Category: Uncategorized

As most business owners know, COVID-19 (commonly known as coronavirus) is a serious viral pandemic causing worldwide healthcare issues and the closing of businesses across America. At the time this article was written, there is no cure for COVID-19, and hundreds of thousands have lost their lives or loved ones due to its effect. 

The virus presents with flu-like symptoms including a cough, difficulty breathing, and persistent fever. However, it can cause more serious respiratory issues that are fatal in some cases. While there are many reported cases of full recovery, the lack of current scientific knowledge about the disease has led many countries around the world to take precautions including the closure of nonessential business and the cancellation of large events. These precautions are in an effort to slow the spread of the virus until it can be effectively treated. 

The United States has made a conscious effort to reduce the risk of coronavirus by asking businesses and groups to practice social distancing and close if needed to keep the citizens safe. As the country works together to protect citizens against COVID-19, your business can take part by following these precautions:

Educate, Protect, and Prevent

If you are a facility manager or owner, you can do your part by providing up-to-date information to your employees and building tenants. Provide them with easily accessible information on what COVID-19 means for your business, and ways that they can keep themselves safe while inside your building. The Center for Disease Control has made the following recommendations to help reduce individual risk:

• Wash your hands with soap for up to 20 seconds at a time whenever you make contact with another person
• Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing with a tissue and immediately wash your hands afterward
• Avoid contact with any person showing symptoms of COVID-19
• Thoroughly disinfect your home or workspace 
• Use protective equipment (facemasks) ONLY if you are diagnosed or are showing symptoms of COVID-19
• Practice social distancing when out in public to avoid contact

Facilities including schools, hospitals, and other public buildings are at a higher risk, and therefore employees and visitors must take extra precautions if onsite. You can do your part to protect employees and prevent the spread of disease by encouraging social distancing and offering reduced hours or time off for employees who are at higher risk. 

During this time, safety is imperative. Depending on the industry and needs of your business, closing up shop may or may not be in your best interest. Follow your state’s guidelines and stay up to date on CDC recommendations for businesses. 

MaintenX is the largest network of contractors in the United States. We hire top electricians, plumbers, roofers, HVAC technicians, and more specialists to help them find the best commercial maintenance work for competitive salaries. We serve 13 states and hundreds of commercial facilities, bringing excellence to work every single day. If this sounds like the place for you to launch or grow your contractor career, we want you! 

MaintenX looks not only for technical skill, but for the work ethic and drive that sets our technicians apart. Our advanced work order management system, competitive benefits, and tightly knit staff make us a top employer for many reasons. Here’s what we look for in prospects when hiring for local MaintenX teams: 

Experience

MaintenX prides itself on providing top-notch service to all of our clients. This means we want to get the job done right every time on the first service call. This requires our contractors to have ample experience in their specialties, particularly for commercial jobs. 

Motivation

At MaintenX, we don’t only fulfill the role of the technician. We are also the person in charge of keeping a facility from shutting down or losing customers, enabled by proper preventative and emergency maintenance service. This means we want to help our customers fully solve their problems as quickly and efficiently as possible. As such, MaintenX contractors are motivated to solve problems and deliver the best service every time. 

Problem-solving skill

Due to the wide range of commercial services we provide, many of our clients come to us with unique problems. There may not be a textbook answer every time, which is why our technicians need to be experienced problem solvers on the job. 

Customer service skill

Our outstanding reputation starts with superior customer service. We put our clients’ worries at ease by explaining the problem and the solution, and giving them honest advice on preventative maintenance strategies. Customer service skill is arguably one of the most important aspects of the job. We look for candidates with experience working with customers and who always put their best foot forward when meeting new people. 

MaintenX is the largest contractor network in part due to our many employee benefits. We strive to create a safe and enjoyable working environment on and off the clock. We offer:

• Medical, dental and vision Insurance
• Life insurance and short and long term disability
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Paid vacations
• Paid holidays and sick days
• Personal cell phone service discount through company cell phone carrier
• Company vehicle and uniforms provided
• Fuel card provided for company vehicle
• Opportunities for overtime hours
• Opportunity for career growth!

If you would like to learn more about working with MaintenX, contact us or visit our careers page for more info!

Are you trying to rent your commercial facility to new tenants? Perhaps you’re in a transitory period, or have just reopened a closed store after months of renovations. Regardless of the type of property or market, there are certain things you need to do in order to be competitive with your property rental. 

Before showing your facility to potential renters, you will want to ensure that everything is in working order. A facility with mechanical or maintenance issues is a hard sell, especially if it is a large building. Before you list your property online, schedule services and inspections for the following areas: 

HVAC checkup 

Your HVAC system must be in pristine condition if you want to rent your facility for a reasonable rate. No business will want to provide less-than-optimal working conditions for its staff. Unfortunately, many HVAC problems aren’t detected before the owner starts showing the property. Schedule a routine checkup with your local MaintenX team to ensure that there are no underlying issues in your HVAC unit.  

