What is preventive maintenance?

Maintenance teams carry a heavy load. Breakdowns disrupt schedules, stretch small teams, and push costs higher than they need to be. A steady flow of reactive work makes it difficult to anticipate problems or protect equipment that keeps operations running smoothly. Preventive maintenance provides teams with a practical approach to transition from firefighting to proactive work management.

What is the definition of preventive maintenance?

Preventive maintenance is planned work performed before equipment fails. These tasks follow a schedule based on time, usage, or known service needs. The goal is simple: reduce unplanned downtime, protect asset health, and keep operations stable. Strong preventive maintenance software forms the foundation of reliable maintenance strategies, helping teams shift away from constant reactive maintenance.

Preventive maintenance includes routine work such as lubrication, inspections, calibration tasks, oil changes, and filter replacements. These activities keep equipment in dependable condition and support a longer equipment lifespan. In many operations, preventive maintenance works alongside condition monitoring and corrective maintenance to keep assets running safely.

Most organizations use tools like CMMS software, or enterprise asset management software to organize these schedules. These systems help teams set standards, create work orders, assign tasks, manage parts, and keep scheduled maintenance consistent across buildings, assets, and sites. They also give teams a clear record of completed work, which supports compliance, audits, and long-term planning. These tools create a connected workflow that ties preventive tasks to corrective maintenance, inventory usage, and long-term asset planning.

Preventive maintenance works best when teams maintain consistent schedules, review results, and adjust tasks as equipment conditions change. Over time, these programs reduce operational surprises, limit reactive maintenance, and strengthen broader maintenance strategies across the organization.

Why is preventive maintenance important?

Preventive maintenance supports safe, reliable operations. Facilities depend on equipment that runs as expected. When equipment fails, teams face production delays, service disruptions, and unplanned repair costs that strain already tight budgets. A steady program of planned tasks reduces those risks and gives teams more control over their workload while limiting the volume of unexpected reactive maintenance.

Safety improves when assets stay in good working condition. Strong maintenance records support inspections and audits. Many teams operate with aging equipment, limited staff, and rising expectations. Preventive maintenance provides structure in this environment and supports a wider set of maintenance strategies that help leaders protect assets over the long term. Preventive maintenance also strengthens related tasks such as corrective maintenance, inventory planning, and inspection programs, giving teams a fuller view of asset health.

The importance of preventive maintenance is especially clear in regulated environments including healthcare, education, government, energy, manufacturing, data centers, and the life sciences. These sectors depend on accurate records, consistent service, and strong equipment performance during compliance reviews.

Benefits of preventive maintenance 

Preventive maintenance delivers consistent, measurable results across facilities. Strong programs reduce reactive work, protect asset health, and give teams the structure they need to stay ahead of daily demands. These outcomes are covered in TMA’s guidance on preventive maintenance benefits.

Fewer unexpected breakdowns

Planned maintenance tasks help keep equipment stable and reduce emergency repairs, which can disrupt schedules and divert technicians from higher-value work.

Longer asset lifespan

Regular service supports healthier equipment and delays capital replacements, which helps leaders manage budgets and avoid premature asset failure.

Lower repair and operating costs

Consistent schedules reduce overtime, rush orders, and extensive repair labor. Strong programs also lower the operational burden created by recurring outages.

Better safety and compliance

Accurate records and routine inspections strengthen safety programs and support regulatory requirements. Teams gain reliable documentation that stands up during audits and reviews.

Together, these improvements make daily work more predictable, support stronger maintenance strategies, and help teams maintain stable operations.

Jackson State University transitioned from a reactive work approach to a more stable maintenance program, supported by TMA Systems.

Their results show how consistent scheduling and better visibility strengthen campus operations.

Read the case study

Types of preventive maintenance

Maintenance programs use different preventive maintenance types based on asset criticality, usage patterns, and compliance needs. Each method supports a specific operational goal and fits particular equipment conditions. The table below outlines the primary approaches and includes real examples teams use in their daily work.

Most organizations use a mix of these methods based on asset priority, regulatory needs, and available resources.

What is the difference between preventive and predictive maintenance?

