Preventative facade maintenance not only helps to keep your building looking its best but also prevents larger and more costly repairs down the line. The problem with large multi-story buildings is that it’s difficult for owners or managers to check how effective the preventive maintenance is, what’s being attended to and more importantly, what’s potentially being missed.
To give you a better understanding of the work that our rope access technicians perform when auditing a building’s facade, we’ve created a comprehensive facade maintenance checklist. This checklist outlines the steps that we take to ensure that your building’s facade is safe, well-maintained, and attractive.
By reviewing this checklist, you’ll be able to see the level of expertise and attention to detail that goes into our facade maintenance services, and you’ll have a better understanding of the work being done on your building’s facade. Let’s take a more in-depth look at our facade maintenance checklist.
Facade preventative maintenance checklist
Our technicians use industrial abseil techniques to take a thorough, close-up look at your building’s entire exterior to identify problem areas and ensure compliance with national and local codes.
We meticulously analyse the facade for any issues that may require repairs, and prioritise them based on severity. Crucially, our inspectors study the underlying causes of any deterioration and will recommend preventative measures to save you the expense of future repairs, generating a report through our very own compliance app throughout the entire process.
Our digital reports will provide you with detailed images and diagrams of your building’s facade. We strive to deliver a detailed and in-depth consultation so you can stay fully informed on what our investigation uncovers.
Anchor Safe Rope Access Facade Inspection Checklist
✅ Check all building-mounted height safety systems and Industrial Rope Access anchor points for compliance.
✅ Check window seals, caulking and expansion joints for integrity using non-destructive testing methods.
✅ Inspect all glazing for cracks, chips and damage.
✅ Inspect the conditions of paint, membrane, texture, and protective coatings
✅ Assess the condition of any stucco or concrete render by tap testing.
✅ Check for the presence of any spalling, cracked or damaged concrete
✅ Check any brickwork and mortar for signs of damage and defects.
✅ Check down pipes and other metal exterior fixtures for signs of rust and corrosion.
✅ Inspect the waterproofing envelope.
✅ Assess for any evidence of leakage or water intrusion
✅ Inspect capping, ventilation vents and flashing
✅ Inspect the condition of bird scare/protection
✅ Inspect the condition of any balconies, stairs, garden walls, pergolas, or decks
✅ Assess the condition of any rooftop skylights, vents, or chimneys.
✅ Identify and inspect any previous repair works.
✅ Identify and inspect any issues caused during build/renovations
✅ Identify and inspect any issues caused by weathering or exposure to the elements
✅ Identify and inspect any possible damage caused by facade cleaning/pressure washing.
✅ Review the facade’s overall appearance
✅ Review the facade’s overall cleanliness and the build-up of any contamination or pollutants that may cause problems in the future
✅ Review the facade inspection & cleaning schedule
Pre-inspection
While the majority of our high-rise facade inspection is spent abseiling down your building to get an up-close look at its condition, the pre-inspection phase is incredibly important to our team’s safety and the efficiency of the audit. The pre-inspection includes the following;
- Ground level: Here we are looking for potential problem areas or the telltale signs of maintenance issues. We take into consideration areas of the facade most exposed to the elements, potential access difficulties and much more to create a basic plan for our inspection.
- Inspect work areas and determine equipment: Every building will require a slightly unique approach for safely and efficiently abseiling its facade. We will thoroughly inspect all fixed height safety systems such as anchor points and overhead rail systems to ensure they are compliant and fit for purpose.
- Check the weather conditions: An obvious but very necessary safety aspect to our job. Nobody needs to be suspended 12 stories up in a 20-knot Southerly wind or driving rain.
- Safety + planning briefing: Our team leaders will brief our rope access technicians on the specific safety needs of the job and each team member’s role in the inspection. Any problem areas identified on the ground level will be assigned to a technician for detailed review and evidence gathering.
Summary
Staying on top of preventive façade maintenance for multi-story buildings requires a working partnership with a rope access services provider. It can be hard to know exactly what is and isn’t being done, leaving building owners and managers highly reliant on the advice and reporting of their chosen rope access company.
A reputable rope access services provider will seek to remedy this with detailed visual evidence and documentation (like this checklist) in an effort to provide transparent communication with their clients about what their services achieve and the needs of their building.
If you’re wondering if your current rope access provider is up to the task, check out our guide to choosing the right rope access service provider or save yourself some time and speak with our façade management experts by clicking the button below.
Author Bio
Brad Love is a veteran of the rope access painting and decorating industry, with over 47 years of experience under his belt. Brad is the Service Design and Estimator at Anchor Safe Rope Access and a trusted voice in the painting and decorating community.
Anchor Safe Rope Access
Proudly Australian-owned and backed by the strength of a national height safety leader, Anchor Safe Rope Access are proven and respected provider of external high-rise cleaning, painting and maintenance. Our Rope Access teams are highly skilled and accredited height safety specialists as well as trade-certified technicians, so you can trust Anchor Safe Rope Access to provide award-winning services at competitive prices.
