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As a country, we are making great strides towards a more eco-conscious, sustainable future. Individuals and businesses alike are seeing the benefits of green technology and energy efficiency in their communities. While your business may be in the process of switching to energy-efficient or renewable technologies, there are several ways in which you can make your office more eco-friendly while encouraging staff to participate. 

Have your staff participate in one or several of these eco-friendly initiatives while at work. All of these are fun for employees, easy to implement, and will make your business a greener place to work and shop. 

Recycling 

Recycling is a great way to reduce office waste and your overall carbon footprint at work. By adding a recycling bin near all of your trash cans, along with appropriate labeling of what you can and can’t recycle, your office will reduce waste almost instantly. Recycling bins should be placed where everyone can see them, such as in your break room or next to printers and desks where paper is often thrown out. 

Plastic Pickup Day

MaintenX is headquartered in sunny Tampa, Florida, where there are many beautiful public beaches. While our staff and clients enjoy spending their off hours in the sand and sun, many of these beaches are littered with plastics and other debris that goes right into the ocean. In your city, there is likely another natural resource, park, or beautiful area that suffers from the same plastic dilemma. Do something about it by organizing a plastic pickup day. 

Donation matching for an eco-friendly charity of your choice. 

In addition to making your office space greener, encourage staff to give back to their communities with a charity donation matching program. Choose a charity that everyone in the office agrees upon. You could donate to a state park (in Tampa you might choose Hillsborough River State Park or the nearby Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park), a wildlife refuge, or a national organization such as the Conservation Fund. You may even want to plan an after-hours volunteer day with your staff to celebrate your contribution. 

Employees feel more engaged when there is more to their workday than business as usual. By implementing these green initiatives in the office, you are providing a work culture that has meaning and purpose. Your employees will be inspired, and you will be able to contribute to making your community a clean and healthy place to live. 

Businesses can also contribute to making an eco-friendly community by investing in energy-efficient appliances and equipment. MaintenX encourages all of our clients to learn about the benefits of high-efficiency machinery for your bottom line as well as for your community at large. Contact us today to learn more. 

If you own a rental facility, it can be easy to neglect maintenance procedures when there aren’t current tenants. If no one is using it, why invest in maintaining the facility? While many facility managers take this attitude during temporary storefront closure, maintenance is just as important then as it is when the space is occupied. 

Maintaining a closed store will make it easier to rent out or sell the property at a later date. While it may be tempting to cut maintenance costs, the aesthetic and functional aspects of your facility will deteriorate over time, contributing to property value loss. The best decision is to always maintain your property, regardless of occupancy. 

One of the most important aspects of your property to maintain is the exterior. First impressions matter when you show the property to potential clients. By investing in landscaping and exterior maintenance, your facility will instantly make a better impression than one that is not well maintained. MaintenX specializes in modern landscaping and professional exterior cleaning services to help you “wow” your visitors. 

In addition to regular exterior maintenance, you want to keep the interiors in good condition. Pest infestations and water leaks are some of the most common problems we see in dark closed stores. Extreme weather events can also cause interior damage to unoccupied buildings because they are often an afterthought during extreme weather events. By investing in simple routine maintenance and safety measures for your facility, you can save on renovation costs when you’re ready to rent again.  

Finally, you want to make sure that your facility is safeguarded from theft and vandalism while unattended. It catches most facility managers off guard when their unoccupied facility is burglarized, but it happens quite often in buildings without security systems. By installing an up-to-date security system and cameras at your facility, you’ll be able to better protect your assets as well as future tenants. 

MaintenX offers affordable maintenance services for dark closed stores. We understand your needs and budget concerns, and will develop a solution for routine maintenance that suits them. Contact MaintenX today to learn more!

Water is a precious resource that many of us take for granted. While it is renewable, water resources take an incredible amount of energy to process and make safe for public and commercial use. In addition to its costs, water usage takes a toll on the natural environment. Wastewater that is improperly treated can contaminate food supplies, and cause issues with marine ecosystems in a short period of time. 

To better care for your facility’s water supply and reduce energy costs due to wastewater, follow these six tips. 

Research wastewater solutions.  

Many facilities take a “set it and forget it” approach to wastewater management, when there are technological innovations that can reduce waste and environmental impact. You should audit your facility for water waste, and invest when possible in efficient upgrades for your water management systems. 

Treat water like the valuable resource that it is.  

Treated water may seem like an ever-present resource, but it isn’t free. Wasting water costs you money, and puts stress on your community’s treated water supply. In fact, some studies predict that over 50% of the world population will face water shortages due to water waste within the next 10 years. You can do your part by reducing your water use and monitoring potential causes of waste during operating hours.  

Adjust equipment and train your staff to conserve. 