Plumbing inspection

Plumbing problems often emerge to the surface only when they become emergencies. It is the responsibility of the facility owner to conduct a plumbing inspection to ensure that there are no leaks, cracks, or breaks in the main lines. If there are problems, they will be yours to fix. Find out early before a straightforward plumbing issue turns into a potentially costly emergency repair. 

Roofing inspection

A roofing inspection will help you prevent leaks and damages from storms while you have tenants at your facility. MaintenX offers affordable roofing inspections and repairs. We can also provide rooftop HVAC inspections at the same time as your roofing inspection for ease and efficiency. 

Pressure washing and painting

A good pressure wash and fresh coat of paint will help you find tenants faster. These inexpensive services create curb appeal, which can help your facility look newer and increase its value. MaintenX offers these general contractor services for facilities of every size. 

If you are ready to open your facility to renters, contact MaintenX today. We can help your facility look and perform good as new before your new tenants arrive. To learn more about our preventative maintenance services, contact your local MaintenX team today.

Hotels and restaurants are highly volatile and highly competitive businesses. To be sustainable, they must provide a unique and exceptional experience every day. This constant pressure to perform can sometimes mean that essential maintenance tasks get pushed to the back burner in favor of immediate needs. However, this sets up your business for trouble in the future. 

If you own or manage a hotel or restaurant, make your routine maintenance a priority. Not only will it save you from expensive emergency repairs, but it can enhance your guest experience. Keep these four rules in mind when planning and scheduling your preventative maintenance services: 

Schedule after-hours if possible. 

Customers do not want to be limited in their restaurant experience by maintenance staffing. Schedule maintenance after hours at a restaurant or when a hotel room is vacant. This will ensure you never have to deal with emergencies in the presence of paying customers. 

Don’t skip on HVAC or plumbing maintenance. 

A faulty air conditioning or bathroom with leaks is sure to garner negative online reviews for your restaurant or hotel. Those negative reviews aren’t just annoying — they can negatively impact your profits. Make sure your customers are comfortable throughout their experience and never skip on preventative maintenance in these areas. 

Keep your front entrance clean. 

Your front entrance makes the first impression, and may deter guests if you are not keeping it pristine. Schedule services such as pressure washing, painting, roofing repair, and other exterior maintenance services to make your hotel or restaurant look its best to new guests. These services are usually very affordable and make a big difference. 

Have maintenance staff available 24-7 in hotels. 

If your guests have a maintenance emergency, they should be taken care of immediately. It is better to be able to provide a quick service and resume operations than to move to a different room while you wait for your maintenance team to arrive. By having an emergency maintenance service on-call, you can be better prepared to serve guests under any circumstance. 

MaintenX can help your hotel or restaurant stay competitive with effective and affordable preventative maintenance service. We help enhance the guest experience so you can focus on the bigger picture. Contact us today for more details!

Waterproofing your roof is essential for any commercial facility. In Tampa, Florida, where MaintenX is headquartered, we encourage all clients to invest in heavy-duty waterproofing due to the harsh hurricane season we experience every summer. However, no matter where your facility is located, waterproofing is critical to ensure the comfort and safety of your tenants. 

Commercial facilities that don’t have waterproof coatings on their roofs may experience:

• Water intrusion 
• Mold and mildew growth 
• Risk of electrical fire
• Dissatisfied customers and uncomfortable employees
• Destroyed inventory and equipment 
• Damage to ceilings and flooring
• Increased likelihood of pest invasions
• Poor indoor air quality

Commercial roofs are engineered to withstand a great amount of pressure, but even the strongest of roofing material canfall susceptible to leaks and cracks. Waterproofing your roof will add a protective layer to ensure that if a shingle cracks or roofing is damaged in a storm, your facility is safe. 

Waterproofing during construction is typically done in the form of waterproof membranes. However, you can also waterproof existing roofing with elastomeric coatings. Below are the differences and benefits of each: 

Waterproof membranes – Waterproof membranes are often reserved for new construction. They are applied underneath the roofing material to add an additional layer of protection to the facility. They are lightweight but fortify the structure of the roofing to protect against water and damage from debris. 

Elastomeric coatings – Elastomeric coatings are most often used for existing roofing. This type of sealant can be applied in a paint or spray form and offers additional waterproofing to roofs. It can also be used for exterior walls. This option is more affordable, but does not provide the same level of protection as a waterproof membrane. 

Depending on the age and needs of your facility, Maintenx can help you decide which waterproofing solution is right for your facility. Contact MaintenX today to learn more about the differences and to schedule your next roofing inspections.

