Schools are the backbone of our country, offering great opportunities for the next generation. However, our schools’ infrastructure is often neglected. The American Society of Engineers recently gave U.S. schools a D+ rating in the Infrastructure Report Card in the country. This comprehensive architectural report suggested that 24 percent of public school buildings are in poor or fair condition, and that nearly 40 percent don’t have long-term maintenance plans to improve on infrastructure for the future.
The American Society of Engineers stated in their report, “Facing tight budgets, school districts’ ability to fund maintenance has been constricted, contributing to the accelerating deterioration of heating, cooling and lighting systems… Deferred maintenance and decisions to choose less expensive temporary fixes are ultimately costing school districts in the long term.”
School campus maintenance is more important than ever. If you want to make real improvements on your school campus this next semester, follow these guidelines:
Plan a campus inspection before the start of fall semester.
School maintenance should be planned at least a year in advance. As the fall semester ends, now is the time to plan for the upcoming spring and fall semesters and improve upon existing maintenance policies. Prepare a maintenance checklist that covers:
- Structure
- Roofing
- Building exterior
- Building interior
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Grounds
- Furniture and equipment
Predict repairs.
During your inspection for the upcoming year, make a list of immediate and potential repairs that you need to budget for. Your maintenance team should be involved in identifying current and future issues your facility may face. This will help you better set aside funds for facility maintenance at your campus.
Invest in landscaping.
Landscaping will do wonders on the aesthetic appeal of your campus. This can not only improve the overall quality of campus life, but will also attract potential new students when recruitment starts. Planting trees and providing clear walkways for your students will make their spring semester much better.
Hire a full-time maintenance staff.
Planning before the school year isn’t enough. You need routine preventative maintenance to ensure equipment failures and emergency maintenance issues don’t occur. That is where your MaintenX team can help. We provide affordable preventative maintenance services for school campuses in 13 states. If you’re interested in learning more about school maintenance, contact us today.
