Author: MaintenX

Natural disasters can strike with only a moment’s notice. It’s not a question of if but when a disaster will strike your facility, and you need to make sure you are prepared. With the Atlantic hurricane season starting on June 1, it’s important to stay in the know. Keep reading to learn how to protect yourself and cope with a hurricane by planning ahead so that you can protect your facility, your employees and lessen the financial impact of a disaster.

1. Have a Plan

It’s important to have a preparedness plan in the event a hurricane strikes. Disaster preparedness is all about creating an effective Disaster Preparation Plan to recover from a temporary disruption to business operations. After creating your plan, run through a drill with your team. This will give your staff familiarity with potential problems that can arise allowing for a more quick and efficient response time during a real hurricane.

2. Make a List of the Potential Things that Could Go Wrong

Making a list of potential disasters that could happen to your company can help prepare you for the worst a hurricane has to offer. Include emergencies that you will be warned about and ones that will occur unexpectedly. Think flooding, electrical outages, impassable streets and so on. Think about how these disasters can affect your employees, customers and business facility.

3. Disaster Mitigation

Disaster response and recovery can be limited by proper disaster mitigation. It is important to prepare your facility when there is a hurricane brewing. Install shutters that you can close to protect windows from damage caused by debris blown by strong winds. Other precautions include bolting tall bookcases or display cases to wall studs, securing breakable objects using hook-and- loop fasteners and installing latches to keep drawers and cabinets from flying open.

4. Disaster Recovery

Once the crisis is over, it’s time to get your company back in business as soon as possible. First, make an assessment of the damages. Consider short term recovery needs to get your business back up and running such as restoration of communications, alternative locations to continue to serve your customers and staffing schedules. Long term recovery will include filing claims with your insurance agent, replacing equipment and performing repairs.

Plumbing problems can be time-consuming and costly, not to mention a headache to handle. However, many of the most common plumbing issues can easily be prevented. Below is a list of the five most frequently occurring plumbing problems that arise, as well as tips to prevent them.

1. Sinks

Unsurprisingly, one of the most common issues when it comes to plumbing is sink blockages, especially in restaurant facilities. Drains can become clogged quite easily when waste and leftover food gets washed down the pipes. Add in grease, soap, and soda and you can quickly create a gunky mess that prevents water from flowing easily.

Solutions:

• Place a trash can next to the sink for convenient trash disposal.
• Install a screen or strainer to prevent waste from going down the drain.

2. Drains

Similarly, floor drains also can become clogged with debris and dirt quite easily. Trash, broken glass and even utensils are often washed down a floor drain when cleaning up a facility.

Solutions:

• Floor drains need to have a basket or strainer put in place to catch any waste that might get swept into the drain.
• Staff should be properly trained to clean up the facility, and the drain basket.

3. Plumbing Leaks

Plumbing leaks are most commonly caused by stuffing boxes and items under the sink for extra storage. These items oftentimes, unknowingly, push the pipework around and cause pipe or basket leaks. With the space utilized as storage, it also hides the leak, sometimes damaging boxes and goods.

Solutions:

• Find another location to safely store items.
• Hang a sign to prevent future storage in that location.

4. Toilets

Toilet problems account for a large number of work orders and service requests. The good thing for business owners, is there are a lot of solution for preventing these plumbing problems.

Solutions:

• Install low-flush toilets to reduce water usage.
• Use air dryers instead of paper towels in restrooms. This is more eco-friendly and prevents clogged toilets.
• Provide waste boxes for each female restroom stall and provide signage to not dispose of feminine products down the toilet.
• Change flappers every 18 months to prevent failure. This is only if the toilet does not have a flush valve.

5. Faucets

Small drips can still cost big dollars. Leaking faucets are a common problem that needs to be fixed right away, preventing your money from going straight down the drain.

Solutions:

• Fix water leaks and dripping taps sooner rather than later.
• Have a preventative maintenance plan in place to regularly check and replace washers. Dripping faucets are most commonly caused by an old washer that simply needs to be replaced.

Keeping your facility’s plumbing flowing smoothly is important. Preventing these plumbing problems can prevent you from throwing money down the toilet. For more help on solving plumbing problems, MaintenX is here. To learn more about our services, please call us at 855-751- 0075.

