Benjamin Franklin once said nothing is certain in life but death and taxes. Any heavy equipment owner would likely add repairs to that list, too. Just because they’re inevitable, though, doesn’t mean they have to break the bank. Here are five things you can do to keep your repair costs under control:

1. Turn on the telematics.

If you do nothing else with the telematics system that’s likely already built into your machines, use it to identify repairs before failure. Even the most basic systems provide information about daily fault codes, so you can catch small issues before they become big problems. Most will let you set up email or text alerts so you can get notifications immediately if something goes wrong. Once you get the hang of the basics, you can use telematics to keep scheduled maintenance on track (see #2) and keep an eye on other repair drivers like idle time (#3) and operator performance (#4).

2. Stick to a schedule.

When you’re busy, it’s tempting to skip an oil or filter change or a routine maintenance appointment. Don’t. Keeping service on schedule is your best weapon in the fight against rising repair costs. In fact, some studies show regular preventive maintenance (PM) can cut your equipment repair bills by 25 percent. The Operation & Maintenance Manual that comes with every machine outlines the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule. Take it seriously. But if you’re operating in challenging weather or site conditions, know that it may be necessary to perform some PM more frequently. Your equipment dealer can help you determine the right schedule for your application.

3. Eliminate idle time.

Typically when we talk idle time, we talk fuel savings. But cutting fuel costs isn’t the only benefit. Idling puts more (unproductive) hours on a machine’s engine, causing components to wear out more quickly. Reducing it helps you keep repairs on schedule so you can keep costs and downtime in line. To put a stop to excessive idle time, start with your operators — a quick training session can go a long way toward changing behavior. You can also take advantage of features like auto-idle technology, which automatically reduces engine rpm to idle rpm or below, or auto shutdown systems, which power down a machine if it’s been idling for a preset amount of time. And don’t forget the telematics, which can help you track idle time and your progress toward eliminating it.