Category: Property Management

Five Preventative Maintenance Services for Your Backup Generator

Backup generators are necessary for most businesses in Florida. In addition to facilities where they are required, such as hospitals and nursing facilities, they are also common for retail and other commercial applications due to our prevalent hurricane seasons. With any luck, you won’t need to use your backup generator over the summer. However, it is important to keep up with preventative maintenance to ensure if you do need it, your backup generator is ready.

Below are the five services your technician will perform during regular preventative maintenance tune-ups for your generator:

  • General inspection – Prior to any maintenance service, your technician will perform a general inspection to look for mechanical issues in the exhaust, fuel, air intake, and other systems. Because backup generators are not typically in use, mechanical defects may develop over time without anyone noticing. An annual inspection and frequent tune-ups are therefore necessary to ensure that when you need your generator, it is in tip-top shape.
  • Lubrication – Just like any motor, lubrication is essential to ensure proper running. Because backup generators stay dormant for most of their service life, lubrication is essential to ensure the parts do not rust or stiffen over time. Your preventative maintenance will most likely include an oil change and lubrication of essential parts.
  • Check coolant level – Just like your HVAC system, your generator needs to be inspected to ensure it has proper coolant levels. During your inspections, your technician may top off the coolant and check the radiator for mechanical problems.
  • Check air intake and fuel service – The air intake and fuel systems can develop condensation over time, and need to be drained as well as checked for mechanical errors on a regular basis.
  • Electrical safety check – Your generator’s electrical system should be tested often and fully inspected annually to detect shorts, issues with the battery, and other potential issues. Electrical issues can not only leave you stranded in the event of an outage but can be just as dangerous as electrical problems within the facility itself.

Hurricane season isn’t over yet, which means it’s time to schedule your annual generator checkup if you haven’t already. To find out when and how to set up generator maintenance soon, contact your local MaintenX office.

What To Do After A Facility Fire: How To Help Your Business Recover

Building fires are a business owner’s worst fear realized. They are a terrible disaster that causes harm to your employees, patrons, and to the business you’ve worked so hard to build. While insurance can help you receive financial losses, there are intangible losses that even the best policies can’t cover.

While a building fire can be catastrophic, it doesn’t have to be the end of your flourishing business. Below are the best strategies to implement immediately after a fire to help your business have a speedy recovery:

Turn off utilities. 

Until the building can be professionally inspected, it’s best to play it safe and turn off all utilities including electric, gas, and water. Fires can cause serious mechanical and electrical damage to a facility which poses risks for further damage. By removing these hazards completely, you can be sure your fire damage stays at a minimum.

Collect as much documentation as possible. 

Once the building has been cleared, try to recover as many documents as possible, including insurance policies, inventory records, business licenses, and employee documents. You will also want to organize documentation in relation to the fire, including police reports and insurance updates to ensure you can contact the right people for help.

Invest in security. 

A vacant building can be a target for theft and vandalism if not properly attended. You can invest in private security as well as request an increased police presence after the fire. Many police departments will be happy to check on your block in the weeks after the fire to prevent unwanted intruders. However, private security including cameras or temporary fencing can also help you protect your building.

Move to a temporary location.

Even with an insurance payout, your business will be struggling financially after a fire. If possible, look for temporary locations for your facility if you are able to open quickly. Some business types such as food service and smaller retail locations may be able to open mobile units or rent out smaller facilities to keep the cash flow going while repairs are being made. Continuing online services and sales can also help you weather the storm until your storefront is repaired.

MaintenX is here to help after a fire with emergency maintenance services, repairs, and new installation for all commercial applications. If you have questions or need urgent help, contact us today.

Tips for Painting Brick

Exposed brick has become increasingly popular in restaurants, retail stores, and other boutique storefronts across the U.S. The rustic style can create the perfect ambiance for small businesses, but only if it is done properly. If the exposed brick is not properly cleaned and painted, it will simply look old and neglected rather than rustic and charming.

Painting brick can be a difficult task as it is porous and uneven. A simple paint roller won’t get into every crevice. While you can carefully go over every spot with a small paintbrush, there are easier ways to paint your brick that will save time and money.

If you want your brick to look professionally painted, follow these steps for success:

Clean and prime before painting. 

Exposed brick is the perfect place for dust to collect inside a commercial building. Prior to painting, be sure to scrub the brick with a gentle cleanser and wait to dry fully before priming. You may also want to strip old paint off the brick if there is any on it. Then, apply a latex primer to the entirety of the brick wall and let dry completely.

Choose the right paint. 