An efficient air conditioning system in a business or commercial facility is not a luxury, but a requirement. Since your Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit is such an important commodity, it is imperative to maintain a properly working system for your customers and employees. Keeping you HVAC coils clean is one way to do this. By having your unit’s coils inspected and cleaned regularly, you will not only increase the quality of the air and the efficiency of the system, but also the amount of money in your wallet.

First and foremost, having clean coils ensures that the establishment’s air quality is maximized. Not only is a commercial establishment’s air temperature important to customers, but so is the quality of air flowing out of the vents. This clean air will improve occupants’ comfort drastically, which is a valuable result for any business or company.

Clean coils also improve the efficiency of your HVAC unit. When the system is suffering from dirty coils, compressors are forced to run longer and work harder than is required. This increases your energy usage and also drastically increases the risk of your air conditioning system breaking down.

In addition to better air quality and a more efficient unit, cleaning your HVAC coils will also save you money. Dirty condenser and evaporator coils can increase a compressor’s energy consumption by 30 percent, which will mark a significant difference on your associated utility costs. It is a lot cheaper to schedule regular maintenance services than it is to pay for major repairs or replacements down the line.

How should you maintain your HVAC coils to ensure they are clean and working as efficiently as possible? Have your facility’s coils inspected and cleaned annually, or whenever necessary.

MaintenX can help by sending our own experienced technicians to make sure your air conditioning system is in perfect order all year-round. To learn more about the services we offer, please call us at 855–751- 0075.

We’d like to believe that the water we use is always safe. However, sometimes water can become polluted from water pressure shifts or one-way flow disruptions. When this happens, backflow can occur.

Backflow is the unwanted reversal of the flow of water from its intended direction in a pipe or plumbing system. The biggest problem with backflow is that it can allow drinking water to become contaminated and unusable. This unsafe water can also taint dishwashers, washing machines, sprinkler systems and toilet tanks, making it important for businesses and facilities to solve the issue quickly.

By ensuring your business or commercial building has the proper technology installed, you will prevent this common plumbing issue from occurring. Backflow preventers are mechanical plumbing devices that stop the water from flowing in the wrong direction. If a drop in water pressure occurs, the valve will open up and dump the potentially contaminated water. It’s important for businesses and facilities that have a potential backflow hazard to install the appropriate backflow prevention technology.

Another important solution for potential backflow hazards is to have the plumbing system and backflow prevention technology tested annually by a certified plumbing or facility management company. These annual check-ins will ensure you have the proper devices installed and that they are up to code. Scheduling this inspection will also allow any needed repairs to be resolved beforehand, preventing the backflow from happening in the first place.

Backflow can be a major problem for any company’s plumbing system. However, it can be easily prevented through modern technology and simple solutions. It is important to ensure that these systems are in place for your business or facility, and to have your system tested annually. To learn more about backflow prevention and how MaintenX’s skilled technicians can help, please call us at 855–751- 0075.

You might be used to thinking of maintenance as something that happens as a result of equipment failure. However, regularly scheduled maintenance, known as preventative maintenance, can ensure your facility and the equipment inside it continue to work at peak efficiency.

Preventative maintenance is a strategically designed maintenance program that involves performing monthly, quarterly or yearly upkeep on a facility to lessen the likelihood of malfunction. These routine checks to your company’s Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, plumbing and other operational equipment can decrease the need to troubleshoot problems as they occur. Although there is a lot of merit to this approach, many businesses don’t see the need for these preventative tactics. Here are a few things that take place when you don’t regularly schedule preventative maintenance.

1. Your Equipment Works Harder

When you don’t schedule regular maintenance for your business, you can wind up straining your equipment without even realizing it, and this can lead to a lot of problems. When your equipment isn’t performing at peak efficiency, the system will have to work overtime to complete normal tasks. In turn, the unit will run harder and take longer to recover, meaning it will burn more energy overall. Regularly scheduled maintenance, such as air filter changes, cleaning A/C coils and water-jetting, will make sure your equipment doesn’t work under capacity.

2. Your Company Has More Downtime

A company depends on its operational equipment to work efficiently in order to produce and provide customers with products and services. When things start to breakdown, not only are you unable to keep up with the demand, your business operation can go fall apart. When crucial equipment malfunctions, down time during the work day is a negative consequence. This lack of productivity can seriously harm a business, and can easily be prevented with a preventative maintenance plan.

