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Like any other organisation paint maintenance is a key component of a successful school maintenance program. Without regular maintenance, your buildings are likely to face issues with moisture infiltration. Eventually, this can cause cracks, mould, dry rot, and peeling paint, which is not only unsightly but very costly to fix.
Where do you begin? We ask all our clients; do you know how often the interior and exterior should be inspected? And what about the early signs that indicate the potential of bigger problems if not tended to immediately? This is where a comprehensive plan from Avello Group can benefit you and your school.
In the following article, we are going to cover some of the key benefits of taking a proactive approach, along with the common problems you can be keeping an eye out for.
What are the benefits of painting maintenance in schools?
Of course, a great paint job will make your school look more professional. But the benefits do not stop there. Potential parents of students, potential staff and even the public will make a judgement of the school-based on its appearance. Not to mention, the look and feel of the buildings will greatly impact the existing staff and students as well.
By investing in regular paint maintenance, many schools are likely to see an increase in interest and a decline in negative attitudes and behaviours surrounding the reputation of the facility. Some of the other benefits education facilities are likely to see include:
- Preventing problems rather than reactively treating them
- Reducing long-term costs associated with significant paint deterioration
- Smoothing out your school’s cash flow with smaller regular payments
- Minimising disruptions during the term by addressing paintwork problems early
- Maintaining an aesthetic environment that encourages learning
- Increasing demand by always making a good first impression
- Improving retention through consistently well-maintained facilities
How often should painting maintenance take place?
We know your budget will be a great determining factor in this decision, however, there are some other things that should be considered when implementing an action plan. These include the school’s location, as well as the types and sizes of the buildings to be maintained. There is also the quality of the original paintwork to consider, as this will impact any repairs or maintenance carried out.
With this information, our team of professional painting contractors will be able to work with you to create a painting maintenance plan tailored to the specific needs of your school.
However, there are some basic maintenance rules you can implement yourself.
Interior paintwork
When it comes to your interior paintwork, it should be inspected and cleaned annually. Additionally, your school maintenance plan should include time and budget allocation for the reapplication of powder coat finishes every two years, or as required, and new internal paintwork should be reapplied every five years.
Exterior paintwork
Being exposed to the elements exterior paintwork should also be inspected and cleaned annually. While the reapplication of paint to exterior surfaces is ideally scheduled for every 10 years.
Of course, an annual inspection is the bare minimum when it comes to your exterior paint inspections. Depending on the facility it may be prudent to implement an inspection at the conclusion of each term. This will allow problem areas such as those that attract damp or graffiti to be dealt with in a prompt and timely manner to eliminate issues before they become major problems for the facility.
What else can I expect to be looked after?
While regular cleaning of the interior and exterior surfaces forms the basis of a successful paint maintenance program, the program needs to address other issues that may arise. These common problems include:
- Pealing, cracking or flaking paint
- Mildew and mould
- Efflorescence (white, crusty mineral salts)
- Mud cracking
- Chalking (a fine chalky powder on the paint surface)
- Yellowing
These paint problems are caused by a range of factors, including moisture seepage or dampness, low-quality or the wrong choice of paint, or inadequate surface preparation or application.
Depending on the problem and its cause, the affected paintwork may need to be thoroughly cleaned and a new coat of appropriate paint applied, or scraped and sanded back entirely, before a new application of paint.
The good news is that by regularly inspecting and cleaning your school’s paintwork, many of these problems can be avoided or caught before they escalate.