One of the easiest ways to reduce water waste is by paying attention to your usage in the office and onsite. Many pieces of equipment that use water are provided a constant supply for convenience, but this will cost you money long-term. The MaintenX staff can help you adjust water flow for certain pieces of equipment to reduce waste. You should also talk to your staff about common sources of water waste including leaving faucets and equipment on when it isn’t necessary.

Repair leaks as soon as you spot them. 

Leaving water leaks unattended is the equivalent of letting your money go down the drain. If you notice a leak, contact MaintenX immediately so they can fix the problem. If you’re unsure if you have leaks, you can easily check by turning off the water supply and checking the water meter. If it continues to move forward, you’ve likely got a leak. Repairing the issue will always be cheaper than letting the leak persist. MaintenX strives to offer the most affordable services so you don’t have to sweat about emergency repairs. 

Upgrade to ENERGY STAR® equipment.

Purchasing ENERGY STAR® equipment is one of the best investments you can make for your facility. ENERGY STAR® certified appliances will reduce water usage and therefore overall costs for your facility. If your appliances are in need of an upgrade, look for the ENERGY STAR® seal of approval for any product you purchase. 

Reuse and recycle. 

If you can reuse and recycle your wastewater, it is no longer wasted. Luckily, in many commercial facilities reusing water for appliances is simple. By investing in water recycling equipment for your boiler feed or utility water, you can save thousands of dollars every year. MaintenX can help you find the proper equipment and provide installation services customized for your facility. 

If you’re interested in saving on your water consumption and wastewater costs, contact MaintenX today! We will guide you in making smart and budget-friendly choices for your wastewater treatment and recycling investments. 

Preventative maintenance is supposed to prevent safety hazards and equipment malfunctions. A facility that is well taken care of will be a much safer environment for staff, tenants, and visitors. However, some maintenance procedures have inherent risks to which you never want to expose your staff. 

The technicians at MaintenX are highly trained in commercial and industrial equipment. We are able to handle your requests big and small and put your staff and tenants’ safety first. However, you should still invest in proper staff training for minor staff maintenance repairs, as well as safety training for usage of onsite equipment. Here’s what to keep in mind when working on your facility equipment: 

Don’t perform maintenance on working equipment unless you know it is safe. 

If you plan to perform maintenance on facility equipment or appliances, always decommission it before calling your maintenance staff. Equipment such as conveyor belts and heavy machinery should never be active while the maintenance staff is working on them. This can lead to severe injury, especially if the maintenance worker is unaware that the system is in use. If you call in a maintenance request, be sure to stop running the equipment. 

Wear appropriate safety gear.

Different maintenance tasks pose different safety risks. That is why MaintenX workers always come prepared with safety clothing and protective garments to perform maintenance on your equipment. You can be a big help by providing eyewear, masks, or special garments for your maintenance team or employees when they need to work on facility equipment. 

Don’t allow employees near maintenance work areas. 

Employees should not be present while maintenance is working unless specifically requested by the maintenance staff. The employee or manager that reported the problem may be able to provide important information to the maintenance worker, but they should not be close by while potentially hazardous maintenance work is being performed.

Know where your emergency first aid supplies are located. 

While MaintenX workers are very diligent when performing maintenance services, some accidents cannot be prevented. In the event of an emergency, the facility manager should know where your first aid kit is located. Long-term injuries can be minimized when treatment is provided immediately, even if it is basic such as providing gauze to stop bleeding. 

Have a no-tolerance policy for horseplay.

Horseplay is one of the most common causes of injuries in the workplace. This can also distract maintenance workers who could be performing complex and hazardous procedures on your equipment. Do not allow employees to “goof off” in the office or in any place where heavy machinery is used.

With these simple changes to your facility management and maintenance protocol, you can keep your staff and the MaintenX team safe while at work. To learn more about our services, contact MaintenX today!

Energy efficiency: the two words that will save your business and your community. During the long summer of 2019, many business owners suffered from exacerbated power expenses. Without investing in energy-efficient equipment and appliances, they struggled to pay the ever-increasing power and AC bills. 

Commercial energy efficiency is a hot topic for many of our clients. They come to MaintenX wanting to learn about the benefits of energy efficiency design in their facilities, many with concerns about upfront costs. We encourage all of our clients to invest in energy efficiency for their facility. Not only does it reduce their environmental footprint, but it can also result in cost savings that pay for the upgrades. 

Energy efficiency should be a top priority for all facility managers. Not only will this help you to market your business as an environmentally sustainable enterprise, but it will help lower costs for long-term economic sustainability. Plus, the state of Florida wants to help business owners implement these changes with rebate and incentive programs for commercial energy-efficiency upgrades. Some of the available grants and incentives in Florida include:

Commercial Heating & Cooling Efficiency Upgrade Program: Florida wants you to start saving early with energy-efficient heat pumps and air conditioning units. They offer a $100 rebate when you install or replace an existing unit with a high-efficiency heat pump or air conditioning system. 

