Preventive Maintenance Checklist

Preventive maintenance checklists, or forms as they are called in Velappity, are structured inspections undertaken to avoid equipment failure, ensure asset compliance and extend equipment lifespan. Rather than reacting to issues like breakdowns or system malfunctions, a preventive maintenance program focuses on the routine monitoring and servicing of assets throughout their operational life to allow for proactive maintenance.

Velappity is digital inspection software that helps facility managers create and manage custom preventive maintenance checklists, streamlining inspections and ensuring compliance with safety regulations and industry standards.

What is a preventive maintenance checklist?

A preventive maintenance checklist is a structured list of essential inspection tasks used to regularly inspect and service equipment. It helps identify potential problems early, reducing the risk of equipment downtime and the need for costly repairs. These checklists typically include visual inspections and functional testing. A well-planned preventive maintenance schedule ensures maintenance activities are performed consistently and aligned with manufacturer recommendations.

Users of these checklists include maintenance technicians, facility managers, inspection teams and maintenance teams, all of whom play a key role in keeping critical systems running efficiently and in compliance with maintenance requirements.

Preventive maintenance in facilities management

Prevents equipment failure

A key benefit of a preventive maintenance plan is the ability to prevent unexpected equipment failure. Regular inspections, servicing and adjustments enable facility teams to identify signs of wear, damage or system inefficiencies. This reduces unplanned downtime, avoids disruption to services and maintains the operational efficiency of HVAC systems, plumbing, lighting, elevators and more, which ultimately helps to reduce repair costs .

In high-risk environments like hospitals, education centres and commercial buildings, avoiding breakdowns through routine maintenance is critical for both safety and compliance.

Supports regulatory compliance

A comprehensive preventive maintenance program is essential for meeting safety regulations and compliance obligations. Preventive maintenance tasks include testing fire alarms, inspecting electrical panels, monitoring Legionella risks and checking carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors as recommended by equipment manufacturers .

Documented maintenance history and maintenance records support audit readiness and demonstrate due diligence. Properly maintaining systems such as fire extinguishers, emergency lighting and cooling systems also ensures adherence to legal standards and helps reduce risk.

Improves team accountability

A structured preventive maintenance strategy increases maintenance team accountability and helps maintenance managers by clearly assigning maintenance tasks and schedules. With digital systems like Velappity, tasks can be logged, tracked and reported—improving communication and reducing missed steps.

A consistent maintenance checklist ensures all inspections follow the same process. Whether it’s checking for wear, inspecting electrical connections or cleaning specific equipment, teams are aligned on what’s required.

This also makes it easier for maintenance managers to measure performance using key performance indicators and identify where additional training or resources are needed.

Reduces long-term costs

Although a preventive maintenance checklist requires time and planning, the potential long-term cost savings are substantial. Preventive maintenance helps avoid major breakdowns, reduces the need for emergency call-outs and minimises repair costs. Well-maintained equipment, from boilers to HVAC units, performs more efficiently, uses less energy, and ultimately helps in controlling maintenance costs.

A preventive maintenance plan also extends asset life, which helps manage capital expenditure more effectively. A clear preventive maintenance schedule reduces the likelihood of surprise expenses and supports better budget forecasting.

Improve equipment reliability

Another significant advantage of implementing a preventive maintenance plan is the ability to improve overall equipment reliability across different systems and assets. By involving regular inspections and routine maintenance, facility teams can detect small faults before they develop into larger issues that lead to equipment failure or unplanned downtime. This improves uptime, supports operational continuity and ensures equipment performance in line with manufacturer specifications. Over time, enhanced equipment reliability reduces the burden on maintenance personnel, streamlines maintenance processes and contributes to greater confidence in facility operations, particularly where safety features and critical systems are involved. It also allows maintenance managers to plan more effectively, allocate resources with greater accuracy and implement long-term preventive maintenance strategies that align with both compliance targets and cost-saving goals across the maintenance lifecycle

What to include in a preventive maintenance checklist

An effective preventive maintenance checklist must be tailored to the type of asset and industry. It may include:

• Safety protocols and pass/fail checks
• Visual inspections
• Lubrication and filter checks (e.g. replace air filters)
• Electrical system checks (e.g. inspect electrical connections)
• Mechanical component checks

Checklists should also record the maintenance personnel involved, the asset location and the time and date of the inspection. Including this information helps ensure full maintenance traceability and regulatory compliance.

Preventive maintenance tasks for facilities management teams

In facilities management, common preventive maintenance tasks include:

• HVAC system checks: check filters, belts, cooling systems and refrigerant levels
• Inspecting elevators: assess door alignment, wear and safety features
• Fire safety checks: test fire alarms, sprinklers and emergency lighting
• Plumbing systems: inspect for leaks or signs of failure

These tasks reduce unplanned downtime, improve equipment performance and support compliance with safety regulations.

Preventive maintenance is not limited to facilities management, however. For example, other industries include fire safety, legionella and health & safety.

Examples of preventive maintenance tasks in fire safety include:

• Fire alarm systems
• Fire extinguishers
• Emergency lighting and exit signs
• Sprinkler systems and fire pumps
• Fire doors, escape routes and signage

Preventive maintenance examples in Legionella control include:

• Flush infrequently used outlets
• Monitor hot and cold water temperatures
• Clean shower heads and hoses
• Inspect and disinfect water tanks and calorifiers

In Health & Safety, preventive maintenance examples include:

• Check ladders and access equipment
• Maintain gas detection systems in hazardous areas
• Inspect guards and barriers on machines
• Check emergency generators

These routine maintenance tasks form the foundation of a strong preventive maintenance program and contribute directly to equipment reliability and safety.

Get started with Velappity

Ditch the paper and digitise your preventive maintenance checklists with Velappity and simplify your maintenance processes. Using our custom form designer, you can build the ultimate preventive maintenance checklist tailored to your clients’ needs.

Assign jobs to inspectors, complete forms on mobile devices and sync inspections for instant reporting. With the option to create custom reports, you can keep your clients informed.

As well as custom inspection forms, Velappity also includes preventive maintenance software features such as asset compliance monitoring – helping you build a more proactive, efficient maintenance system for your clients.

Create the ultimate preventive maintenance checklist that supports your routine maintenance inspections and reduces your clients’ unexpected breakdowns.