Author: MaintenX

Plumbing problems can affect other systems in your facility. If you are noticing increased clogs, it may be a sign of a much bigger problem. Clogged drains could be a sign of poor pressure, which could lead to backflow problems and even a contamination of water, but it could also mean there are problems in the pipes themselves. If you have hard water, containing a lot of calcium and magnesium, it could cause buildup in your pipes that even the strongest drain cleaners cannot help.

If the problems get too big to handle, it is time to bring in the experts. One option for removing debris and build up is the process of hydro jetting. Hydro jetting works by using high pressure water to force the problem out of the pipes. The pressure it so great that it can force out about 20 gallons of water per minute. Your expert will be able to examine the area prior to determining if this treatment option is right for you. If your pipes are infiltrated due to damage then another approach will be to be taken, but if it is simply buildup hydro jetting may be the perfect option for you.

Does your facility require backflow prevention? Backflow might be a foreign term to you as a facility owner or manager; it refers to water in your pipes flowing back into the city’s water supply, which can lead to contamination. The water should run in one direction, from the point of origin to the destination, but in certain situations, like low pressure, it doesn’t happen. Facilities and private residences need to have testing done by a county-approved evaluator. 

All facilities that require backflow assembly must get annual tests. A list of facilities in Tampa that may need to set up backflow testing and services can be found here: Tampa code of ordinances. Facility owners are responsible for repairing or replacing any backflow preventers that fail to meet performance standards; this also goes for private residences. The certified tester will test your equipment and report to the county so that your duty is completely fulfilled. Should equipment need repair, MaintenX is a one-stop shop.

MaintenX is a certified tester of backflow and backflow assembly for Hillsborough county. We can replace equipment and report to the county. If you find yourself in need of backflow testing, give MaintenX a call. We are always here to help.

Employees are more likely to be satisfied when their day can run smoothly. Hiccups like equipment failure can throw a wrench into their daily tasks and prevent employees from doing a good job and finishing the day strong and in a great mood. Adopting a preventative maintenance strategy can avoid these situations, putting your team in a position to succeed.

Set Up A System

Using something like CMMS makes preventative maintenance a breeze. It allows for communication with employees in the field who may require assistance, or even something as small as letting you know a project has been completed. Communication is key. Employees tend to be more satisfied if lines of communication are open and well-used.

Get Feedback

Talk to your employees about the systems in place. They’re the users, so getting to know what they like and dislike can increase satisfaction by letting them know you care, but it can also help operations run more smoothly.

Make Change

Just as important as listening and adapting is making a plan of action to ensure employees are satisfied. Is preventative maintenance being performed in a timely manner? Can some of the more time-consuming tasks be moved around? Employees who are happy and satisfied are employees who stick around. Great management leads to great employee success.

Estimating the number of hours you will need to have staff onboard for facility maintenance can seem like a daunting task. How will you know if and when you will need the help? Like any business, the bottom line is profit and you don’t want to waste on unnecessary man hours. So how do you know what you will need? 

Typically, a business will have some sort of log for facility maintenance. Oftentimes now, businesses turn to a CMMS system to organize procedures, preventative maintenance, and emergency repairs. With information like this at your fingertips, it can be a lot easier to look at trends and figure out how much manpower you will need for facility maintenance from month to month. If you log your maintenance the old-fashioned way, the process can take a lot longer and be quite stressful during the planning phase. 

To plan without a CMMS, you need to look at what jobs are most important and how long they will take. What type of employees can handle these jobs? Will any employee be able to do smaller tasks, or will you need someone with special skills to carry them out? If you have maintenance that you are unfamiliar with, do a little research to find out how long it will take to complete the jobs. Look at past months’ trends; have you had more or less repairs and why? Gathering a little information before deciding on how many hours you’ll need can help you strategize better and save you money month to month.

Business owners tend to think that hiring contractors will save them money as opposed to having full-time employees. There are pros and cons to both options.

Contractors run businesses of their own. If you think you’ll get them cheap, think again; the savings that most people think of when they talk about hiring contractors is in taxes, payroll, retirement, healthcare – administrative costs and employee benefits. You avoid those with contractors, but does this really save money in the long run?

Having full-time workers may cost extra, but what about the consistency that you get from having a loyal, dependable workforce? Having your own employees means they are vested in the company and there to help you succeed, whereas someone who is contracted will do only what you paid them for and be on their way.

Ask yourself what you really need out of your employees. If what you need is quick and doesn’t require much thought or skill then contracting is the way to go, but if you need someone to be there when the going gets tough and work through obstacles, then maybe a full time employee is worth it in the long run. 

Preventative maintenance is too often overlooked. People tend to think of it as an unnecessary expense, but it’s not. An easy way to look at maintenance is to think in terms of offense and defense. Staying on the offense keeps you in the game and scoring, but always being on defense leaves other companies more likely to score, or in a business sense, make money.

Preventative maintenance can save money. You invest a little time and money into keeping your equipment running and it is less likely to break down. With less downtime and less costly repairs, the company saves money and resources. This plan of action can also extend the life of equipment. The only downside to this approach is higher operating costs. 

