CREJ

April 2021 — Property Management Quarterly — Page 27 www.crej.com Building Operations n Determine the condition of building components. What is the current con- dition of the building component? Is that condition different from previous inspections or the same? It’s usually a good idea to create what’s called a condition rating scale, which can be as simple as good, fair or poor, or it can be more complex, like a 1-10 numerical scale. The important factor to consider is that the scale allows you to under- stand the condition of the property’s main components when you look at your inventory. n Figure out the age of each compo- nent. An inventory with just a list of components and their conditions is powerful, but figuring out the age of each component will supercharge your results and save you a substantial amount of time. Here are a few ques- tions to ask: • How long is the component sup- posed to last? • How old is the component? • How much longer is the compo- nent expected to last? By answering these questions, partic- ularly the last one, you will be able to schedule repairs better, make budgets more accurately and avoid unneces- sary costs. Once you have a sound building component inventory in place, you can begin your facility inspections guided by a clear vision. Proper building inspections involve more than just walking around a prop- erty looking for potential issues. There are plenty of property inspections that don’t do much to help the facility manager or owner. However, there are a few, simple keys to doing successful property inspec- tions that everyone should know: 1. Start with standardized methods. Successful inspection programs are built on a foundation of excellent standardized methods that can help improve consistency from inspection to inspection over time. That way, results from a current inspection can be reliably compared to results from past ones. Recommendations include: • Taking several pictures of each component’s condition – don’t try to rely on notes from inspectors exclu- sively. • Using a condition rating scale – keep ratings as simple as possible. Sometimes facility managers are tempted to start doing inspections first, then work on figuring out how to record the data later. That method is a recipe for expensive mistakes and a less-than-successful inspection. 2. Instructions matter. Successful inspections are leveraged by well-writ- ten guidelines. Starting with standardized methods will get building owners and managers a good way down the path toward a successful inspection, but the main- tenance team will need further assis- tance, so providing them with written instructions to review can be benefi- cial. Even if an inspection is set up cor- rectly, it only makes it harder to get the traction needed on an inspection if the staff isn’t quite sure what to do. Dumb- ing down the instructions and taking the guesswork out of the equation will go a long way toward ensuring a suc- cessful inspection. 3. Create checklists (or knowwhere to get them). Successful inspections have rock-solid processes. For those who are new to exterior maintenance, creating checklists can be a fun and exciting way to improve their skills. But to do a great inspection, learn- ing how to make excellent inspection checklists is recommended, or ask a contractor for assistance. Building owners and managers can supply the vision and property knowledge, but the contractor brings its years of experi- ence and expertise. During inspection of a building’s exterior, some of the more complex structures may require special access and assistance from a contractor, how- ever, for most structures, an in-house maintenance crew – with a little bit of training – is capable of doing the job. Some specific items to inspect and document regarding a building’s exte- rior condition include: • Gutters, drains, downspouts, drain- age and roof. Decaying leaves, pine needles and dirt runoff can all contrib- ute to ponding water and clogged gut- ters and downspouts, which is why it is essential that all roof drains remain clear of obstructions. In addition to the risk of water pouring into the ten- ant spaces should a breach in the roof occur, the freezing and thawing of ponding water during the fall and win- ter months can cause extensive roof damage. • Perimeters of doors, windows and other wall penetrators. The exterior walls of a building can be a significant source of unwanted water leakage. Many openings are required in com- mercial building walls for plumbing, irrigation connections, lighting, HVAC system elements, exhaust vents, air intakes, fire alarms and joints around windows and doors, to name a few. Unplanned holes caused by aging brick joints that need re-pointing, vanishing sealants, damage from acid rain and settling cracks also may be present. • Building control and expansion joints. Like any other element of a structure, its controls and expansion joints can become damaged. Evidence of damage includes warping, cracking, leaking water, loosening screws and building settlement or moving. • Walking/driving surfaces. When water infiltrates concrete, it can freeze, causing the water to occupy 9% more volume than in its liquid state. This expansion causes distress on the con- crete, which can lead to fractures that will continue to grow exponentially as saturation of the material increases. Cracks, spalls, rust spots, deterioration, potholes and heaves are all signs of damage. • Copings and flashings. When sur- veying the roof, be sure to inspect the copings and flashings.Water damage to exterior and interior walls can be significant if these important elements are not maintained properly. The second part of any preventive maintenance program is the execu- tion. The data collected during the inspection should be put into a budget for needed repairs. Depending on the condition of the structure, repairs may need to be prioritized. It also is impor- tant to evaluate the need for protective measures such as sealers or coatings. A specialty contractor with experience in facade maintenance and restoration can itemize each inspection item and offer specific recommendations for repairs. If you are in charge of a structure that does not have a preventive maintenance program in place for its exterior, you should think about imple- menting one immediately. Preven- tive maintenance keeps the building off the deferred maintenance path, which usually results in exponential restoration costs. A maintenance plan will prevent structural failures and promote safer structures, plus a well- maintained exterior helps to attract and keep tenants. s billho@westerngroup.com Continued from Page 1