Preventive maintenance follows a planned schedule based on time, usage, or known service intervals. Predictive maintenance relies on data from sensors, predictive analytics, and machine learning to identify developing issues before failure occurs. Both approaches help reduce safety hazards and improve overall asset reliability.

Many programs combine the two methods to balance routine work with data-driven insights. Preventive maintenance software covers scheduled work that keeps assets healthy. Predictive maintenance software adds visibility into equipment behavior and helps teams focus attention where it matters most. Facilities often combine these methods through CMMS and enterprise asset management tools that manage schedules, inspections, readings, historical data, and work order management software needs.

Data from both approaches support stronger decision-making. Reporting highlights trends, failure patterns, parts replacement needs, and schedule completion rates that help teams adjust task frequency and improve long-term asset performance. Strong use of predictive analytics also supports planning in areas such as inventory management and spare parts availability. 

How to start a preventive maintenance program

A strong preventive maintenance program begins with clear priorities and a simple structure. Most teams follow these steps:

1. Identify critical assets. Focus on equipment that affects safety, service delivery, or production.
2. Define PM tasks. Outline the work needed for each asset based on manufacturer guidance and operational history.
3. Set maintenance schedules. Create time-based, usage-based, or condition-based intervals.
4. Assign and manage work orders. Give technicians clear instructions and supporting documentation.
5. Capture results and asset data. Record completed work, parts used, and any findings.
6. Review program performance. Adjust schedules and tasks based on actual conditions, failure trends, and labor capacity.

Preventive maintenance plans typically take a few weeks to set up, depending on the asset volume, team capacity, and availability of data. A strong first 30 days includes collecting asset data, creating standard tasks, and establishing a reliable schedule that technicians can follow. Preventive maintenance succeeds when facility managers, technicians, reliability teams, and operations leadership maintain clear ownership.

This structure provides teams with a clear path to developing a sustainable program that grows over time.

What is the best preventive maintenance software?

Selecting the best preventive maintenance software starts with evaluating how well each platform supports daily work and long-term asset management needs. 

Key capabilities include:

• Strong usability: Clear navigation and simple workflows that keep work moving.
• Reliable scheduling automation: Tools that generate PM tasks and work orders consistently.
• Deep asset management: Complete equipment histories, documentation storage, part tracking, and condition records.
• Accurate reporting: Visibility into workload, compliance, cost trends, and asset performance.
• Mobile tools: Technician access to tasks, manuals, and data in the field.
• Integrations: Clean connections to ERP platforms, building systems, or procurement tools.
• Scalability: Support for growth across sites, buildings, or regions.
• Implementation support: Guidance that helps teams set standards, migrate data, and stabilize schedules.

These criteria give teams a clear direction when evaluating options and identifying the best preventive maintenance software for their needs. Start with usability and scheduling automation if preventive maintenance is new to your organization. Expand evaluation to reporting, integrations, and scalability as your program grows.

Common preventive maintenance mistakes

Preventive maintenance programs lose momentum when asset data is incomplete, schedules lack structure, or tasks are difficult for technicians to follow. 

Other common issues include inconsistent documentation, unclear priorities, gaps in work order management, and limited visibility into inventory management activity. 

Teams see stronger results when they keep schedules simple, focus on critical assets, and review data regularly to drive additional cost savings and operational stability.

Preventive Maintenance with TMA Systems

TMA Systems supports preventive maintenance programs with tools that help teams plan, schedule, execute, and track work across all facilities. The platform gives maintenance leaders a clear view of asset needs and provides technicians with the information required to complete tasks accurately and on time.

Organizations use TMA’s preventive maintenance solutions to standardize schedules, generate work orders, and manage inspections. Automation helps teams keep recurring tasks on track and reduces gaps that often appear when schedules are managed manually. Mobile access keeps technicians connected in the field with work details, manuals, and asset history. Multi-site management supports large teams that coordinate work across campuses, buildings, or regions. Long-term asset records give leaders the data they need to make informed decisions about repairs, replacements, and capital planning.

These capabilities help maintenance programs stay consistent and give teams a reliable structure to manage growing workloads.

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For 30 years, TMA Systems has supported preventive maintenance across industries. Explore preventive maintenance solutions or contact the team with any questions.

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