Prioritizing your building envelope as part of your spring maintenance plan means minimizing costly surprises, improving your carbon footprint, and increasing operational efficiency. What does the building envelope include? This part of your building refers to all the building components separating the indoors from the outdoors, including exterior walls, foundations, roof, windows, and doors.

The goal of your building envelope is to keep your building water and airtight, lowering your costs and increasing your building’s efficiency.  Here are some of the ways you can maintain the building envelope through the spring and summer months:

• Schedule seasonal building envelope inspections to avoid potential issues before they develop.
• Check sealants for any cracking that may have occurred during the freeze-thaw of winter
• Repair any spalling brick on your building’s façade. Once this condition starts to happen, it will continue to deteriorate your brick if not repaired.
• Clear drains and remove debris from your roof. Making sure drains are functioning properly means you will be able to adequately handle increased precipitation throughout the spring.
• Confirm that any bird deterrent systems remain intact and that no damage has occurred through winter.
• If you have heat tracing cables on your eavestroughs on the perimeter of the roof, confirm that they are still in good working order. Spring and summer are the time to have these repaired before winter arrives next.
• If you have metal siding, check for fastener backout. Conduct repairs as necessary to maintain the integrity of your panels.
• Look at doors sweeps for any space that might allow air to escape and make any necessary repairs or replacements.
• Check for cracking in any overhead doors or warehouse doors that may allow air to escape or water to enter into your building.
• Assess the interior of your building for signs of leaks like stained ceiling tiles, peeling paint or signs of mould. Consult a professional to determine the source of the leak and conduct any repairs before fall and winter arrive.
• Budget for annual inspections, maintenance, and repairs. Often, managers get behind, delaying identifying a small concern, and that can create larger, more expensive issues over time.

Preventative maintenance is a vital part of your strategy, and the building envelope is a large area with many potential issue sites. Schedule regular inspections and conduct consistent maintenance to identify and address minor concerns before they become expensive issues. Incorporate your building envelope into your spring maintenance plan to ensure your building stays protected all year long.