Preventive vs. Predictive Maintenance: Which Does Your Facility Need?

When it comes to electrical equipment, there are really only three ways to manage maintenance: wait for it to break, service it on a schedule, or monitor its condition and act before it fails. The first option is the most expensive.

The other two — preventive and predictive maintenance — are where smart facilities live. Run-to-Failure: The Hidden Cost Letting equipment run until it breaks feels cheap because you are not spending money on maintenance.

In reality, unplanned failures bring emergency repair costs, extended downtime, collateral equipment damage, and safety risks. It is almost always the most expensive path. Preventive Maintenance Preventive maintenance means servicing equipment on a defined schedule — cleaning, tightening, testing, and replacing components at regular intervals regardless of condition.