The 5 Downsides of Regular Preventive Maintenance

Companies nowadays are seeing the value of performing preventive maintenance on their equipment compared to what they used to do. This is not surprising given that this type of maintenance is known to prevent any machines from breaking down unexpectedly through regular checkups. 

How often a machine gets checked will depend on the type of equipment in use. Companies should have a pre-determined maintenance plan for heavy equipment to ensure that they are running at its optimal level. For example, if your business sells products by season, then conducting preventive maintenance before the season starts is a smart move. This way your production line will not be disrupted once you start with your seasonal items. 

Preventive maintenance is more beneficial to companies. For starters, it ensures that all machines are in their peak condition. Also, this type of maintenance extends the lifespan of the machines thus saving the business more money along the way. 

The Downsides of Preventive Maintenance

There are several reasons why doing preventive maintenance is beneficial to your business. However, there are downsides to it too. If you are thinking of switching to this type of maintenance, you should consider its drawbacks as well. Here are a few that you should know of. 

  1. Staff-Time and Resources

Some of your staff may be required to work overtime or are removed from their daily tasks to focus on preventive maintenance. This can be a waste of time for some especially when they have deadlines to meet. 

  1. Budget Constraints

Not all companies have the necessary funds to perform preventive maintenance on a regular basis. Take a look at your company funds and the estimated cost for each maintenance session and see if you can afford it. 

  1. Requires Planning

Another downside to preventive maintenance is the lack of pre-existing statistics or records even for a first-time company to follow. For preventive maintenance to be effective, it needs to be carefully planned out. It can be tough to create one for your business if you don’t have any existing data to work with. 

  1. Time-Consuming Scheduling and Inspections

Companies that deal with plenty of customers or other responsibilities may not have the time of day to conduct preventive maintenance as scheduled. In addition, any downtime caused by preventive maintenance can also affect the workflow which can be a hindrance to the company.

  1. Overdoing Preventive Maintenance

It is easy to overdo preventive maintenance. This is because you don’t want your machines to fail on you at an inopportune moment. However, doing it without any concrete schedule or plan will not only waste your time but also your money. The cost of preventive maintenance may be cheaper compared to replacing a broken machine, but the accumulated cost can take a chunk out of your funds. 

Preventive maintenance is an essential tool for companies that want to keep their assets in good condition. However, before you decide to invest in this type of maintenance, it is important that you weigh its pros and cons.