Latex paint or paint made for masonry is best for brick, as it will soak into the crevices more easily. Talk to the sales staff at your local home improvement store to ensure you have the right paint for this application. You can also use a brick stain if your brick is in good condition but you want to add a protective barrier or change the color slightly without covering the brick completely.

Use a paint sprayer.

The best method for painting brick is to use a paint sprayer, as this will coat the surface evenly and get into cracks and crevices without hassle. If possible, purchase a paint sprayer at your local home improvement store. If you can’t find a sprayer, be sure to use a roller made for textured surfaces to minimize the touchups needed.

MaintenX offers professional painting services for businesses across the U.S. If you want to revamp your storefront and improve the look of your brick, contact us for a hassle-free painting service!

How We Waterproof Flat Roofing

Flat roofing is very common for commercial applications. It is aesthetically pleasing, versatile, and allows for rooftop installations such as HVAC units and solar paneling. While flat roofing is popular for its design benefits, it can also be problematic. Flat roofing has a very slight slope which makes it easy for rainwater and debris to collect. If the roofing begins to sag, pools of water can collect and cause mold, mildew, and other water damage to your building. It can even seep into the interior of the building if left unattended.

Waterproofing is therefore essential for commercial flat roofing to prevent expensive repairs and potential health hazards within your building. At MaintenX, we use a variety of techniques to waterproof flat roofing and prevent sagging and other issues associated with flat roofs.

Single-ply waterproof membrane

Single-ply membranes are most common for commercial applications, as they are more affordable for large buildings which require a lot of coverage. Plastic fasteners or polyurethane adhesive is used to attach the membrane to the roof. This ensures that the membrane can withstand intense outdoor exposure without coming off. While this method is most common, it can come off more easily than membranes that are installed under the roofing or applied using a liquid method.

Reinforced Bitumen Membrane Waterproofing (RBM)

Bitumen membranes are more common for smaller commercial buildings and those converted from residential buildings, as it is a more lengthy installation process. This type of waterproofing involves layering bitumen across the roof and then installing a polyester coating to ensure water cannot penetrate beneath the roof.

Liquid Waterproofing

Liquid waterproofing is a less common but highly effective form of waterproofing used for flat roofing. Unlike membrane waterproofing, a liquid coating is applied like paint to the roof to completely seal it. While not as common, this type of waterproofing can last for 30 to 40 years with proper maintenance.

If you are looking to waterproof new construction or an existing commercial building, talk to your local MaintenX team today for more information!

The Best Backup Generator Brands for your Business

Choosing a backup generator for your business is an important part of designing your electrical system as a whole. The right backup generator or UPS system can help your business weather a storm, citywide power outage, or another natural disaster. If your company provides essential services such as food access, shelter, or medical care, you need to invest in a generator that can power you day or night.

MaintenX installs and provides preventative care for a variety of generator brands, but we recommend the best based on our clients’ individual needs and budgets. Below are some of the most common brands we recommend to clients for both small business and industrial needs:

Generac

Generac is the most popular generator brand for commercial applications. They offer a wide range of sizes, fuel options, and energy-efficient models to suit the need of every business and industrial site. Generac is the only brand on this list whose only focus is generators, so there’s no surprise that they provide some of the highest quality products on the market today.

Cummins

Cummins generators are focused on innovation to meet the ever-increasing demands of the commercial world. With most urban areas running 24/7, Cummins generators are made to power your business no matter what. Their signature Centrum series is also focused on energy efficiency and sustainability for the next generation of environmentally conscious generator brands.

Briggs and Straton

Briggs and Straton builds high-quality commercial generators for small businesses and office buildings. While not as large or powerful as some commercial generator brands, Briggs and Straton are ideal for the small business that wants to prepare for power outages on a reasonable budget.

Kubota

Kubota generators are top-notch backup and portable diesel generators that can be used for a wide range of industrial and commercial applications. The diesel engine provides plenty of power and is guaranteed to last you for years with minimal one-side maintenance required. If you’re looking for a reliable and compact generator for your small business, Kubota is the brand for you.

To learn more about backup generator brands and proper maintenance, contact your local MaintenX team today!

Stucco vs. Vinyl Siding – Which is Best for Your Business?

Small businesses typically have two types of siding for their building – stucco and vinyl. Stucco is an aggregate substance applied smoothly to exterior walls to create a visually appealing and durable exterior, while vinyl is installed in boards to achieve the same purpose. While vinyl siding is more common in residential building because of its affordability, there are some commercial applications in which vinyl is preferable.

Below we’ll discuss the various factors to consider when choosing vinyl vs. stucco for your commercial building. If you have further questions, ask your MaintenX contractor to determine which is best for your particular project:

Durability

Both vinyl and stucco siding is considered highly durable for exterior applications. Stucco is considered somewhat more impact-resistant; however, insulated vinyl is just as strong against weather and wind as most stucco applications.