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficient Technologies (REET) Grant Matching Program: If your facility is interested in developing and commercializing renewable energy, this grant may help you get your funding needs off the ground. The State of Florida offers this grant matching program for companies that research, develop, commercialize, or demonstrate the usage of high-efficiency and renewable energy systems for vehicles and commercial buildings. 

Commercial Chiller Upgrade Program: If you are planning to upgrade your commercial chillers, look into this statewide program. For each kW above minimum efficiency standards that you save when using high-efficiency water-cooled centrifugal chillers; water-cooled scroll or screw chillers; and air-cooled electric chillers; you can earn rebates up to $175. 

Farm Renewable and Efficiency Demonstrations (FRED): Energy efficiency in agriculture is a high priority for Florida state leaders. They are willing to provide free audits and assessments for potential energy-saving and renewable energy implementations for all farmers. If implemented, the State will reimburse farmers up to 80% of the costs for energy efficient and renewable upgrades. These reimbursements can reach up to $25,000.

Commercial Reflective Roof Program: Convert your existing roof to a cool roof or install a new cool roof using Energy Star materials—and qualify for a rebate! Rebate Amounts: $0.075 per square foot for new roofs on an existing or new building. $0.325 per square foot for converting an existing roof to a cool roof.

Efficiency and Renewable Improvements in Commercial Aquaculture (ERICA): The ERICA grant program offers special incentives for commercial aquaculture facilities in Florida. It is designed to help aquaculture facilities and farms reduce energy costs by upgrading to newer technologies and renewable sources for energy. 

These six grant and rebate programs give you the capital you need to invest in renewable and energy-efficient technology for your facility The future of renewables and high-efficiency appliances will be cost-efficient for businesses, and better for our planet and communities. To learn more about energy-efficient upgrades suitable for your facility, call MaintenX.  

Power outages may be a rare circumstance at your facility, but they are dangerous and costly. Storm-related power outages cost U.S. businesses between $20 billion and $55 billion every year. In Tampa, Florida, where MaintenX is headquartered, we are all too familiar with the impact of power outages due to hurricanes. Just last year our friends and neighbors in the Florida panhandle faced a devastating hurricane that caused power outages for weeks. And, not a year later, the Bahamas were hit with an equally devastating hurricane that knocked most of the island cities off the grid completely. 

Because of this, MaintenX takes power outages very seriously. They are a detriment to our economy and way of life, and can cause serious ramifications to the individuals of our communities. We want to provide our clients and community fast-acting power outage solutions to prevent loss of revenue and comfort in the Tampa Bay area. 

For small businesses, power outages are typically solved by closing shop and waiting for the city to resolve the issue. However, this leads to thousands of dollars in lost revenue. For medical and residential facilities such as hospitals, shelters, nursing homes, and hospice care, power outages are not an option. As the owner or facility manager, you must invest in planning for your power needs in the future, when the city’s power is unavailable. Here is what we recommend to create an outage plan:

Consider your specific business needs.

Your facility’s size, capacity, and daily operations will determine what power outage prevention measures you need to invest in. Not every facility has the same needs, and therefore you need to prioritize your power outage plan based on the following criteria: 

• The health and life safety of individuals. Medical facilities or services that perform life-saving services should invest the most in power outage prevention. Emergency lighting, environmental controls, and temperature control for extremely hot or cold areas are second priority, to maximize the usability of your space during downtime. 
• The importance of business operations. As part of your power outage plan, you should perform a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to determine which operational processes are most critical to the continuity of your company. Some tasks, such as your marketing activities, can be put on hold while others cannot. 

Based on your needs, determine the amount and type of backup power required.

Based on your business’ and individuals’ needs, you can then determine what power outage equipment is necessary for your facility. A backup power system for a hospital, for example, should be instantaneous. However, if you run a non-essential service-based business, you may be able to invest in lower-cost power outage equipment. Talk to your landlord to determine the best vendors for your specific needs.

Determine procedures for those functions that will not be supported by backup power.

Once you have ensured that critical business operations can continue without city power, you must create a plan for continuity of non-essential business functions. For example, you’ll need to communicate with staff if they need to come into work, how they should communicate to their supervisors without regular work communications, and how you will communicate with customers while your office or facility is out of use.

Determining your needs and your emergency power outage plan will put you one step ahead of recovering after a natural disaster or major storm. At MaintenX, we are here to help you plan, prepare, and implement your power outage plan for an affordable price. MaintenX provides emergency maintenance services as well as installation services for backup power sources. We want to ensure the safety and continuity of our community’s individuals and businesses. 

