Author: MaintenX

Green Bathrooms

With everything going “green” these days, it’s no surprise that bathrooms are on the short list of places to update for energy efficiency. The fact of the matter is, we’ve just been doing it wrong for so long when it comes to these private quarters. In most metro areas, 20% of all energy and utility costs revolve around water – and what better place to save water than in the restroom? Here are 4 easy ways to make your bathroom green.

#1 – High Efficiency Faucets

Installing or retrofitting your faucets to include aerators will halve your water consumption almost immediately. Today’s aerators are designed reduce water use while keeping water pressure high; they don’t inconvenience hand-washers.

#2 – Low Flow Toilets

Nowadays, a lot of toilets are dual-flush, giving you the option of how much water to send down the pipe. If your building has toilets that aren’t dual- or low-flow, install converters to displace the tank water and fool the toilet into using less water.

#3 – Lighting

Most bathrooms are so brightly lit that they can be harsh. Use lighting fixtures sparingly, and install more mirrors. Let the mirrors do the work to expand the light’s permeation without adding wattage.

#4 – Automate Everything

Faucets, toilets, and lights can be automated (motion-activated, timed, etc.) to reduce the amount of energy and water used. Because faucets and lights can easily be left on, remove the possibility of superfluous use.

Your bathrooms are a very important part of your building and should be treated like any other space. These tips are just a few of the simple ways to help make your bathrooms green. For more information or for assistance starting your restroom project, call MaintenX for a consultation.

What are Cool Pavements?

Asphalt has been a staple of American infrastructure since the late 1800’s. Over the years, it has paved the way to new places – literally. It has shaped industry and big business, its cheap, durable nature making road construction easier and therefore facilitating the predominance of cars. The problem is, such ubiquitous asphalt coverage contributes to global warming and the urban heat island effect. Simply, asphalt absorbs a lot of heat because it’s thick, black, and has a lot of surface area in direct sun. Enter, cool pavements.

Cool pavement is a new technology, used to help reduce the heat that traditional pavement retains and emits. Cool pavements have a reflective surface, or clear coat, that reflects heat rather than absorbing it. Cool pavement stays cooler during the day, and doesn’t release heat at night, unlike traditional asphalt.

Here are the top benefits of cool pavement:

  • Energy savings and reduced emissions. Cool pavements lower the outside air temperature, allowing air conditioners to cool buildings with less energy and making walking around more comfortable. Cool pavements also save energy by reducing the need for electric street lighting at night.
  • Improved comfort and health. Cool pavements cool the city air, reducing heat-related illnesses, slowing the formation of smog, and making it more comfortable to be outside. Pedestrians, pets, and animals all benefit from cooler surfaces.
  • Improved air quality. By decreasing urban air temperatures, cool pavements can slow atmospheric chemical reactions that create smog.
  • Slowed climate change. Cool pavements decrease heat absorbed at the Earth’s surface and thus lower surface temperatures. This decrease can offset warming caused by greenhouse gases, and make cities less influential in warming their environs.

The next time you walk outside your building, look around and assess your parking lot. Think about how you can help bring positive change to your city and start a trend within the community. To find out more about cool pavement and how to upgrade your existing asphalt, call MaintenX today.

 

Planning and Scheduling Preventative Maintenance Inspections

Devising and executing a preventative maintenance plan is one of the best things that a facility manager can do to ensure that every system and piece of equipment in their facility is functioning properly. While they represent an ongoing cost, inspections and small fixes over time will always be less expensive than a sudden major breakdown. This prevents downtime and makes expenses predictable, allowing you to schedule upgrades and replacements at your own convenience.

The first step in developing a preventive maintenance plan is determining what systems and pieces of equipment need maintenance, and on what timetable. Certain items need more maintenance than others; for example, refrigeration equipment should be inspected monthly to every three months, depending on usage, whereas some plumbing constructs can go a few years without needing to be tested. Make an organized list containing every piece of equipment, its age, its service history, its service frequency, and its expected service life. This will not only help you manage your facility, it will greatly help whoever comes after you.

As a bonus, most types of preventative maintenance don’t require downtime, and thus can be done during the workday. For the ones that do, however, be sure to schedule them at a time that is convenient for management and employees.

MaintenX has helped many companies during more than 30 years in the industry plan and schedule the best preventive maintenance inspection plans. We want to do the same for you as well. Contact us today for more information.

New Building Care and Preventative Maintenance Tips

The role of a facility manager is an important one, and properly doing the job takes skill and experience. Having the right strategy for building care is one of the most valuable assets that a facility manager can have, and the key for developing this lies in knowing the right preventative maintenance tips.

The idea behind preventative maintenance is that it is more cost-effective and efficient to perform inspections and small fixes over time than to wait for equipment failure and repair on a contingent basis. This not only applies to machinery and commercial equipment, but also to facility systems, such as plumbing and HVAC. Preventative maintenance extends the service life of your systems, and makes your expenses predictable.

Building care is an important aspect of this, as the building itself requires regular cleaning and maintenance. Windows, doors, skylights, and all other entryways should be inspected semi-frequently and cleaned on the same schedule. It is normal for roofs and walls to have wear and tear, but holes and leaks are a major problem. Increase the frequency of inspections during the rainy seasons, when reliability is more necessary.

Preventative maintenance is the key to successfully managing any facility, so it is worth investing time into developing the right plan for your business. We at MaintenX excel at this and can help you every step of the way in every maintenance project that you plan to undergo. Contact us any time for more information.

