Two Types of Maintenance

There are two types of maintenance programs: break-down maintenance and scheduled maintenance.

The term break-down maintenance is used in the mechanical equipment business to mean repairs made only when a unit breaks down rather than on a schedule. Break-down maintenance in roofing means merely fixing leaks when they occur rather than having an active preventive maintenance program. Roof leaks usually have secondary effects such as causing wet insulation, corrosion, interior damage and perhaps mold.

Scheduled maintenance and repairs can be planned for the owner’s convenience. The owner’s convenience may mean scheduling for optimum seasonal work, plant shutdowns, weekends or school holidays to avoid disruption. Having a regularly scheduled program for repair and maintenance work can also reduce costs because contractors are able to depend on a certain volume of work and staff accordingly.