3. You Spend More Money

Having to replace an entire piece of equipment comes with a much larger price tag than regularly scheduled maintenance. Not to mention, equipment that inefficiently uses more energy increases electric bills and unplanned downtime hurts production and your bottom line.

As you can see, there are several negative things that can occur when you don’t regularly schedule preventative maintenance. Don’t wait till your equipment breaks to seek out service. You need to take action to prevent these breakdowns from happening in the first place to ensure nothing goes awry with your business operation. If you are looking to schedule preventative maintenance today, the experienced and skilled technicians at MaintenX are here to help. To learn more about the services we offer and how we can help you find the best preventative maintenance plan for you, please call us at 855–751- 0075.

Facility management is an important part of maintaining a business. It not only prevents equipment failures, but it also ensures the safety and efficiency of all employees in the facility. A company can rely on corrective maintenance, which fixes a problem once it takes place. However, preventing system failures and machinery malfunctions before they become major headaches with a proper scheduling system can save time, money and your business.

Regularly scheduled facility maintenance is important for the safety of your employees. Ensuring a company is prepared for an emergency situation and that all emergency equipment is in working order is crucial. For example, you should have a maintenance plan for smoke detectors, fire extinguisher, and sprinkler systems, so that if a fire does break out, it can be quickly put out with minimal damage.

When it comes to making sure your facility is in tip-top shape, it’s better to be proactive than reactive. Scheduling regular maintenance appointments to prevent machines from breaking down and equipment from failing helps your company’s bottom line. Failed equipment can lead to downtime, wasting time and money. Although a maintenance schedule may seem like a bigger investment initially, the costs of upkeep are significantly less than the cost of repair or replacement of a major piece of equipment, like an AC unit.

At MaintenX, we believe in saving a facility time, money, and minimizing the risk of injury to an employee. Installing a proper scheduling system for facility management can go a long way towards accomplishing these goals. To learn more about the services we offer and how we can help your business develop a maintenance schedule that works for you, please call us at 855-751-0075.

A company’s energy bill is often overlooked when it comes to reducing expenses. However, whether you work at a major corporation or a small business, there are dozens of ways to save on your energy bill. Below are some big and small ways you save energy and reduce expense:

Light and Device Saving Tips

• Turn off lights when they are not in use, and encourage your employees to follow suit.
• Replace standard light bulbs with energy saving fixtures, such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. Not only will these conserve energy, they also last up to 10 times as long.
• Steal some free lighting from the sun. By opening up the blinds and relying on natural sunlight, you can turn off the bulbs and lower your energy bill.
• Install occupancy sensors in offices, conference rooms, and bathrooms. Energy will only be used when people are in the room.
• When computers and other electronic devices are not being used, turn them on sleep mode or shut them off altogether. Screen savers continue to draw power and use energy.

Heating and Cooling Tips

• Replace your Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit’s air filters quarterly or even once a month. Dirty filters cause the system to work harder (costing you more money) and result in lower air quality.
• Ensure that windows and doors are properly sealed to keep air conditioning in.
• Have a preventative maintenance plan in place and schedule annual tune-ups for your company’s HVAC unit.
• Leave your thermostat at a constant temperature overnight. Contrary to popular belief, turning off the air conditioning overnight actually wastes more energy when the unit has to work twice as hard the following morning to pull all of that hot air back out of the facility.
• Replace older units with Energy Star rated units.

Water Saving Tips

• Install a water reclamation system to gather rainwater for landscaping.
• Put in green features, such as low-flow and low-flush, to reduce the amount of water used.
• Look into sensor-operated fixtures that turn on and off automatically.
• Ensure there are no drips or leaks in the plumbing.
• Invest in a new, eco-friendly water heater. If possible, consider tankless water heaters to reduce storage space and waste.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways for a company or business to cut down on unnecessary energy usage. To learn more about energy saving tips and how the skillful team at MaintenX can help, please call us at 855-751- 0075.

A company’s physical environment – whether it is a retail space, restaurant or office building – says a lot about how who your company is and how it operates. Facility management keeps spaces in proper operating conditions through routine and scheduled maintenance. A well- maintained facility creates a safe working environment, reduces energy output costs, and makes all business functions run smoothly and efficiently.

A strong facilities management program can include janitorial duties and floor maintenance inside, and proper landscaping and snow removal outside. These services can help attract and retain customers.

