10 Areas for Hotel Preventive Maintenance

From business professionals to families, hotels constantly have guests checking-in and out of their facilities. Along with a revolving door, filled with guests, comes the responsibility of ensuring hotel maintenance meets and exceeds guests’ standards.

Hotel management recognizes that they can cut overall expenses by protecting hotel assets, such as the building, equipment and supplies, by implementing preventive maintenance measures for staff to follow. These measures can reduce emergency requests, keep staff from falling behind on work-orders, help guests have a more enjoyable stay, increase referrals and save time.

Preventive maintenance outlines routine checks on everything from locks on the doors and the condition of the bathroom toilets to furniture and the condition of equipment in the hotel’s fitness to center. When building a plan, focus on ten of the most important hotel maintenance tasks.

Ten Areas to Focus Hotel Maintenance

1. Heating and Cooling SystemsEnsure the comfort of guests by doing routine checks and maintenance on the hotel’s heating and cooling systems. Blocked heat ducts, dirty or worn-out filters and HVAC leaks can wreak havoc on your hotel’s budget with expensive last-minute repairs.Do inspections on everything from temperature and air flow to faulty wires, unfamiliar smells and noises.
2. Plumbing and Water SupplyPlumbing issues can cause water damage, which can be costly to repair, not to mention unsightly. Inspect plumbing on a regular basis by checking for rusty or ruptured pipes, toilet malfunctions, water damage to ceilings and floors, water pressure, cracked tiles and leaks.Make sure that all toilets flush, drains are unclogged and sinks, tubs and pools are leak-free. Maintenance planning can also reduce instances of mildew and peeling caulking.
3. ElectricalElectrical problems can cause power outages or shortages, which can affect your staff and guests. By consistently checking electrical wires, plugs and circuit breakers, you can prevent larger electrical problems from occurring.A backup power supply, such a generator, is necessary in the event of a storm or other unexpected emergency situation, so it has to be checked periodically to ensure it is functioning.
4. LightingA lamp missing light bulb can leave an unfavorable impression on hotel guests and pull the maintenance staff away from prior obligations. That’s why it’s important to implement a system where staff consistently checks the hotel’s lighting needs.Also, with so many consumers and businesses adopting green lifestyles, stay up-to-date on the most energy-efficient lighting solutions for the hotel.Whether it’s keeping the lights dim during the early hours of the day and increasing the intensity during the night hours or installing automatic timers in locations, these measures can help you reduce costs and keep guests satisfied. Perform inspections of lighting in guest rooms, common areas and outdoors.
5. SafetyGuest safety is a top priority. Ensure that sprinkler systems are working properly and that all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors have fully-functioning batteries.Locks on the door to the main entrance, bedrooms, conference rooms, storage closets and other areas in the hotel should be routinely monitored. Other security measures include checking the alarm systems and fire extinguishers.
6. Clean and ReplenishSweeping, dusting, vacuuming and disinfecting on a regular basis can keep a hotel’s main lobby, guests’ bedrooms, dining areas and meeting spaces looking presentable at all times.It’s also essential to replenish soap, tissue, linens, bath robes, lotion, shampoos, conditioners and other supplies guests use when they check into the hotel.
7. FurnitureHotel furniture adds to the ambiance of the front lobby, guests’ bedrooms, meeting spaces and dining facilities. Care for furniture by checking for loose pieces, worn-out upholstery, discoloration, scratches, dents and even misplaced furniture. There may even been instances where furniture pieces are missing, due to theft, and need to be replaced.
8. ExteriorThe first things guests notice about a hotel is the exterior of the facility, that’s why important for maintenance staff to pay close attention the building, the parking lot and even the landscaping.Chipped paint, trash and other unsightly issues can instantly diminish a hotel’s reputation. Maintenance tasks may include having the exterior power-washed, freshening up the paint and ensuring that garden areas are properly watered.
9. Equipment and SuppliesHotels depend on a range of supplies and equipment to run the facility smoothly. From the vacuum cleaners used to clean the carpets to the computers used to check guest into the hotel, management has to ensure that all equipment and supplies are readily available for guests and even staff. More importantly, the items are functioning properly.
10. Meeting SpacesMeeting and conference facilities have the ability to generate substantial income for a hotel. Check to make sure the tables, chairs, projection screens and equipment function properly and that the spaces are presentable for guests and their attendees.

You can keep management and staff on top of preventative maintenance by setting up a CMMS system which helps you input tasks, assign them, track and monitor what gets completed. This maintenance planning software can help hotels improve hotel maintenance management using a paperless system.