Corrective maintenance also has its advantages and disadvantages. When taking a corrective approach there is less planning, as you wait for something to go wrong before you decide on a course of action. Less upfront costs to worry about. This process is much less complicated to understand and manage since there is nothing to do but react when problems arise. Disadvantages to this approach include unpredictability and long downtime. Long-term, this approach can be costly because if small things break and aren’t fixed it can lead to larger and more costly repairs down the road. 

For whatever approach, MaintenX is here to help. 

You might be wondering what centralized or decentralized maintenance management means. Unless you have built a business or are currently running one, you may not have heard these terms before. If you are looking at building a business or going into management, then it may be worth your while to take a look at the types of management.

Centralized management is better suited for smaller companies. All of the decisions and management come from just a few people at the head of the business. This can make it a little easier when the amount of people being managed is small – that way there aren’t too many hands in the candy bowl and less confusion results. Changes made in the company tend to be more consistent and easier to follow for employees. On the downside, this type of management can mean that it takes longer to make changes because the few people responsible may already have a lot going on. Sometimes having extra people whose main focus is to manage makes things happen in a timelier fashion, but if the business is small then it usually isn’t necessary.

Decentralized management fits bigger business. The higher-ups have the resources to hire middle to low management, and this may make change and maintenance happen faster. With extra faces around to help you, you’re sure put fires out quickly. Typically, these types of managers have a strong rapport with staff and will listen to suggestions and ideas that they bring to the table. Sometimes this type of management can get a little confusing when managers have conflicting ideas. This could be a downfall for this type of management as it can leave employees frustrated and not knowing what exactly to do. 

Both types of management have their pros and cons, but there is a place for each of them. If you are looking for ways to manage your maintenance then contact MaintenX today, we are here to help.

Training your maintenance staff properly is very important in keeping your business running smoothly. Staff must know what you expect of them and how to do it. Developing a training system can be quite complex, so you need to go in with the right strategy. 

Develop clear goals

Employees work better when they know exactly what is expected of them. The point of training employees is to ensure they have all the knowledge and tools to be successful at their job. Making sure the employee understands what their day will entail gives them confidence in completing their tasks. Many employers have new employees shadow seasoned employees for a few days so that they can see what being an employee at your facility is like. This gives new hires a chance to ask questions and watch someone else do what they are soon going to be expected to do. Sometimes this even weeds out people who may not be as interested as they thought they would be in the position they are seeking. 

Understand where training is needed

Sometimes the areas of need for training aren’t obvious. Take some time to talk to employees to see what areas of their job could be improved, and which are the most important. Observing employees can also identify areas that need improvement. Another opportunity to learn where training is needed is to ask employees for their input. A questionnaire can be a simple way to receive suggestions from staff in areas where they think training can be improved.

Invest in consistent training

Employees are always trained as new hires but having training throughout the year can help renew motivation and relearn rusty skills. Mandatory training days a few times yearly ensures employees are up to date. This also gives employees a chance to ask questions or give feedback. Keeping employees informed and on task is not only an investment in their career but in your business as well. 

Florida has changed the law on vaping indoors in the workplace. As of July 1, 2019, the use of e-cigarettes in the workplace is no longer allowed under the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act. (FCIAA) Although vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes, there is still much research yet to be done about its health effects. 

But aside from your employees, what does this mean for your facility? Much like smoking cigarettes, vaping can leave a residue on walls and surfaces. Employees may also spill the contents of the vapor cartridges onto surfaces, contaminating them with nicotine. Resale value declines when it is known that buildings or equipment have been exposed to sources of nicotine. 

Not only will your facility stay cleaner, but employees stay healthier! Employees who do not use nicotine products no longer have to be exposed to vaping going on around them. This is a huge win not only for a cleaner facility but for cleaner air for those who do not partake in these activities. 

It is no secret that in Florida the weather can change at a moment’s notice. One minute it is 90 degrees and sunny, then the next minute the clouds and thunder roll in. Sometimes these storms are over in 20 minutes, but other times they turn into much more. 

Hurricane season began June 1 and ends the 30th of November. Businesses must plan for inclement weather; how will you keep in touch with your employees should business need to close for a few days? What happens if there is damage to equipment? Can you operate or will you need to shut down for repairs? Recovery after a devastating storm is just as important to plan for as the days leading up to the storm. All employees should be clear on what is expected of them prior to, during, and after a storm. Having a way to communicate with employees is important. Do you have a call list, an email list or an app that can keep lines of communication open? Is there anything at the office that must be removed prior to closure? Do you have a backup system for all sensitive information in case of severe damage to your office?

In the event that business cannot operate, you will need a plan of action. Look into if employees can work from home or if there is a space you can occupy while your office gets back on track. It is also a good idea to take a look at your insurance policies and find out what is covered should you have water damage. What will be replaced by insurance and what will you need to pay out of pocket to replace?

There are a lot of variables when it comes to severe weather. The best course of action is to plan well before hurricane season to keep recovery times at minimum.