Do you know the state of your facility’s plumbing infrastructure? Many facility managers fall victim to disaster, believing that their facility is up to date, only to find out that their plumbing system is outdated. Leaks, line breaks, and old piping cause underlying issues that only become apparent when they cause major water intrusion problems. This is typically the point when the facility manager has no choice but to call an emergency repair service. 

How To Identify Water Contamination

Water contamination happens very slowly, but causes severe consequences if not treated immediately. If you notice the following signs, you may have a case of water intrusion and contamination at your facility already:

• Water is pooling or is not draining quickly where it should be 
• Water spots are appearing out of nowhere (signs of a leak)
• The PVC covering on your pipes is getting worn or cracked
• Your facility has received warnings or failed backflow inspections 
• Your water temperature is not consistent
• Water pressure is low
• You are making increased service calls in regards to your plumbing

Preventing Emergency Plumbing Service

Water intrusions are often missed until they turn into contamination or outright flooding. However, there are several steps you can take to avoid these kinds of catastrophes. Maintaining your plumbing is the first critical step to water contamination avoidance. MaintenX helps our clients keep water intrusion at bay by following these steps: 

• Conduct facility walkthroughs after hours. Routine preventative checks can help you identify issues and fix them before they turn into emergencies. Facility walkthroughs are easier when employees are not present. So, if possible, schedule these when the facility is not operational, or when staffing is low. 
• Review your maintenance records. Oftentimes a problem can be diagnosed based on your maintenance service history. Recurring service requests indicate an underlying issue that has not been addressed. Review these records with your maintenance staff for a clear analysis of your plumbing problems. 
• Strengthen your preventative maintenance plan. Preventative maintenance is your first defense against water contamination. Your local MaintenX team can walk you through the steps to creating a better PM plan for both routine and emergency maintenance. 

With MaintenX by your side, water contamination can be a worry of the past. Contact us today to learn more about our plumbing maintenance services.

Most large facilities have onsite accident prevention protocols. Some are required by the state, while others are simply for good measure in a dangerous work environment. However, no matter how safe or risk-averse you believe your workplace is, you should still always be improving and educating your employees on proper accident prevention protocol. 

Accident prevention can happen at every level, from ground employees to executive actions. As most of us strive to prevent accidents, rather than have to respond to them, it’s important that everyone is on the same page when at work. Minor adjustments in your safety protocol can make all the difference in keeping employees and tenants safe inside your facility. 

If you haven’t recently worked on your accident prevention plan, it may be time for an update. First, you should identify the safety risks that cause the most accidents in the workplace. These will be a first priority; if not addressed in your current safety plan, they should be now. Second, identify the risks to which yout are able to provide the easiest solutions. Oftentimes, the risks that cause the most accidents are also the easiest to remedy if given the proper time and attention. After you’ve addressed your top priority risks, critically look at your facility for these potential accident-causing dangers: 

• Physical risks – Physical risks are often caused by improper training on certain pieces of equipment, or a lack of proper signage in areas of high hazard. Minimize these risks with proper training and adequate warnings in areas where caution is needed. 
• Biological and chemical risks – If you work in a medical, manufacturing, or other industry in which biological hazards are present, you need to identify these and provide proper avoidance training to your staff. Biological risks can also occur from lack of maintenance in facility systems such as your HVAC and plumbing. For example, water intrusion can lead to mold growth which puts your staff at risk. Invest in proper maintenance to address these potential issues.
• Environmental risks – Every geographic location has innate risks including storms, natural disasters, and environmental pests that could cause harm to your tenants and staff. Make sure your facility is adequately prepared with prevention measures and an emergency maintenance plan for natural disasters. 

In order to make your accident prevention plan effective, you need to involve every employee and tenant in the process. Oftentimes those on the ground floor are more aware of potential hazards and risks than those in senior management. By involving these key players in your accident prevention plan,  providing adequate training, and ensuring access to resources, you can significantly reduce onsite accidents. 

MaintenX provides emergency maintenance services as well as preventative maintenance to keep many of these risks at bay. Water intrusion, structural decay, and other potential hazards can be avoided with proper preventative maintenance from the experts. Contact us today to learn more!

Everyone likes walking into a clean office space after the weekend. The trash is empty, the air feels fresh, and you’re ready to start the work week right. However, not many people think about the effort that goes into creating a healthy and happy work environment. Your maintenance staff does! 

Your maintenance team is responsible for creating an environment that is comfortable and safe for your employees. Everything from changing air filters to fixing leaky faucets makes a difference in employee satisfaction as well as customer comfort. Below are just a few examples of how your maintenance team can improve employee pride in the office: 

Maintenance can help your team deliver better customer service.

