Just like with any other facility, your new church campus will require regular maintenance to keep your buildings safe, functional, and beautiful.
It can be easy to overlook the importance of maintenance when your church facilities are brand new. However, your commitment to proactive, consistent church upkeep right now will help you avoid dozens of frustrating, costly issues down the road.
If you’re wondering what elements to include on your church maintenance checklist, the pros at Churches By Daniels have you covered. But before we dive in, let’s talk about why caring for your church facilities is a critical component of fulfilling your ministry vision!
The Importance of Church Maintenance
You’ve spent years fundraising, designing and building your church campus. Now that it’s complete, it’s time to steward your investment well.
Your commitment to proactive church care will save you and your congregation time and money on deferred maintenance repairs that you can instead spend on ministry resources and needs. Some churches even choose to set aside a maintenance fund so dollars are available when they need them. Congregants and donors love this because they know their giving is being stewarded well, providing better maintenance, which in turns enables the ministry vision to move forward.
These three types of proactive maintenance will prevent costly problems in the future:
- Corrective—When things break or become worn out, like replacing a light bulb or fixing a flooded toilet.
- Preventative—Regularly performed on a piece of equipment to keep it in operation, like your vehicle’s oil change.
- Predictive—When a sensor or device warns you that a system or piece of equipment may need your attention.
Whether you are performing corrective, preventative, or predictive maintenance, here are five components that you shouldn’t overlook when caring for your church.
1. Roof Maintenance
Caring for your roof is critical to the overall well-being of your church. It’s also one of the most expensive building elements to repair or replace.
Some signs of roof damage include:
- Curling or cracked shingles
- Water stains on your ceiling or walls
- Missing shingles
- Ice dams
- Abnormally high energy bills
As your roof ages, your building becomes more prone to water leaks and moisture damage, which is why you should inspect your roof for these issues after harsh wind, rain, or snowstorms.
Unless you have trained professionals on your campus maintenance team, consider hiring a roofing contractor to complete the necessary repairs.
2. Gutter Maintenance
You probably don’t think about your gutters very often, but they can cause severe water damage to your roof or church foundation without proper maintenance.
Leaves, sticks, and other debris will accumulate in your gutters over time, which prevents water from adequately draining away from your church building.
Clean your gutters at least twice a year—especially before winter after the leaves have fallen—to prevent unnecessary damage to your church.
3. Window Maintenance
Keep your windows clear, weather-tight, and beautiful with regular washing and scrubbing.
Common signs of window damage include:
- Difficulty opening or closing
- Draftiness
- Excess outdoor noise
- Water damage
Inspect your windows annually for any leaks, cracks, chipped paint, sealant breaks, or difficulty sliding or locking to prevent decay. You may need to re-caulk or perform minor repairs to your windows to avoid costly damage.
Also, regularly clean your window tracks so that your windows can open and close with ease. Sticky windows can pose a safety threat, both as a point of entrance for burglars or a point of escape in an emergency, like a fire.
4. Utilities & Mechanical Maintenance
Regular upkeep on your church utilities and mechanical systems can prevent costly repairs. It’s also beneficial to perform frequent maintenance on systems because you can find ways to save on monthly expenses.
- Plumbing—Avoid using harsh chemicals to unclog drains, insulate your pipes each winter, and hire a plumber to clean out your pines every few years.
- HVAC—Hire a professional to perform yearly maintenance, and replace your air filters every three months.
- Electrical—Have an electrician inspect your electrical system annually, especially if appliances begin to shock you, you notice flickering lights, or you lose power often.
5. Church Grounds Maintenance
There are tons of other spaces to think about aside from your worship space, like parking lots, sidewalks and pathways, and landscaping. If you own a large, expansive mega church, church grounds maintenance is especially critical but often more challenging.
Follow these tips to keep your church grounds looking beautiful:
- Regularly trim trees, shrubs, and bushes, especially before the harsh winter months.
- Fill in parking lot potholes or sidewalk cracks to seal and prevent moisture from penetrating them.
- Check for any landscaping drainage issues—ensure that rainfall runs away from your buildings rather than towards them to prevent foundation issues.
Expensive Repairs to Avoid
Church repairs will be inevitable as your building ages and deteriorates. However, you can postpone the urgency of the following costly repairs with regular church maintenance:
- Roof restoration or replacement
- Vertical waterproofing
- Foundation repair
- Electrical issues
In addition to regular preventative church care, you should plan financially for unexpected repairs and understand the expected life cycle for each element of your church building to save you from future financial troubles.
Prepare Your Church for Proper Upkeep with Dependable Post-Construction Services
One of the best ways to ensure your new church building receives the correct care is with a reliable, thorough post-construction process at the end of your building project.
A dependable church construction management team with a post-construction plan will walk you through the necessary steps you need to take during the closeout process.
One of the most important elements of the post-construction process is obtaining the correct warranties and training that you and your campus team will need to properly care for your new church building.
Learn more about how Churches by Daniels post-construction services can help you to feel confident about caring for your new church building. In the meantime, check out our app to see completed projects and get some ideas for your church renovation project!
