- A PM program is a risk-management tool, not a service subscription. Its goal is fewer emergencies, longer equipment life, and records that stand up to audits.
- Frequency should follow duty cycle and environment: a kitchen RTU, a coastal condenser, and a warehouse heater are not the same job.
- Start with an asset inventory. You cannot schedule or budget what is not on a list.
- Measure outcomes: emergency calls per asset, repeat repairs, downtime hours, and energy trends, not just 'visits completed.'
- Documentation per asset (readings, photos, notes) is what turns visits into decisions about repair, replace, and budget.
What a PM program is for
Reactive maintenance (fix it when it breaks) costs more per event, happens at the worst times, and gives you no information about what else is about to fail. Preventive maintenance trades predictable scheduled cost for lower and less volatile emergency cost, and it creates the records you need for capital planning, warranty claims, and inspections.
A good program has four parts: an asset inventory, a scope and frequency for each asset class, a documentation standard, and a review loop where someone looks at the data and acts on it.
Step 1: inventory every asset
At minimum, record for each asset: type, manufacturer, model, serial number, location (building, floor, roof, room), install year, capacity, refrigerant type and charge (where applicable), and the areas or tenants it serves. Photos of the data plate prevent transcription errors.
In the DaVinci Portal, each asset gets a QR-coded tag. A technician scans it on the roof, sees full history, and logs the visit against that exact unit. For multi-site portfolios, assets roll up by property so you can compare sites.
Step 2: set scope and frequency
| Asset | Typical PM frequency | Increase frequency when |
|---|---|---|
| Rooftop units / split systems | Semi-annual (spring and fall); quarterly for heavy-use sites | Near kitchen exhaust, coastal exposure, 24/7 operation, critical spaces |
| Walk-in coolers/freezers | Quarterly condenser cleaning; semi-annual full PM | Outdoor condensers exposed to grease or debris; high door traffic |
| Reach-ins and prep tables | Quarterly | Greasy kitchens, heavy use |
| Ice machines | Semi-annual clean/sanitize; quarterly where scale or slime recurs | Hard water, heavy use, healthcare |
| Commercial water heaters | Annual; semi-annual in hard water | High scale, tankless, heavy demand |
| Boilers | Annual combustion and safety inspection | Process or critical loads |
| Chillers and towers | Monthly operator rounds; annual service; tower seasonal startup/shutdown | Water-cooled systems, healthcare, data/IT loads |
| Exhaust, make-up air, split ductless | Semi-annual to annual | Kitchens, labs, process spaces |
Our maintenance tiers map onto this table: Quarterly, Bi-Annual, and Annual plans. Quarterly fits kitchens and high-load sites, bi-annual covers most retail, office, and school settings, and annual suits light-duty equipment.
Step 3: define what gets documented
- Date, technician, and asset ID on every visit.
- Readings: pressures, temperatures, amp draws, filter status; whichever are relevant to the equipment.
- Before-and-after photos of coils, drains, and anything replaced.
- Findings and recommendations: separate 'fixed today' from 'needs approval' from 'monitor.'
- Parts replaced and warranty status.
- Time on site and any follow-up scheduled.
This is the difference between a contractor saying 'we serviced it' and a record you can hand an auditor, insurer, or buyer's due-diligence team. See Consistent Quality Records with DaVinci Portal for a short primer.
Step 4: schedule around operations
- Restaurants: Service refrigeration and rooftop equipment before the daily rush or after close; avoid Friday evening.
- Retail: Early morning before open or overnight for noisy work; avoid holiday peaks.
- Schools: Summer and breaks for major work; plan around bell schedules. See Schools & Public Facilities.
- Medical and veterinary: Coordinate around procedures; confirm which spaces cannot lose temperature control.
- Property management: Coordinate access with tenants; notify in advance for roof and mechanical room entry.
Step 5: measure whether it's working
| Metric | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Emergency calls per asset per year | Whether PM is catching failures before they strand you |
| Repeat repairs on the same asset within 90 days | Whether diagnostics are finding root causes |
| Downtime hours (especially refrigeration and critical HVAC) | Operational and financial exposure |
| PM completion rate on schedule | Whether the program is being executed |
| Energy per sq ft or per asset (if metered) | Efficiency drift; economizer and coil problems show here |
| Remaining life / replacement forecast | Capital planning: what to budget in the next 1, 3, and 5 years |
Multi-site and portfolio considerations
Portfolios benefit most from standardization: one scope, one reporting format, one escalation path. Compare similar sites against each other (cost per square foot, emergency rates), and use the data to decide where capital should go first. A single contractor with local response across your sites avoids the hidden cost of coordinating multiple vendors. We run multi-location programs with per-property rollups; see Property Management.
Contract terms worth negotiating
- Written scope per asset type, with checklists attached.
- Response time targets for emergencies and after-hours calls.
- How repairs are quoted and approved (not-to-exceed limits for urgent work).
- Discount or priority for members on repairs and diagnostics.
- Reporting: what you receive, how quickly, and in what format.
- Termination and renewal terms.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a commercial PM program cost?
It depends on equipment count, type, and visit frequency. We scope by asset inventory and visit cadence; contact us for a quote based on your site list.
Do PM visits replace repair calls?
No. PM reduces the number and severity of failures; repairs still happen. Members typically get priority scheduling and discounted diagnostics.
How often should I service rooftop units?
Twice a year is the baseline for most commercial sites; quarterly for kitchens, 24/7 sites, and high-exposure locations.
Can a PM program help with insurance or audits?
Yes. Dated service records, readings, and photos support warranty claims, insurance requirements, and health inspections.
Have a site this applies to?
Davinci Mechanical is the commercial and union division of Scottish Tom's Heating & Air. Send us the equipment list or the problem and we'll tell you what we'd check first.