Category: Facilities Management

The world of facility management is a fast-changing one. For example, many facility managers are now beginning to move from preventive maintenance to a predictive maintenance model. New and powerful software, sensor technology, and an expanding Internet of Things (IoT) have all led to new ways to precisely monitor facility metrics at an affordable price.

Below are some of the new technologies used in predictive maintenance:

Power System Assessment

Power System Assessments are done by licensed electrical engineers. They involve visual inspections of a facility’s power system. Flaws, corrosion, hazards, or system weaknesses are identified so facility managers can deal with these issues before they cause a problem.

Online Temperature Monitoring

Online Temperature Monitoring gives facility managers 24/7 access to critical systems. It evaluates the current condition of facility assets and can even detect problematic irregularities before they get out of hand.

Circuit Monitor Analysis

Circuit monitors record relevant voltage and power data. They help facility managers recognize where hazardous sags and swells occur in the system.

Intelligent Protective Devices

Monitoring of circuit breakers provides facility managers with accurate, real-time data, such as:

• Identification and position
• Number of operations
• Cumulative interrupted currents
• Operating times
• Charging time
• Travel-time curve
• Excess closing energy
• Wear of contacts

Motor control centers can be checked for:

• Motor current and power
• Thermal capacity
• Line currents
• Average current
• Ground current
• Motor temperature
• Current phase imbalance
• Voltage frequency
• Line to line voltage
• Line voltage imbalance

To learn more about maintenance solutions, call MaintenX today!

While durability is always a factor when choosing a flooring material for your facility, it’s an absolute must for high-traffic areas. Below are some of the most durable facility flooring materials:

Terrazzo

Terrazzo is durable and relatively inexpensive, but it’s high in upfront costs. This material is best-suited for large, high-traffic areas where aesthetics are also a factor, such as transit hubs.

Quarry Tile

Quarry tile is the go-to option for commercial kitchens because it’s easy to clean and grease doesn’t stick to it. Quarry tile will have a long life if it’s installed correctly and is well-maintained.

Inexpensive and sturdy, quarry tile is a great low-cost option for kitchen and some construction floor applications.

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)

Generally speaking, LVT isn’t well-suited for industrial or commercial kitchen environments. It can, however, handle a lot of foot traffic, scrapes, scratches, scuffs and spills. This is why it’s a good option for offices, hospitals and schools.

Epoxy

Epoxy flooring is designed for durability—IF properly installed. If putting it over concrete, the surface of the floor should be thoroughly cleaned and ensuring that all cracks are patched with urethane before applying the epoxy coating. If these steps aren’t taken before applying the epoxy, it is much more likely to peel or chip early. Epoxy’s maintenance needs include daily sweeping and occasional deep cleanings. These small measures should help keep your epoxy flooring looking like new for years to come.

Want to know more about facility flooring options? Call MaintenX today!

These days, it seems as if anything and everything can be printed on a 3-D printer. The applications of this technology are indeed mind-boggling. 3D printing seems to be the future of making things, from artificial organs to guns to miniature versions of famous sculptures. 3-D printing is poised to change the way we look at the world, medicine, art, and ourselves, and it’s becoming increasingly affordable. You can now print things at home in your spare time with a couple hundred dollars and a little bit of computer programming know-how. But what are the potential risks involved? Read on to find out. 

Plastic Worries

3D printers work by melting plastic “beads” or “threads” and then compounding tiny layers of material to form whatever object is to be created. The two main components used today are acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and polylactic acid (PLA).

Experiments conducted with these materials have found:

• Some 3-D printers can create high levels of known carcinogens
• ABS filaments produce possibly dangerous particulate emissions
• Possibly dangerous emissions have been found in both ABS and PLA devices
• Over time, emissions increase with both materials, as the printing devices age

Safety First

These finding could be enough to cause you to worry about continued usage of your 3D printer. But a few possible precautions may be helpful in avoiding harmful consequences:

• Place 3D printers in a well-ventilated space to reduce exposure to particle emissions
• Select 3D printers with built-in ventilation systems.

This is a new and developing technology. If you are interested or currently using 3-D printers, make sure you stay updated on new research as it develops to make sure you use this powerful technology in the safest way possible.

Roofing systems have limited lifespans which vary depending on climate, exposure to the elements, build type, and installation method. Regardless, however, all roofs need regular inspections and routine maintenance to ensure a long, healthy life. Appropriate care and maintenance can prolong the life of a roof for years to come. 

