Preventative Maintenance in Niagara Falls, ON

A deeper look at how Niagara Falls conditions shape the preventative maintenance work owners actually need.

The business case for preventative maintenance in Niagara Falls is driven by three compounding facts specific to this city. First, the building stock is old. Forty four percent of Niagara Falls private dwellings were built before 1980, meaning a large share of the city's housing carries mechanical and plumbing systems that are 45 or more years old. These systems were designed for a 20 to 25 year service life. They are still running because they have been patched, serviced, and maintained to varying degrees. The ones that have not been maintained consistently are now the source of the emergency calls that arrive every January and February. Second, the climate accelerates wear. Niagara Falls receives approximately 160 centimetres of snowfall annually. That load cycles on and off roofs, eavestroughs, and exterior wall assemblies through every winter. Freeze thaw events in the November to April window expand and contract brick mortar joints, sealant beads around window and door frames, and foundation parging on the older Drummond Hill and Crowland housing stock.

A preventative masonry and exterior sealant inspection every spring catches these openings before water infiltration starts the mold and structural cycle. Third, Niagara Falls has a significant investor rental market. Toronto and Hamilton buyers have acquired properties in Niagara Falls for rental income because the city offers more affordable entry prices relative to the GTA. Investors managing properties remotely depend on a documented maintenance record to understand what their building needs, what has been done, and what is coming. Bridgepoint's photo documented maintenance calendar is that record. Under the Ontario Building Code and the Residential Tenancies Act, landlords in Niagara Falls have maintenance obligations that are enforceable by the Landlord and Tenant Board. A documented preventative maintenance program is both a capital protection strategy and a legal compliance tool. TSSA certified technicians service all gas equipment on the scheduled visit cycle. ESA regulated electricians complete electrical system walkthroughs where flagged. Every completed visit generates a written report with photos archived in the property file.