Longevity

While both materials are durable, stucco is considered to have a much longer service life. Because it is directly applied, it can withstand for decades with minimal maintenance required. Vinyl siding, on the other hand, does best when replaced after 40 to 60 years as it will fade and deteriorate slowly.

Appearance

Most commercial buildings use stucco because of its clean, smooth appearance Vinyl siding is more common for residential use, and can therefore make your commercial building look more like a home if used. While this may be suitable for small commercial buildings or those that have been renovated from residential buildings, it can be a downside if you’re going for a certain look.

Cost

Stucco is significantly more expensive than vinyl, not only in material cost but in the extra hours it takes to install. While the upfront costs are significantly more with a stucco installation, it’s also important to factor in your ROI for stucco vs. vinyl. Stucco will last longer, which means your dollar will stretch further if you’re planning to own the property for many years. Stucco can also add to resale value for commercial properties as opposed to other siding options.

MaintenX offers stucco installation and exterior maintenance services to ensure your building looks and functions exceptionally regardless of weather or time. To learn more about your installation options, contact your local MaintenX team today!

How to Design a Better Retail Experience for Your Customers

For boutiques and small retailers who don’t have the support of a franchise or corporation, retail design can be a very tricky process. You must capture brand image, proper inventory, and an overall pleasant customer experience within a very small space. The more carefully you craft the customer journey, the better your retail space has a chance of surviving in your market. However, this is a difficult challenge to overcome, especially for local shops and first-time business owners.

The storefront and interior design of your retail store must be both aesthetically pleasing and functional for employees and customers. Overall, the design of the space should:

  • Maximize inventory capacity within displays
  • Reduce expenses by streamlining retail operations
  • Improve the overall customer experience while building brand image

However, in order to achieve these goals, you must think carefully about the way in which you display, order, and store your products to ensure your customer journey is well-articulated. Below are just a few ways you can transform your retail space and make it the best possible for your industry:

Use a cross-merchandising strategy

When choosing display orders and product placement, be sure to group similar items in a logical manner. For example, if you own a small clothing boutique, group by brand, clothing item, and by items that will complement each other well in an outfit. Or, if you own a music store, place your accessories near top-selling instruments to ensure each player can find exactly what they need for their instrument of choice.

Choose the right product quantity for displays. 

Product quantity should be determined not only by space but by volume of sales and aesthetics of product displays. You want your retail space to look full without being overcrowded. It’s also important to display smaller, affordable products in larger quantities to make them appealing as impromptu purchases.

Invest in lighting and daily maintenance.

Regardless of how you design them, your displays will look much better with ample lighting in a clean, sanitized space. Dirty floors or flickering, old lights will make your retail space seem outdated even if the products you sell are high-quality. By presenting a clean and inviting space, you’ll make customers feel more at home.

MaintenX helps make retail spaces even better with our preventative care and cleaning services available in 20+ states. We ensure your business is running smoothly so you can focus on what matters – your customers. To learn more about our retail maintenance services, contact your local MaintenX team today!

What is “SafetyX” at MaintenX?

MaintenX emphasizes safety above all of our other corporate values, and for good reason. The work we do is often dangerous even for trained professionals, so we believe that safety should always take first priority.

This is part of the reason why we employ a self-performing facility maintenance crew. We want our technicians to put their own safety first, without a middleman breathing down their neck for the sake of increased productivity. For when a job is well done and done safely, our customers and employees can both reap the benefits. We also want our technicians to be able to have full careers in their specialties, which isn’t possible if they experience worksite and repetitive injuries due to lax safety measures.

That is why we’ve employed SafetyX, a program dedicated to safety training and the instilling of workplace cultural values that prioritize worker safety above all else. The SafetyX program includes the following elements that help us maintain a positive work environment and a high level of performance for our clients:

Equipment Safety – MaintenX technicians are always ideally equipped to maximize their safety and protect the customer.

Training Safety – Consistent training and safety exams are required, and safety bonuses awarded by the company to all eligible field technician employees.

Standards of Safety – All contractors are held to the same level of safety standards and scrutiny.

Culture of Safety – We encourage our technicians to take their time on service calls and use all safety measures and tools at their disposal. By prioritizing safety over speed, we cultivate a culture of excellence where a job well done is possible every time.

SafetyX isn’t just important for our staff; it’s important to yours as well. When maintenance service is performed with the highest safety standards, there are fewer risks and liabilities for your facility and staff that come into contact with the job site. We also ensure that service requests are addressed at the root the first time so you don’t have to worry about repeat requests every year,

If you’d like to learn more about the MaintenX SafetyX program or our standards of service, contact us today!

