A top-down facilities preventative maintenance checklist

Updated November 20, 2025
By Jeremiah Littmann | Director of Product Development & Erik McKenna | Director of Government Sales

If you want your facility to stay safe and efficient, then preventative maintenance is a must. Instead of being reactive and fixing things when they break, planning it all out is your best bet to ensure building occupants and assets stay safe. Plus, with preventative maintenance, you get the most life out of your appliances and equipment.

Having a checklist to review along the way will help you stay on top. Here are some ways to set your company up for success.
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Check #1: The 4 categories of facilities maintenance

• Inspection: ensure assets are safe to use and at optimal performance.
• Detection: look out for unanticipated issues during inspection.
• Correction: fix problems once reported before they worsen and cause potential shutdowns.
• Prevention: inspection records and maintenance notes will help improve scheduling and prevent future issues.

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Check #2: Tour your facility and record needs

​NOTE: A separate checklist may be warranted for some of these categories.

• Building construction, roof, exterior, walls
• Building openings and entrances
• Parking lots and structure
• Network infrastructure
• Hand hygiene stations
• Lawn and garden
• Fire safety
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• Lighting
• HVAC

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Check #3: Look for areas of efficiency and cost savings

Not everything will need to be included in your plan for the year. Cover only the assets and equipment for which preventative maintenance is deemed more cost-effective on a life-cycle basis.
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Check #4: Organize facility needs by impact

• What needs are going to directly affect the bottom line? If it’s not addressed and something breaks, people will notice.
• Which needs will have an indirect effect? Or in other words, if it breaks, it won’t cause an issue right away; it could wait.
• What needs have an environmental, health, or safety focus? If something isn’t addressed, would it put building occupants at risk?

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Check #5: Establish maintenance schedules

You know what needs to be done. Now determine when to do it. Using plant maintenance software and historical data as well as OEM specs will give you the best reference for the necessary timelines.
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Check #6: Assign responsibilities

Responsibility can be placed in two buckets: what can be handled in-house and what should be completed by manufacturers. Once you’ve determined what maintenance can be handled by your team, determine who should be in charge of performing it. 
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Check #7: Ensure the staff is trained

Check #8: Consider a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS)

Depending on the size and scope of your facility, CMMS (also referred to as Facilities Management Software or FMS) can help track requests, schedule tasks, determine resource allocations, and prepare budget estimates and project requirements.
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Check #9: Log all maintenance operations

Check #10: Continue setting goals

Maintenance will never be “done.” As you move through the year, keep setting goals to guarantee lasting success. 
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Have facilities maintenance questions? Email us!
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