Know the Basics

It is essential to understand that your facility’s roof is made up of more than just shingles. Your facility’s roof includes many working parts, including mechanical and electrical equipment, roof drainage equipment, and rooftop communication equipment, just to mention a few components.

Collect Data

Good roof management begins with taking an inventory of the current state of the roof. Firstly, you should know the number, size, age, and maintenance history of the roof.

Collect the following data:

• Contractor and manufacturer warranty information
• Maintenance and repair data
• Changes or upgrades
• Records of work performed

Facility Management Software

Facility management software programs that store and update this information will be very helpful. These specialized software systems allow you to track the complete cost of managing and maintaining your roof and other maintenance task over time. Many large facilities have multiple roof sections of many sizes, types, and ages. Different roof construction projects with varying levels of warranty and materials can become confusing and overly complicated over time without proper record keeping.

Want to know more about making the best of your roof’s life? Call the experts at MaintenX today!

Mold has always presented a problem for facility managers; fueling this concern is the increasing fear that facilities are breeding grounds for what has been called “toxic mold”. Despite the hype, though, researchers have found slim evidence that links mold found in facilities to human harm.

That being said, mold in your facility should not be taken lightly. Molds can cause allergic reactions and respiratory illness that can quickly become serious and lead to long-term problems. The existence of mold can even create structural problems in your facility that, if unaddressed, can create even costlier problems.

The Hype

It’s understandable that people are fearful of mold. After all, some types of mold can cause serious illnesses. Despite the stories going around the water cooler, however, indoor air quality isn’t much affected by most common strains of mold found in buildings.

That doesn’t, however, mean that mold is nothing to worry about. Mold can cause respiratory conditions like asthma, for example, which has received scrutiny because of the increasing incidence of the condition in children across the country. There is no consensus as to the cause, but long-term exposure to mold could make a person more sensitive to mold and other allergens.

No matter what the cause, you should have a licensed professional survey your facilities in the case of mold damage.

Want to know more about mold and its effects? Contact the maintenance experts at MaintenX today!

Follow these tips to get the most out of your emergency preparedness action plan.

Communication is Key

Make sure to have a clear and concise communication strategy for facility occupants. This could be as simple as an email list or regular newsletter. Through this channel, you can communicate any relevant warnings if an emergency situation presents itself. By taking this simple step, you ensure your facility’s staff and occupants have the vital information they need at the moment they need it. This will keep occupants safe and give you peace of mind. 

If you don’t already have one—and you should—make a detailed, thorough risk assessment and emergency scenario plan for all emergency situations that are relevant to your facility’s surroundings, climate, and industry-specific risks.

Some examples of what you may need to plan for:

• Hurricane
• Flood
• Power Outage
• Fire
• Chemical Spill
• Active Shooter
• Serious equipment malfunction
• Winter Storm
• Tornado
• Industrial accident

Make sure everyone in the facility is aware of and familiar with each of your emergency plans.

Prepare for the Worst

When an emergency arises, make sure you have a plan to evacuate all facility occupants. If this is not possible, make sure to have enough non-perishable foods, water bottles, and basic toiletries to keep everyone in your facility safe and healthy during an emergency that prevents them from leaving the building for an extended period.

When funds are running low, the list of postponed repairs and maintenance can grow quickly. Although it might make short-term financial sense, deferring maintenance will always cost you dearly in the long run.

What is Deferred Maintenance?

Deferred Maintenance is maintenance, improvements, or repairs that are postponed. In order to understand your deferred maintenance situation:

• Identify the reason maintenance was deferred
• Understand the scope of the problem
• Know your exposure if unmaintained equipment breaks down
• Prioritize projects to allocate what maintenance funding you do have
• Perform preventive maintenance and repairs on time to avoid project backlogs

Though it’s usually a funding shortfall, there are other reasons maintenance can be deferred:

• Lack of maintenance staff
• Unknowledgeable personnel
• Effects of maintenance on normal facility operations
• The needed parts are unavailable

Regular maintenance is a key factor in guaranteeing optimum facility efficiency and your employees’ health and wellbeing. Such maintenance also lowers the cost of large maintenance projects by reducing their number and severity.

When facility assets are not taken care of, they wear out early and then need to be repaired or replaced prematurely. To maximize the life of your assets, you must perform regular maintenance. Otherwise, you risk costly replacements and even costlier unscheduled downtime.

Want to know more about deferred maintenance? Call the maintenance experts at MaintenX today!