Proper facility management also ensures the premises is safe. The regularly scheduled care and upkeep of a company help employees and clients safe. The cleaning and replacement of equipment and utility systems keep the facility running smoothly. Additional facility management services include replacing air filters to guarantee better air quality, cleaning the coils in Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units, and water jetting plumbing to prevent clogs.

Finally, facility management can help prevent equipment failures through preventative maintenance. When your critical systems stop working, it can be costly and troublesome to fix. Proper preventative maintenance can prevent these extra expenses and limit the amount of downtime for your business.

Facility management is a very important aspect of any business or organization. When someone is in charge of managing the safety, security, and regular maintenance of the building and equipment of a business, you’ll find that safety for all increases, while repair costs and injuries decrease. To learn more about facility maintenance and how MaintenX can use our expertise and experience in this industry to help maximize your facility, please call us at 855-751- 0075.

Hiring a general contractor (GC) to help with a construction project is a smart way to ensure the project goes smoothly and efficiently. A general contractor is typically responsible for day-to-day oversight of the project, as well as quality control. Hiring the right GC is an important decision, so how can you be sure you are hiring the one who is the perfect fit for your project?

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Do Your Research

First and foremost, you’ll want to make sure your GC is properly licensed and insured. In addition, you’ll want to find individuals who have experience with your specific type of project. Finding references and analyzing previously-completed projects can also be extremely beneficial. Make sure to talk with family, friends, and neighbors for recommendations too.

2. Conduct your own Interviews

After gathering a list of potential GCs, make a call to each of the prospects to talk to them personally. Ask questions like, “Have you completed projects of this size before?” “What is your experience with these kinds of projects?” “How long have you been working with your subcontractors and technicians?” The answers to these questions will help you determine the company’s reliability, expertise, and commitment to the job.

3. Ask for References

Ask your potential contractors for a list of previous clients. Reach out to these references and ask about the contractor’s service performance, quality, and timeliness. This is your opportunity to find out about the contractor’s characteristics firsthand.

4. Compare Bids

Ask all of your potential hires to break down the cost of the project. Compare the bids, and see how they would spend money on materials, labor, and other expenses. But don’t let the lower price be your only guide in the decision-making process. A lowball bid can mean the contractor is cutting corners or is desperate for work, neither of which are encouraging.

5. Put it in Writing

Sign a proposal before any work starts. Make sure to outline a contract that details every step of the project— cost, payment schedule, a projected start and end date, proof of liability insurance and a requirement for the contractor to get lien releases from his subcontractors (This will protect you if the contractor doesn’t pay his own bills.)

If you are currently searching for a general contractor for your construction or renovation project, keep MaintenX in mind. We have the expertise and organization to ensure your project goes smoothly and efficiently. To learn more about us and the services we offer, please call 855-751-0075.

In an effort to help preserve the environment, many building designers and architects are going green and incorporating ways to conserve energy in new construction projects. This practice, known as sustainable building design, is a trend that is on the rise and has the potential to improve your company’s profits. Green construction offers eco-friendly solutions to decrease energy consumption and improve the environment.

Here are a few trends in sustainable building design:

Many architects are incorporating alternative methods of generating energy into their building designs – such as solar panels and windmills. Using these renewable forms of energy, you can cut down on power use, reducing your power bills. Natural insulations and eco-friendly concrete alternatives are also large-scale changes that can help your building project go green.

In addition, you can take a number of smaller steps to make your operation more energy efficient. For example, new appliances are getting better – and many are getting closer to net-zero energy use. Whether you install eco-friendly refrigerators, washing machines or dishwashers, these products help conserve energy consumption. Self-adjusting thermostats can also save a business or homeowner on heating and cooling use and keep more money in your wallet.

Water efficiency can also help with sustainable building design. Installing low-flow water fixtures in bathrooms can reduce water consumption dramatically. Water reclamation systems allow a home or business owner to gather rainwater for use on the property. Drip irrigation systems deliver water directly to the roots of plants, rather than wasting it above the surface. These solutions for water efficiency continue to conserve and reuse water and are in high demand.

Sustainable building design is an increasingly popular practice for both businesses and homes alike. The demand for green building is on the rise and clients are clamoring for low energy use solutions in new construction. To learn more about these kinds of eco-friendly solutions and the maintenance services MaintenX offers, please call us at 855-751- 0075.