Preventative Maintenance Best Practices Guides and Checklists

[pablok]

Forgive me if this answer is in the forum somewhere, but I couldn't find it...

I am helping manage a number of restaurants that have not had a good maintenance program probably since they were opened. Some of these places are a disaster and look like the previous contractors were a bunch of drunk hillbillies - duct tape and wire hold most of the equipment together.

So, I am planning on implementing a PM program with the sites with scheduled, contracted maintenance included. I am looking for a few things:

1. Does anyone have a good maintenance contract (HVAC and refrigeration) for restaurants? What should be included in one?
2. Along with that, does anyone have a good maintenance checklist for the managers to use on say a monthly basis and to follow up on the contractor? I'm talking fairly low-tech here - restaurant manager. Coils are clean, filters are clean, belts don't have cracks. Those sorts of things rather than refrigerant pressures etc.
3. Outside of the regular maintenance, internal people will take care of some things like changing filters, cleaning evaporator coils, etc. Is there a good maintenance schedule out there and how-tos for some of this stuff?
4. For someone like myself with a little more technical expertise, but is by no means a technician, is there a maintenance checklist / best practice guide to help set up good processes and help ID issues before (or after) they occur?

Thanks in advance

[XcelTech]

I think the best answer for all your questions is to speak with manufactures of the equipment.

Different equipment will have different requirements. Although several items will have the same maintenance needs even though one piece of equipment is very similar to another the differences can require a different PM program. Where one system might say to clean an ice machine once every 3 months it might also say if fresh bread is made in this location clean it monthly. One unit might say to check the pressure another maybe critically charge and say to never check it as to check it requires a complete removal vacuum and replacement of refrigerant.

I would talk to the manufactures and adjust your PM's based off the equipment needs and your companies needs.

Last I would suggest finding and cultivating a partnership with a trustworthy HVAC company. You will find that a good company and long term commitment will be beneficial to you both.

[Joseph12345]

It still would be cool to have a nice general maintenece checklist for new guys in the field

[rscamaro]

It still would be cool to have a nice general maintenece checklist for new guys in the field

The new guys in the field don't need a check list. What the newer people in the field need to do is check everything, everytime they visit a customer. There is nothing that will make them a better mechanic than getting to know every piece of equipment intimately. Practice and attention to detail, make perfect, as they say.

This is not to say that you put your guages on certain equipment everytime, but taking temperatures, checking belts, sheaves, coils, drain pans, electrical, economisers, fan motors, contactors, etc. everytime should be manditory.

...Ron