---
title: "Building maintenance checklist"
description: "A building maintenance checklist for fire extinguishers, emergency lights, fire doors, electrical rooms, HVAC, plumbing, and housekeeping, grouped by how often each check is due."
---

[Back to Templates](/templates/) Template

# Building maintenance checklist

A building maintenance checklist for fire extinguishers, emergency lights, fire doors, electrical rooms, HVAC, plumbing, and housekeeping, grouped by how often each check is due.

[Get Started Free](https://app.fixahead.com/signup) [Download CSV](/templates/building-maintenance-checklist/building-maintenance-checklist.csv)

## Each visit

| Task | Required | Photo required |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Life safety | | |
| Check that exit routes are free and unobstructed. Photograph any obstruction. | Required | No photo required |
| Check that exit signs are lit and visible. | Required | No photo required |
| Check that fire doors close and latch, and that none is blocked or wedged open. Photograph any door wedged or damaged. | Required | No photo required |
| Electrical rooms | | |
| Keep the working space in front of electrical panels clear of storage. Photograph any blocked space. | Required | No photo required |
| HVAC | | |
| Check that outdoor-air intakes are free of pollutant sources, such as dumpsters, loading docks, and vents. | Required | No photo required |
| Check that drain pans slope to the drain and are clean and free of mould. Photograph any mould. | Required | No photo required |
| Check that supply and return vents are open and unblocked. | Not required | No photo required |
| Check that mechanical rooms are free of trash, leaks, and spills. | Required | No photo required |
| Plumbing and moisture | | |
| Check ceilings, walls, and floors for leaks and discoloration, and check wet areas. Photograph any stain, to track whether it grows. | Required | No photo required |
| Check windows and cold pipes for condensation, and check for mouldy odours. | Not required | No photo required |
| Combustion appliances | | |
| Check for combustion odours. Check that flues are free of corrosion and soot and that exhaust parts are connected. | Required | No photo required |
| Housekeeping | | |
| Check that entrance mats are in place and that return grilles and supply vents are clean. | Not required | No photo required |
| Check that chemicals are kept in sealed, labelled containers. | Required | No photo required |

## Weekly

| Task | Required | Photo required |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plumbing and moisture | | |
| Pour water into floor drains, run sinks, and flush toilets that are not used often. | Not required | No photo required |

## Monthly

| Task | Required | Photo required |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Life safety | | |
| Visually inspect each portable fire extinguisher, and check that it is mounted, identified, and readily accessible. | Required | No photo required |
| Press the test button on each manual emergency light, and check that it lights. | Required | No photo required |
| Check self-testing emergency lights for damage and fault indicators. | Required | No photo required |
| HVAC | | |
| Check filter condition and replace filters when due. When a filter is changed, check that it fits without bypass and faces the right airflow direction. | Required | No photo required |
| Cycle the dampers fully open and fully closed. | Not required | No photo required |

## Annual

| Task | Required | Photo required |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Life safety | | |
| Check that each extinguisher's annual maintenance is in date. | Required | No photo required |
| Run a full-duration emergency lighting test, and check that the lights stay on for the whole run. | Required | No photo required |
| Have fire door assemblies inspected and tested by a qualified person, and check that their labels are legible. | Required | No photo required |
| HVAC | | |
| Inspect coils, comb the fins, and clean them if dirty. | Not required | No photo required |

This checklist covers a building’s life-safety items, electrical rooms, HVAC, plumbing and moisture, and housekeeping. It does not cover sprinkler systems or the roof. Local fire and building rules govern wherever they set more than this list.

## Sources

- [US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 29 CFR 1910.37, maintaining exit routes](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.37)
- [US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 29 CFR 1910.157, portable fire extinguishers](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.157)
- [US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 29 CFR 1910.303, general electrical requirements](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.303)
- [National Fire Protection Association Journal, S. Mahoney, on verifying emergency lighting and exit marking](https://www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-and-articles/nfpa-journal/2020/07/01/nfpa-101-july)
- [National Fire Protection Association, S. Mahoney, *Fire Doors and NFPA 80 FAQs*](https://www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-and-articles/blogs/2025/04/11/fire-doors-faqs)
- [US Environmental Protection Agency, IAQ Tools for Schools, *Ventilation Checklist*](https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-08/documents/ventchklst.pdf)
- [US Environmental Protection Agency, IAQ Tools for Schools, *Building and Grounds Maintenance Checklist*](https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-08/documents/bldgmaintchklst.pdf)
- [US Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program, *O&M Best Practices: A Guide to Achieving Operational Efficiency*](https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2020/04/f74/omguide_complete_w-eo-disclaimer.pdf)

## Import it into FixAhead

Upload this file in FixAhead's maintenance procedure import, as a signed-in owner or manager. Each frequency loads as its own procedure, with its sections, tasks, and each task's Required and Photo required marks. If your account already has a procedure with the same name, this one is skipped and the existing one stays as it is.

Maintenance procedures are on the Pro plan, as [pricing](/pricing/) shows.

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