Maintenance for Dummies

May 29, 2008 8:18 PM

What books can I get to not be a "dummy" when it comes to my new job? (more inside)

I just took on a job as a secretary at a hospital in the engineering department. Basically, I want to know more about the technicians' jobs so I can better understand what they do and be a little more efficient in my position. I see a lot of work orders each day. There are HVAC techs, electricians, plumbers, painters and then maintenance techs. They oversee all the preventative and corrective maintenance in the building like air conditioning, heating, plumbing and installing lighting, automatic doors, freezers/fridges, clogged toilets/sinks/showers, patch and paint walls, fire systems, elevators.... a lot of stuff. I want to read up more on how to do some of these things (the basics) and how they work (again, the basics). There is no "building maintenance for dummies" unfortunately, does anyone have any suggestions? I would like actual books instead of websites, although websites can be helpful. Thanks in advance for any help!

posted by ForeverDcember to education (4 comments total)

Perhaps some of the apartment manager training courses will be helpful.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:01 PM on May 29, 2008

If you have Netflix this video is good for a start, though it's focussed on home maintenance stuff.
posted by XMLicious at 12:15 AM on May 30, 2008

I'm a secretary in a property management office, and our commercial department secretary does pretty much what you do. I'd check the library for a book or three about commercial (and residential) property management--I'd bet it would cover a lot of that stuff. Check out books on building maintenance, too. I'd also Google commercial property management resources.

I have learned on the job how furnaces work, what's the difference between oil, gas, forced air, etc. and I had to Google one afternoon to educate myself on the mysteries of "sump pumps".
posted by Savannah at 7:02 AM on May 30, 2008

There is no "building maintenance for dummies" unfortunately

While they're not aimed at commercial buildings, you could probably pick up a ton of useful info from basic home maintenance/repair books like the ones offered by Black & Decker, Home Depot, etc. They probably don't cover elevators and automatic doors, but for basic HVAC, lighting, plumbing, painting, etc. they really are like "building maintenance for dummies".
posted by vytae at 7:18 AM on May 30, 2008