What is Preventive Maintenance?

Preventive maintenance is planned, proactive servicing carried out at regular intervals, based on time or usage, to lower the chance of an unexpected breakdown. It is the opposite of reactive, or breakdown, maintenance, where you only act after something has already failed. Examples include servicing an air-conditioner every quarter, greasing a lift monthly, or replacing filters after a set number of running hours.

Why it matters: planned upkeep usually costs far less than an emergency repair, reduces unplanned downtime, and extends an asset’s working life. The trade-off is doing some work that may not have been strictly necessary, which is why some teams move toward predictive maintenance driven by sensor data. A maintenance or asset tool helps by scheduling recurring tasks and generating a work order automatically when each service falls due.