WINTER MAINTENANCE
A MAINTENANCE STRATEGY FIT FOR WINTER
Winter puts pressure on buildings, budgets and occupiers alike, but with mobile engineers supported by smart data, facilities teams can stay in control, explains Matt Hellicar, Executive Director of Customer Solutions at Platinum Facilities.
The harsh weather that winter brings places different pressures on buildings and the teams managing and maintaining them. Firstly, there’s the impact on the physical environment. Heating and hot water systems run harder and longer, increasing the risk of failure. Cold snaps can cause emergencies such as frozen pipes, blocked drains and unsafe access routes. Then there’s the impact on occupiers, whether it’s the employees in a city high-rise offices or patients in a regional hospital, with cold or unsafe spaces creating complaints and potential legal risk.
Reactive call-outs surge and engineering capacity is stretched to the limit, while statutory tasks such as boiler checks, water hygiene and emergency lighting must still be completed. Costs also rise, from the higher energy use to the unplanned repairs and overtime. Meanwhile, organisations expect facilities teams to maintain efficiency and meet sustainability targets despite the pressure.
"Fixed maintenance schedules, such as those set out in SFG20, remain essential for compliance and safety.
For facilities managers, the goal is to be as prepared and responsive as possible.
Mobile engineers on the front line Mobile engineering teams are central to this strategy. Covering multiple sites, they respond where the need is greatest. In winter, demand can rise sharply as the load on heating systems intensifies and sudden weather changes increase the risk of failure. Without the ability to deploy engineers quickly, minor issues such as uneven heating or a leaking pipe can become serious problems.
Effective mobile engineering depends on coordination. Teams are scheduled and dispatched based on location, skillset and urgency, ensuring the right engineer reaches the right site in the shortest possible time. CAFM platforms underpin this process, linking live asset data and BMS alerts directly to work orders. This allows faults to be triaged, engineers to be routed efficiently, and compliance tasks to be tracked alongside reactive issues. The result is faster response times and a clearer record of activity, which supports both operational continuity and audit requirements.
Beyond static schedules Fixed maintenance schedules, such as those set out in SFG20, remain essential for compliance and safety. Boilers still need regular servicing, heating controls require seasonal checks, and pipework must be inspected. But rigid timetables don’t account for the volatility of modern winters, when temperatures swing sharply and systems are pushed beyond their usual operating envelope.
A demand-led approach complements these schedules. IoT sensors on assets and the BMS monitor variables such as flow rates, temperature differentials, run times and energy use. If heating circuits run above normal load for several days, engineers can intervene before performance deteriorates. If equipment is operating within expected limits, a visit can be deferred. This blend of planned and responsive maintenance protects assets, keeps systems efficient and directs engineering time to where it’s most effective.
Business continuity, compliance and cost control There is a direct impact on occupiers. A loss of heating in mid-winter is disruptive and undermines confidence in the building. In sectors such as retail or hospitality, it can also reduce footfall and revenue. In healthcare or data centres, safety and operational continuity are on the line. Demand- led mobile engineering reduces these risks by ensuring the right people arrive at the right time, backed by live data.
Winter maintenance does not need to be a cycle of reactive call-outs. With mobile engineers supported by CAFM technology and a demand-led approach, it becomes a proactive service that maintains comfort, protects assets and keeps businesses running.
www.pfms.co.uk
24 | TOMORROW’S FM
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