Legend Brands Cleaning | This equipment pays your salary

Truer words have never been spoken. Whether you’re an owner-operator or a multi-truck operation, nothing is more annoying or potentially costly than unanticipated breakdowns.

You can't foresee every breakdown, but you can head many of them off. Let’s say your machine springs a small water leak and you just can’t seem to identify the source of the leak. There are two possible courses of action:

Make time to fix the leak yourself or take it in to a trusted service shop and have them locate and repair it.
Wait and see if the leak gets worse (which inevitably it will) and then maybe you can locate the source and repair it.

Here’s the problem with postponing the repair: a simple leak left unrepaired often causes additional problems, such as corrosion to other parts, loss of heat or pressure, or other issues.

Preventative maintenance is the key to avoiding situations like this – so often said but still so true. Regular oil and filter changes form the first level of protection from unanticipated breakdowns.

When you're meeting with a customer, take time to wipe down the machine and do an inspection. Check the belt condition and tension, and inspect bolt tightness in crucial locations such as exhaust manifolds and the blower, engine and pump mounting bolts. If you see any problems, point them out right away. These are simple but important steps toward avoiding breakdowns.

Don't forget the waste tank filters and the waste tank. Inspect the gasket on the lid, clean out the waste tank and ensure your high level float moves freely.

Continue reading: This Equipment Pays Your Salary Part 2

Adapted from an article originally published in the IICRC Newsletter.