Non-Medical Spaces in Medical Facilities That Need Extra Care

Medical facilities have the strictest codes and standards of hygiene among all other industries in the U.S. They must be nearly perfect to prevent the spread of disease and infection from patient to patient, and must do so on a daily basis. In order for a medical facility to meet this standard, they must employ a top-quality cleaning and maintenance program for the entire facility.

While cleaning standards for patient and procedure rooms are very specific and are likely handled by medical staff, non-medical spaces may not receive the same attention to detail. However, every inch of your medical facility is exposed to potential dangers, so it’s important to clean and maintain every area of your space, including these frequently missed places:

The front desk

Every patient who comes to your facility will touch the front desk to fill out forms, talk to the staff, and receive instructions for further care. This means that it is a prime space for germs to gather and be spread from patient to patient. Ideally, you could wipe down the front desk after every patient, but this isn’t typically practical. What you can do is make sure to wipe down the desk with disinfectant at every break or at least two times per day to be as proactive as possible.

Waiting rooms

Waiting rooms are a prime location for patients to spread germs among each other, especially if one does not know the cause of their illness. Since COVID-19, many medical facilities now take social distancing measures to prevent the spread of disease, but this is not always practical. Make sure to thoroughly clean seats, tables, coffee stations, and any other surface that a patient may touch at the end of each day.

Elevators

Elevators are used by every patient and staff member in your hospital. The shared buttons and close quarters make them an ideal place for the spread of disease. Make sure to wipe down elevator doors and buttons on a daily basis.

Cafeteria

Doctors and family members who are exposed to sick patients, as well as sick patients themselves, will all visit the cafeteria at some point. This means that tables, chairs, trays, cups, silverware, and every other surface touched by patients are fair game for the spread of germs. While many of these surfaces will be disinfected by the kitchen staff, it’s important to take time to clean things like seats, walls near tables, and other surfaces that are exposed on a daily basis.

Common bathrooms

Patient bathrooms are often cleaned thoroughly along with the rest of the patient room, but common restrooms in the lobby or cafeteria don’t always receive the same level of care and attention to detail. However, they are equally liable for the spread of germs. Be sure to disinfect regularly to keep your staff and patients safe.

MaintenX specializes in repair and maintenance for medical facilities across the U.S. If you are looking to improve your maintenance plan for the upcoming year, talk to us about preventative care and cleaning options with MaintenX.

Who is Responsible for Overseeing Commercial Repairs?

Leasing a commercial property causes anxiety for both tenant and owner. The owner can only know so much about a tenant before they move in, and are taking a risk that the management won’t honor the lease or take care of the property as their own. On the flip side, the tenants are putting their business’ storefront in another person’s hands. If the building equipment breaks down, has undetected problems, or is otherwise not as the lease described, they may be forced to solve the problems on their own or lose a significant investment in the building itself.

One of the primary causes of tension in commercial leases is repairs. Tenants are hesitant to report them for fear of liability, and owners are always worried about them happening unexpectedly at the tenant’s expense. The best way to ease this tension is by clearly laying out tenant and owner responsibilities in the commercial lease. This ensures that the tenant knows what repairs they are and are not responsible for and can confidently ask for maintenance service when they need it.

Tenant Responsibilities

Typically, tenants are responsible for any equipment they bring into the space and any part of the building that wears down with regular use. In most cases, anything that the landlord does not specify in the lease as their responsibility falls to the tenant. This may include:

  • Flooring cleaning and repairs that are caused by normal wear and tear
  • Paint or wallpaper retouching
  • Lighting issues not caused by the internal electrical structure
  • Bathroom and kitchen fixtures
  • Any equipment repairs related explicitly to the tenant’s operations
  • Any damages caused by employees or customers

Landlord responsibilities

Landlords need to be specific about the repairs and maintenance services they will cover in their lease. Most of these will include repairs that affect the long-term value of the building or maintenance services that affect several spaces in a multi-tenant building. These may include:

  • Repairs to the foundation, walls, and roofing of the building
  • Major system repairs such as HVAC/R, electrical, or plumbing maintenance
  • Upgrades to meet fire and safety codes
  • Major renovations to the structure of the building

While you may want to leave some of these up to the tenants as needed, some landlords prefer to have control over repairs to ensure that the work done is performed by the best – rather than the cheapest – contractors. Tenants will not have a vested interest in the long-term appreciation of the property, so it’s important to make sure that the work done to your facility will last.

MaintenX can help you handle your facility repairs and outsource maintenance to your tenants as needed. To learn more about our preventative and emergency repair service, contact your local MaintenX team today!