Mechanical failures can be a car wash owner’s worst nightmare, and it’s easy to understand why. Costly breakdowns and time-consuming repairs represent an omnipresent risk. One way of ensuring that the potential for equipment failure and downtime is minimized is by keeping up with scheduled preventative maintenance.
There is an important distinction between preventative maintenance and reactive repairs. Too often, putting off car wash preventative maintenance is looked at as an easy way to decrease costs. However, failure to do so can cause additional damage to equipment that could have been prevented. These reactive repairs can end up costing much more than overall preventative maintenance, as well as result in profits lost while the car wash is inoperable.
Making a commitment to regular, effective maintenance is a task that, while necessary and ultimately beneficial, can still seem daunting to car wash operators. One way to make maintenance tasks more manageable and ensure scheduled service requirements are met is by establishing routine checklists from the maintenance schedule for your specific car wash. Local distributors can also help maximize maintenance routines by providing tips and recommendations based on experience, as well as helping operators create a personalized checklist.
Having daily, weekly, monthly and semi-annual checklists will ensure that both everyday tasks and more serious maintenance needs are met. Regardless of specific tasks, having documented checklists will increase maintenance accountability, as well as create a roadmap that will streamline the work process for the car wash employees.
Once checklists are perfected and documented for the specific car wash operation, they should be placed in an area that is easily accessible to employees. Each member of the staff should be given tasks and responsibilities. As these tasks are completed, documentation should be made, including date of completion and whether further repair or inspection is needed. If additional repairs are required, they should be handled by the appropriate channels, ideally through a certified maintenance professional.
No matter what amount of service is needed, it is always recommended to use a certified maintenance technician. Certified technician programs, such as the PDQ University Factory Certification Program, guarantee that only certified technicians with complete knowledge regarding a specific cleaning system and its components are able to complete the work, demonstrating an expertise in repairs and troubleshooting. This ensures that the correct repairs are made immediately, in a safe manner, saving both cost and downtime.
By staying abreast of these tasks and working closely with a distributor, unexpected closures will be kept to a minimum, and the expense will be far less than the costs associated with equipment repair or replacement, excessive downtime and lost revenue. When all of this is taken into consideration, it’s clear to see that preventative maintenance is not only helpful to the car wash operator, but profitable, as well.
