cleaning and periodic adjustments. This, as earlier mentioned, is not particular to residential but also commercial buildings. Regardless of the type of building involved, the underlying objective remains the same.
What Does Building Maintenance Involve?
Normally, maintaining a building involves some basic domestic practices, which could either be done periodically or steadily; depending on the facility involved. Some of these practices or routines can be handled based on an in-house arrangement, while some other tasks are usually contracted to competent companies like Kleenol. We handle such routine procedures, based on the high obtainable standard. Nevertheless, some of the tasks or practice, involve the following:
¤ Keeping the surroundings neat and healthy
¤ Examining the lighting system
Trimming the flowers and mowing the lawns
¤ Inspection and servicing of the entire alarm system
¤ Servicing the air filters and vents
¤ Cleaning of the draining system, both within and without
¤ Refilling cracks
¤ Treatment of the sewage
Facilities / Places Where Building Maintenance Is Practiced
As earlier stated, building maintenance is applicable in any type of building, whether private or commercial. Moreover, buildings that require maintenance, include the following :
- City Facilities
These can also be known as government buildings. They include buildings such as; offices of various kinds, type or sizes, libraries, complexes and other government-owned, public buildings.
- Commercial Buildings
Commercial buildings can sometimes be referred to as business building or complex. Owing to a lot of factors bordering on the regular human activities, there is every need to properly and promptly manage the facilities therein, so as to derive maximum comfort, and for the durability of the facility too. The maintenance services here can be handled internally, but is best contracted.
- Residential or Private Buildings
Not only are commercial buildings to be maintained, but residential buildings are also to be maintained too, for the aforementioned reasons. These maintenance routines could include; inspecting and replacing malfunctioning bulbs or facilities, as well as the daily cleaning of the house; inside and outside.
Forms of Building Maintenance
Building maintenance which involves a lot of routine tasks, can come in three forms. Below are the types or forms of maintenance within and outside a building:
- Periodic Maintenance
Going by the name, this type or category of maintenance, is done on a periodic or routinely basis. The are tasks carried out, in order to maintain the facilities, preventing them from obvious damage or breakdown which would significantly affect the occupants. Also, periodic or routine maintenance is carried out, following a specified schedule. Some of the routine tasks carried out in periodic maintenance involve the following ; mowing or weeding the lawns, disposal of refuse, inspection of the entire utility and security systems, re-roofing and painting.
- Preventive Maintenance
This type of maintenance entails steps taken, in order to forestall breakdown of the building and to maintain or better still enhance its structural state. These, when dutifully carried out, will see to the durability of the facilities therein as well as the entire building, as the case may be. Moreover, preventive measures can as well be taken in the course of the erecting of the building, to avoid certain accidents like; electrocution, and harmful aftermath of natural events like flooding and extreme weather conditions, among other debilitating eventualities.
- Remedial Maintenance
Simply put, this is the form of maintenance carried out, so as to correct or take care of the damage already done, in order to reinstate the convenience of the building as well as the capacity of the facilities, which were once in optimal use. In order to achieve this, project managers from Kleenol, will professionally put out a maintenance strategy or schedule, put into cognizance what led to the initial breakdown, with the few to bringing the probability of a repetition, to its barest minimum. Prior to that, the managers are basically saddled with the responsibility of restoring the initial state of the building or even bettering it.
Over the years, Kleenol has proven to be an assembly of professionals, with the required expertise, to handle all forms and categories of building maintenance.
Who Are The Professionals Handling Building Maintenance?
Building maintenance ideally involves a variety of routine tasks, which are carried out based on specified schedules. Also, these tasks involves professionals from different specialties. Regardless of the specialties involved, these professionals fall into the following types:
- Supervisors: These are the professionals that painstakingly supervise the maintenance process. And the also oversee the planning process, following the schedule produced by them. In carrying out their duties, the also recruit and train other workers, and also make sure working is progressing as scheduled.
- Technicians: In the maintenance process, the technicians are among the integral members of the team. They handle tasks which require skills of high specificity. They can as well take up inspection roles , most of which they are given through an automated process known as; Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). Worth of note is the fact that, maintenance technicians oversee the repairs of the entire utility systems as well as the HVAC of the structure.
- Janitors: These set of people in the maintenance team are normally with the responsibility of basic cleaning of the entire building and the premises, as the case may be. Their duties include but are not restricted to the following: Scrubbing of the rest rooms and bathrooms, sweeping of the various rooms as well as dusting of the furniture.
Importance Of Building Maintenance
There is no gainsaying the fact that, the task of maintaining a building is of obvious importance, both to the owners, and also the occupants. Also, the importance extends to the business owners, as the case may be.
Below is some of the importance of Building Maintenance:
- Money is saved in the long run because, preventing total structural. breakdown is usually cheaper than repairing broken down structure.
- Safety of the occupants is assured, with adequate maintenance.
- Maintaining a business complex gives the business outfit a facelift.
- It gives workers the time to face other cogent issues.
WHAT IS HVAC?
This is an acronym which stands for; Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. And these represent important components of a building.
Nevertheless, the concept of HVAC refers to the avenues implored in the movement and exchange of air between the interior and exterior of a building. And in the process, the quality of air being interchanged, is assured and maintained, leading to the healthiness of the occupants. Also, the concept of HVAC is workable in both commercial and residential buildings; offering both cool and heating effects.
Relevance Of HVAC
In both residential or commercial buildings, has over time become a necessity, such that home owners can’t afford not to contract its installation to professionals. The relevance of the concept of; Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning includes the following;
- Maintenance of indoor air quality
- Provision of comfort
- Preservation of the environmental space
- Regulation of temperature
- Reduction of allergies
- Reduction in bills paid for repairs
Varieties of HVAC
There is an array of HVAC systems, and so you require expert advice on the best one for your building; whether commercial or residential. The varieties are:
- Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) or Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV); makes use of refrigerant for both cooling and heating.
- Constant Air Volume (CAV) ; used mainly in factories with prolonged stable temperature.
- Split HVAC; comes with outdoor and indoor units. Its components include; a thermostat, an air filter, a condenser (outdoor unit) , ducts and air handler (indoor unit).
Ways To Maintain HVAC
There are various schedules or maintenance plans in HVAC and the depend on the following;
« Area of residence
« The length of time the HVAC system has lasted
« The band of HVAC system
« Frequency of use of the HVAC
Moreover, in order to sustain the functionalities of the HVAC in any building, here are some of the steps to be taken:
- Steadily inspect the refrigerant
- Maintain a unit level
- Make use of quality filters
- Clear out the clogs
- Clean water from the drain
- Always keep an eye on the thermostat
- Access the duct for dust