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 Special Considerations.
Even on military facilities,
maintenance planning may need to include protection from
vandalism and control of tourist traffic, which can speed Up
normal deterioration. Exposed surfaces in high-traffic areas
such as stairs and hallways may need extra protection from wear
and tear, as well as from fire and vandalism. It may be
necessary to establish visitor traffic patterns to reduce
structural strains.
Maintenance Scheduling. Maintaining an older building is not
necessarily complicated or expensive.
(In fact, it is usually
much cheaper than rehabilitating or demolishing it.) However,
some maintenance and repair procedures require prolonged testing
before they are implemented, and they should not be done hastily.
Delivery schedules for special supplies or replacement materials
need advance planning. A realistic maintenance schedule will
allow for all these factors.
Inspections. Careful, systematic inspection of existing
conditions at regular intervals can be used to predict the rate
of deterioration and the timing of necessary repairs. Control of
existing problems can delay the need for repair and replacement.
Continuous monitoring can verify the initial analysis and provide
further information on rates of decay.
How often inspections and maintenance procedures need to be
done will vary, depending on the materials and methods of
construction, the age of specific building components, and the
stresses placed on the building by its use and environment.
Training and Supervision. It is vital for maintenance
workers to understand and appreciate the importance of historic
structures and any original materials that still remain. Their
enthusiasm can spell the difference between long life and early
decay for these important resources. But workers also need to be
trained in the care of old buildings, to ensure that repairs and
maintenance will be done by qualified persons using the best
methods possible. An alert supervisor will find many training
opportunities for interested staff members; for example,
specialized publications and workshops in specific maintenance
techniques for historic buildings organized by historic
preservation agencies and organizations. Encouraging and
training even one preservation maintenance "specialist" can pay
big dividends. A maintenance manual that details materials and
methods to be used, an outline schedule of regular routine
procedures, and time and budget allotments is essential to
keeping maintenance on track. (See Figure 3-l.)
3.2 CONTROL INSPECTIONS. Inspection is the first step in
identifying deficiencies; it provides the benchmark for starting
maintenance work. Of the four types of inspections (operator,
preventive maintenance, control, and specialized) the control
inspection is performed by skilled planners who can recognize
potential deficiencies and have the abilities to address problems
3-3
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