Choosing the maintenance approach affects your costs and your systems' reliability.

The comparison

AspectProactiveCorrective
TimingBefore the breakdownAfter the breakdown
The total costFewerHighest
Service downtimeNone or littleExpected
Best forVital systemsNon-critical equipment

The Ideal 80/20 Ratio

80% proactive + 20% corrective. A corrective ratio higher than 30% is an indicator of a planning problem.

Conclusion

Proactive maintenance is an investment that saves long-term costs.