Companies that have an insufficient or nonexistent maintenance plan often let the ‘handyman’ of the office take on basic maintenance issues. While this may seem fine at first, having office employees work on office equipment takes away from their job performance. It can also cause further expenses if the unofficial handyman makes a mistake. Avoid this problem by hiring professionals for all of your maintenance issues. 

Maintenance helps you make a better first impression to customers. 

It’s the little things that make a big difference in customer satisfaction. A new customer may not cite a working AC and clean bathrooms as a reason for their purchase, but they will certainly mention these things if they’re not properly maintained. If an overworked HVAC is causing problems or a leak in the bathroom needs to be addressed, your employees will also be embarrassed working with customers onsite. Don’t let this happen to your employees or customers — invest in proper facility maintenance. 

Maintenance can also improve the health of your employees. 

You can improve indoor air quality, water accessibility, and safety at your facility by providing regular maintenance services. Your HVAC technicians can ensure that filters and ducts are regularly cleaned to prevent mold and mildew buildup. Your roofing and general contractors can help your facility be better prepared for natural disasters. All of these things add up to help employees feel safer and more prideful of their company. 

Maintenance is the backbone of your facility and its people. Invest in the future of your building with preventative maintenance from MaintenX. We employ top contractors in 13 states to ensure you get the best service every time. Call us today for details!

Maintenance crews are some of the most important people on staff at your facility. Without them, you would have trouble maintaining regular day-to-day operations. Your maintenance team helps you stay on track and save money. But, do you know what your maintenance team can and cannot do?

Many business managers mistake regular janitorial crews for maintenance technicians. However, there are several differences between janitorial staff and maintenance techs and it is important to understand these differences. For example, asking your janitor to work on your air conditioning or have them inspect a leak in the bathroom could cause even more problems. Before hiring a janitorial or maintenance staff, you should take some time to learn more about distinguishing between the two and their differing skill sets and capabilities. 

Maintenance technicians are typically specialized in one area, such as plumbing or electrical work. These are highly specialized skills that require a formal education or apprenticeship to perform. Janitorial maintenance workers, on the other hand, provide daily maintenance services that typically require basic training. 

Janitorial staff often provide: 

• Facility surface cleaning, such as dusting, mopping, and cleaning 
• Sanitation services
• Trash management
• Basic safety maintenance

Duties completed by maintenance techs  may include:

• HVAC repair
• Roofing inspections and installation
• Painting interiors and exteriors
• Plumbing repair and maintenance
• Electrical work

Both janitorial staff and maintenance technicians are necessary to keep your building in tip-top shape. However, not all janitorial services provide the specialized services of maintenance technicians, and vice versa. Your trained maintenance workers are often contractors with other jobs to complete. Their services do not always include janitorial staffing. 

MaintenX provides total facility care, including both janitorial staffing and maintenance repair. We work with skilled maintenance contractors in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, roofing, and general contractor fields as well as top janitorial staff in your area. No matter what your facility needs may be, MaintenX has the crew for you. 

Contact us to learn about pricing and available services in your area.

Water intrusion is one of the most serious problems a facility manager can face. Unlike other types of damage, it can take weeks to repair the full extent of the damage from flooding or water intrusion. Water issues spread quickly and cause both damage to the structure of your facility as well as health risks to tenants and employees. This is not a problem you want to leave unaddressed under any circumstance. 

Water intrusion may occur due to natural flooding, a pipeline break, leaks, or faults in the construction of the building leading to excess moisture. Whether you are dealing with a serious flood or excess humidity causing mold, there are several ways to remedy the problem before it becomes dangerous. Here’s what we recommend: 

Roofing Maintenance

Proactively preventing water intrusion from above is much easier than reactively repairing the damage it has caused. Water intrusion prevention can be as simple as scheduling regular roof inspections and gutter cleaning. Your roof sealants and flashings should be inspected to ensure there is no damage that could lead to a leak. 

Exterior Building Maintenance

Often, water intrusion is minor and can go undetected for several days or weeks until damages occur. You will want to inspect the outside of your facility; this includes monitoring the condition of weep screeds and weep holes . Drainage areas should be regularly cleaned. You may also want to consider ancillary measures or facility renovation if you are having trouble managing watershed during storms. 

Interior Building Maintenance

Water damage can also occur from inside the building itself. Plumbing and HVAC systems are at  risk of leaking and must be inspected regularly to ensure a leak does not result in substantial water intrusion. If you notice leaks, smells, mold, or mildew around plumbing or HVAC sites, contact your maintenance team immediately.

MaintenX provides top of the line maintenance service to prevent and treat water intrusion at every level. We offer emergency services in the case of flooding and natural disaster, as well as preventative maintenance to keep minor water intrusions at bay. To learn more about our services and pricing, contact your local MaintenX team.