Monthly School Facilities Maintenance Walkthrough

Inspect ceiling tiles, vinyl flooring seams, painted CMU walls, and corridor lockers. Stained or sagging tiles often indicate roof or condensate leaks above the grid — flag them for the HVAC pass even if the active leak isn't visible. AHERA-listed buildings: do not disturb suspect ACM tiles or floor mastic; log the location and route to the LEA designee.

Test classroom door closers, panic hardware, and the inside-the-room locking function — every classroom door must lock from inside without the teacher stepping into the corridor. Verify ADA lever handles, push-button operators, and threshold heights. Note any door that has been propped or chocked since the last walkthrough.

Pull the prior walkthrough's roof-leak log and check each historical spot. Clear roof drains and scuppers of leaves, balls, and debris. Photograph any new ponding or membrane damage for the roofing vendor.

Record any visible mold, musty odor, or active moisture intrusion observed during the envelope walk. A 'Yes' answer triggers the abatement work-order step; do not attempt to clean visible mold beyond the EPA's 10-square-foot threshold without the IAQ vendor.

Replace filters in classroom unit ventilators, RTUs serving the gym and cafeteria, and the main office AHU. Date and initial each filter. Post-COVID guidance is MERV-13 where the equipment can handle the static-pressure penalty; downgrade only with engineering sign-off.

Check condensate pans for standing water and biological growth, clear traps and drain lines, and reset overflow safety switches. Backed-up condensate is the most common source of water-stained tiles directly below classroom ceilings.

Sample three classrooms during peak occupancy with a calibrated CO2 meter. Readings consistently above 1,100 ppm suggest outdoor-air dampers are stuck or undersized for current enrollment. Record the highest reading observed across the three rooms.

Press TEST then RESET on every GFCI in science labs, art rooms, the kitchen, and any outlet within six feet of a sink. Replace any outlet that doesn't trip — this is a frequent state-inspector finding and a real shock hazard around student lab benches.

Check temperature in each IDF/MDF; switch and AP failures cluster when room temps exceed 80°F. Verify UPS runtime self-tests are passing and that nothing has been stored against the rack airflow path. Note CIPA-filter and DNS appliance status while you are in the closet.

Walk every student restroom and check each flushometer, faucet, and floor drain. Replace dead diaphragms; log any partition damage or graffiti for the custodial team. Verify hot-water mixing valves at hand-wash sinks are below 110°F to prevent scald injuries.

Pull first-draw and 30-second flush samples per the EPA 3Ts protocol or your state's lead-in-schools rule (commonly a 5 ppb action level for schools, lower than the federal 15 ppb for utilities). Record the highest result observed this month. Action-level results trigger the fixture-isolation step below.

ANSI Z358.1 requires a weekly activation flush and an annual full-performance test; the monthly walkthrough confirms weekly logs are being kept and runs a 15-minute flow test on one station. Tepid water (60–100°F) is required — eyewashes plumbed to cold-water-only lines are a common citation.

Initial and date the monthly tag on every extinguisher; confirm the gauge needle sits in the green and the pull pin and tamper seal are intact. NFPA 10 monthly inspection is owner-performed; the annual certification is the licensed vendor's job — don't confuse the two.

Press the test button on each emergency-lighting unit and exit sign for 30 seconds; the annual 90-minute load test is a separate event. Stairwell and corridor coverage matters most — egress paths from the second floor are where bulb-out failures get students hurt during a drill.

Photograph any active trouble or supervisory signals on the panel and route to the fire-alarm vendor. Common causes are dusty smoke detectors in the kitchen and gym, low batteries on wireless pull stations, and tamper switches on sprinkler valves. Do not silence trouble signals without resolution.

Use the CPSI checklist to inspect equipment for entrapment hazards, broken welds, exposed bolts, and worn S-hooks. Rake engineered wood fiber back to depth in landing zones — fall-attenuating surfacing is the single most-cited deficiency on school playgrounds. Lock out any piece of equipment that fails inspection until repaired.

Walk the perimeter bait stations and kitchen-area glue boards with the licensed applicator. Update the school's IPM pesticide-use log with product, EPA registration number, location, and applicator name — most states require 24- to 48-hour parent pre-notification before any indoor application during school hours.