A well-maintained facility isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s essential to supporting the mission and daily operations of your church. From ensuring safe, accessible spaces for ministry to protecting the long-term value of your property, proactive maintenance plays a critical role in effective stewardship. Yet without clear goals, maintenance efforts can become reactive, inconsistent, and difficult to manage.
In this blog, we’ll explore how to set practical, measurable maintenance goals for your church facility, share examples you can adapt, and offer tools and strategies to help you stay organized and on track.
Understanding the Importance of Setting Maintenance Goals
Setting maintenance goals in a church environment can often feel like an overwhelming task due to the complexities and dynamic nature of the facilities. Recognizing where you are currently and where you need to go is the first step in effective facility management. By establishing clear maintenance goals, you pave the way for systematic improvements and ensure the longevity and safety of your church property.
Key Maintenance Goals to Consider
Routine Inspections and Area-Specific Maintenance
One fundamental maintenance goal is to conduct regular walk-throughs of the entire property. This practice helps in identifying unnoticed issues and areas needing immediate attention. Specific areas such as roofs, high structures, and even parking lots should be assessed regularly to ensure they are maintained safely and efficiently.
For example, knowing the size and type of your roof and the dimensions of your parking lot allows for precise planning for necessary repairs or upgrades.
Example Goal: Reduce equipment failures and downtime
Over the next 12 months, we’d like a 20% reduction in equipment failures to support the church’s mission of increasing energy savings and improving system performance without increasing cost. Each piece of equipment will receive appropriate preventive maintenance as outlined in the operations manual. Each facility team member will be assigned 11 pieces of equipment to inspect and maintain. We will track the number and duration of failures over the next 12 months to understand our goal progress.
Ensuring Safe Access for Maintenance Tasks
Safety is paramount when performing maintenance tasks in areas that are difficult to access, such as roofs or elevated structures. If safe access is not currently possible, setting a goal to improve accessibility—such as installing secure ladders or using drones for inspections—can be a vital step in your maintenance strategy.
Example Goal: Comply with regulations and increase safety
Over the next 12 months, we will complete all safety inspections for every piece of equipment requiring inspection. Each piece of equipment will be logged in our maintenance management software, and each facility team member will be automatically assigned one piece of equipment to inspect and maintain. The inspection status of each piece of equipment will be tracked monthly to ensure timely completion and to measure progress towards our goal.
Streamlining Maintenance with Systematic Processes
Implementing a Systematic Naming Convention
A clear and consistent naming convention for rooms and equipment is crucial in a church setting. This practice not only aids in quick identification during maintenance tasks but also ensures clarity when communicating with external emergency services. Establishing a functional naming system is essential for efficient operational management and quick response in emergencies. Once a naming convention is established, all equipment should be clearly labeled in both eSPACE and on the equipment itself.
Regular Operational Checks
Regular checks, such as opening every door monthly, help prevent the need for emergency repairs and ensure that all parts of the building are operational. This proactive approach to maintenance helps in extending the life of facility components and ensures that they function properly for longer periods.
Leveraging Technology for Maintenance Management
Using eSPACE for Enhanced Facility Management
Adopting a digital tool like eSPACE can significantly enhance your ability to manage maintenance tasks effectively. eSPACE allows for detailed tracking of all facility aspects, from fire extinguishers and HVAC systems to landscaping and roofing. This platform not only helps in scheduling regular maintenance but also ensures that all tasks are documented and accessible, reducing the reliance on individual knowledge.
Data Collection and Preventive Maintenance Scheduling
Collect important data on every aspect of your facility, and use eSPACE to schedule preventive maintenance. For example, knowing when and how often to service HVAC units or when to clean gutters can prevent larger issues down the line. eSPACE Event Scheduler can also be used to coordinate maintenance schedules with the church’s calendar, ensuring minimal disruption to church activities.
Training and Communication: Key to Effective Implementation
Ensuring Team Engagement and Compliance
Communicate the importance of these new systems and processes to your team to ensure buy-in and proper use. Training sessions should be conducted to familiarize staff with eSPACE, focusing on how to enter data, how to interpret maintenance schedules, and how to report issues. Regular updates and refresher training sessions will help maintain high standards and keep all team members aligned with the maintenance goals.
Community Engagement and Continuous Learning
Engage with other facility managers through platforms like the Church Facility Management Solutions Facebook group to exchange tips, advice, and experiences. This community can provide support and new ideas for using eSPACE more effectively and creatively in your church setting.
Conclusion: Setting Goals for Sustainable Facility Management
Establishing and reaching maintenance goals is crucial for the sustainability of church operations. By integrating systematic processes, leveraging technology like eSPACE, and ensuring thorough training and communication, your church can achieve not only a well-maintained facility but also a well-prepared and efficient maintenance team. It is essential that your facility management and maintenance goals are not just a one-time effort, but rather a continuous and ongoing process, crucial for effectively stewarding and sustaining your facility.
