Commercial Property Maintenance: 5 problems to look out for

As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to keep your commercial property in good shape. Attracting new clients and investors will be easier if your property pleases their eyes. A good outlook will also be helpful to boost the morale of your staff and make you confident to make new deals.

Therefore,  the maintenance of commercial property facilities should not be based on significant issues or emergencies. You need to act proactively to find out the potential problems to avoid them getting bigger and costlier.

There are some common commercial property maintenance problems that every building faces. If you know where to start, you can save yourself from a lot of trouble.

In this article, we are going to mention some of these common maintenance problems. These problems may not look too intimidating, but they could lead to some severe problems in the future if not checked.

Foundation Failure

A solid foundation is crucial to keep the building’s structural integrity.

The structural integrity of your building is at risk without a solid foundation. These are a few signs you should watch out for when it comes to your foundation:

Warped floors – buckling floorboards, cracked or cracked tiles, and bunching carpet can indicate a foundation issue.

Cracks – You may think small breaks on the interior or exterior wall are minor issues, but it’s not. It may have indicated some severe foundation trouble signs.  Cracks can appear in walls or between the fascia and roof. 

Doors and windows not closing correctly – poorly fitting doors or stuck sliding windows are signs of improper construction.

Building foundation problems should be called under maintenance as quickly as possible.

You should never overlook minor issues that might become larger ones.

Concrete Cancer

You may notice that your building or other structure is beginning to show signs of wear and tear as time passes. This is called concrete cancer.

What happens here is the steel inside the concrete starts to rust. As a result, the concrete begins to displace. It becomes brittle and begins to crack.

Signs of concrete cancer are concrete spalling, rust stains that start to seep out from inside the concrete and bubbles in the concrete render.

Whenever you see a crack, fix it right away. To protect buildings against water damage and wear and tear, concrete should also be sealed regularly. Additionally, painting your concrete can protect it over time.

Leaks

Leaks can be dangerous to building structures if they remain unchecked for a long time. The sooner you can detect them, the better you can minimize damage. Leaks lead to water damage, and all sorts of moulds or mildew will form around many corners of your building.

If you fail to act quickly, the damage could be too severe to repair.  Here are few common leaks for you to check-

Leaking ceilings in upper floors’ bathrooms-– Dampness in the building can quickly be caused by a low-quality or damaged waterproofing membrane. The porous concrete slab beneath the bathroom floor will allow water to pass through easily.

Plumbing leaks– corroded or leaking water supply pipes and deteriorated sewer lines cause water damage and leaks. It may result in flooding or damage that is extremely expensive to repair.

Basement leaks– insufficient slopes, defective or damaged waterproofing membranes, or undersized waterproofing systems can affect basement leaks.

Roof leaks– a leaking roof can cause many safety concerns and damage to a building easily.

Faucet leaks– worn out or old components can cause faucet leaks.

 

Lead Painting

Lead painting can be a severe problem for old commercial buildings. New buildings don’t have this problem because lead paint is completely banned now.

If your building painting remains intact, then it’s okay. But, old building paints are prone to peeling and cracking. If the lead mixes into the air, it can cause serious health problems.

Lead-based paint is very harmful to our health. The damage it does is irreversible. If you see cracks in your paint, you must act as quickly as possible.

Efflorescence

When water is present in or on brick, concrete, stone, stucco, or other building surfaces, efflorescence can form. It’s white or greyish, and excess salt deposits form it after the water evaporates.

Efflorescence can be caused by snow, rain or even dew. It must be checked at any cost because it can rapidly decay your building structure. It’s a seasonal problem. Painting the building is the best solution to stop efflorescence.

Final Words

Proper maintenance is crucial for commercial buildings. Taking proactive action to the slightest problem can save you from future severe damages.

Always keep your building in top-notch form. Regular servicing, painting, and cleaning help your building keep in shape and boost the morale of the workers. It’s also critical for your business’s success.