Finding the Right General Contractor in Florida

When you as a business or home owner are looking for the right general contractor for your maintenance project, finding one that does good work for a reasonable price can be difficult. Research is the solution; doing your due diligence up front will ensure you work with the best company for your Florida business.

The first thing to do when looking for the right maintenance team is to get reviews and gather information about the work that each company has done. Get referrals from people in similar situations; those who have worked with a general contractor in the past have the best insights. Always interview at least three different companies before committing. When going to those interviews, know your specific needs so that you can receive the most precise estimate.

Don’t forget to ask about certifications, insurance, and credentials; while they don’t tell the whole story of a contractor, they are requisites.

At MaintenX, we don’t use contractors. Instead, we send our own self-performing technicians directly to your location, so work is done efficiently and cost-effectively. To learn more about our process and how we can assist you in any facility maintenance project, contact us anytime.

Energy-Efficiency Technologies We’re Excited for in 2018

Inventions are being made all the time, and right now is especially exciting. Developing technologies are sure to enhance an already booming green market, particularly in the field of energy-efficiency. These green technologies are sure to help businesses cut down on utility costs and become more sustainable.

There has been a push in recent years, which will only strengthen in 2018, to promote the use of renewable energy generation, particularly solar and wind. One such technology that is gaining momentum is piezoelectric flooring; material that collects kinetic energy when people walk on it. It may seem outlandish, but it is already generating notable amounts of energy in some places like the terrace of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Another is Azura, a device that generates power from ocean waves, which already supplies power to Hawaii’s electrical grid.

New innovations are being developed in water and electricity conservation as well. Many companies and even the U.S. Department of Energy are expanding their budgets to help research new ways to be sustainable.

As a facility management company, we’re excited for the opportunity to help others be more environmentally conscious and save money for power bills. Be sure to keep an eye out for these and other specific companies in 2018 and beyond.

Your Business’s Maintenance Checklist for the Beginning of Fall

Fall is a particularly busy time of year for many facility managers because of the work to be done in recovering from the summer and preparing for the winter. It is a good idea to organize and develop a list of tasks that need to be accomplished before the season is over to ensure that important tasks aren’t accidentally omitted. These are things that should be done in addition to your normal preventative maintenance plan.

Your HVAC system runs hardest over the summer and winter, as those seasons involve temperature extremes, so you want to be sure it’s in great shape. Take the time to do a thorough inspection and cleaning of every component. It’s worth it; you never want to be surprised by a failure when you need HVAC most. This concept also applies to roofs, doors, and windows, as the seals on them may have taken extra damage from rain and winds over the summer.

To prepare for winter, it is a good idea to prune the business’ landscaping. Smaller plants and shrubbery should be either wrapped or tucked away, and mulch spread out to prevent the ground from drying. Obviously, raking the leaves and cleaning of gutters is advised as well.

When it comes to fall or any other season, we at MaintenX have you covered for all of your maintenance needs. Contact us anytime to learn more about the services we offer and how we can serve you today!

How to Choose a Property Management Company

Choosing the right property management company for your business is an important decision. The best companies will be reliably punctual and do quality work, which is especially important when things go awry. While most companies offer similar services and competitive pricing, there are other factors to consider when choosing the right property management team for you.

Licensing and certifications are a must. Every facility management firm should have some qualifications, but the best will have multiple certifications that set them a cut above the rest. Look for the Certified Facility Manager label, granted by the International Facility Management Association, or equivalents. Asking for references and other properties they manage is also a fair strategy, much like asking a job applicant for a resume. Companies with more experience will proudly present them.

Reading reviews and gathering information about how a company performs business is also a key indicator of a great property management company. Most companies complicate the process by working through contractors, which slows down the work and usually results in higher costs.

MaintenX instead uses our own self-performing technicians. Our credentials and experience set us apart from other property management companies. To learn more about the specific services we offer, please feel free to contact us anytime.

How to Know if you’re Getting a Fair Price for HVAC Installations

Many companies perform installations for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Facility managers looking to replace or upgrade their business’s units must evaluate their options based on a variety of factors. While not all companies perform equally, it is also important to pay a fair price for the job that is being done.

The size of the facility matters because cost grows with square footage and duct length. The type of HVAC equipment that is being installed also plays a role, although more expensive does not always equate to higher installation costs. Ductwork installation can sharply raise the price, as it’s the hardest and most disruptive thing to install.

There is no “standard” price for HVAC installation, but you can usually tell when a contractor is trying to pull a fast one on you. Don’t just take anyone’s word; do some research and price comparison beforehand, and ask for references.

At MaintenX, we believe in honest dealings and fair pricing. That’s why you work with our own technicians rather than a contractor. To learn more about our process and to get a fair quote today for your HVAC installation, feel free to contact us anytime.

How to Test your Backflow Preventer

Every commercial and business facility must have a backflow prevention device in place to protect drinking water. Like any other kind of equipment, such a device must be well-maintained in order to perform its intended task. The key to ensuring this is testing your backflow preventer at least every year to three years, depending on the model.

There are different types of backflow preventers, so it is difficult to lay out a single way to test one. However, the basic idea is the same for every model. The water supply must be shut off as the test happens, so it is recommended to do it after hours.

Observe which direction water is flowing through the device, and gather the appropriate kinds and amount of test cocks and bushings. Shut off the downstream valve and wait several minutes and see if any problems arise. All test kit hoses come with instructions, so be sure to follow these to read results properly and attend to anything specific to your model.

We always recommend that a plumbing professional perform backflow preventer tests to minimize the risk of a misread or unintentional damage. Our trained technicians at MaintenX are the professionals for you, so give us a call when the time comes to test your backflow preventer.