Contact us today to learn more about our installation and emergency maintenance services. 

MaintenX is one of Tampa’s lead providers of backflow evaluation and assembly. Not only do we provide backflow testing services, but we offer resources to understand backflow testing needs for your facility. Here’s what you need to know if you’re interested in your facility’s backflow testing requirements:

Most large facilities require periodic backflow testing as part of their city’s ordinance. The term backflow refers to water in your piping system that may flow back into the city’s water supply. Water systems are designed to flow in one direction; however, if certain circumstances occur, the pressure in the city water mains can drop below the pressure of your facility’s water mains. If this happens, the water in your facility will backflow into the city’s water supply, effectively contaminating it. 

To prevent this contamination, most commercial facilities are required to have backflow systems, or a Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) valve. Facilities with irrigation, fire suppression system, or large boilers are always required, as well as certain factories and commercial facilities. It is also important to know that no facility is exempt or “grandfathered” from not having to have an RPZ valve if their facility meets the requirements. If you’re unsure if your Hillsborough county facility requires backflow testing, you can review the Tampa Code of Ordinances to find out. 

If your facility does require backflow testing, it must be performed by a county-approved evaluator. However, there are things you can do as the facility manager to prepare for backflow testing and ensure the safety of your staff:

• Invest in up-to-date RPZ valves for your facility – Updating your backflow equipment will ensure you are not only protecting your business but the residents around you. Faulty RPZ equipment puts you at risk for fines, and your local community at risk of using unsafe drinking water. 
• Perform preventative maintenance on piping systems to prevent water leaks. Water leaks are some of the most common causes of backflow in commercial buildings. If you invest in proper preventative maintenance for your piping systems, you are less likely to experience backflow issues. 
• Call your maintenance team early to perform routine backflow testing. Certified backflow testing services are not typically scarce, but their schedules will fill up, and you don’t want to get caught with fines and fees for not checking your system on time. Schedule this service in advance to prevent legal issues. 

MaintenX is a certified backflow testing assembly service for Hillsborough county. We are certified to test, report issues, and replace backflow equipment for your Tampa-area facility. If you’re ready to have your system checked for 2020, call us today. 

As a facility manager, what is your view of maintenance service? Do you dread scheduling maintenance because of the downtime, or do you consider maintenance a worthy investment in your facility’s future?

Unfortunately, the majority of facility managers view maintenance as a ‘necessary evil,” that counteracts performance and productivity. However, nothing could be further from the truth. By performing routine maintenance, you are preventing equipment failures and premature replacements that cause more downtime than all preventative maintenance services combined. 

Maintenance doesn’t slow you down. Without it, your facility would likely have to increase its operating budget and suffer from poor working conditions. No one wants to work on or with equipment that is run down, poorly maintained, and inefficient. You don’t want to own that equipment either. Simple preventative maintenance services can provide long-term cost savings and increase facility output with the higher performance of well-maintained equipment.  

While you should never skip preventative maintenance, there are several ways in which you can minimize downtime:

Audit your facility.

Facility audits should be performed on a routine basis to better understand your facility maintenance needs now and in the future. A maintenance audit can include the predicted performance of equipment, as well as auditing for energy usage and waste cumulation. By making your facility more efficient overall, you can reduce long-term costs as well as unexpected downtime. 

Upgrade equipment.

Old and failing equipment should be replaced before it breaks down. Maintenance costs on outdated equipment will be more expensive over time than the upgrade is upfront. Consult with your maintenance technician to determine when equipment should be replaced, and work these expenses into your budget early on. 

Schedule maintenance during off-hours. 

If you’re worried about the downtime that maintenance services can create, schedule your maintenance requests after your facility closes for the day. While maintenance calls during off-hours are more expensive, they can help reduce downtime at a facility where time is of the essence in operations. 

Communicate clearly with your maintenance staff. 

In order for your maintenance team to be able to provide services quickly and efficiently, they need all the necessary information before arriving at your facility. This helps to avoid unnecessary time spent explaining your issue or needs to the maintenance staff upon arrival. They can simply get to work and not waste your staff’s time.

Schedule preventative maintenance to avoid emergency maintenance. 

Emergency maintenance calls will result in significantly more downtime than routine preventative maintenance requests. By scheduling preventative maintenance, your technicians can prevent unexpected equipment failures and prepare for potential setbacks. 

MaintenX emphasizes the importance of predictive and preventative maintenance with our clients. We don’t want to spend any more time at your facility than needed. By communicating issues early on and letting us perform checks on your most important equipment, we can help save you time and resources dedicated to maintenance. Call us today to schedule a preventative maintenance consultation. 

Consider this scenario: it’s 8:30 a.m. and you’ve just opened for breakfast. Customers are steadily trickling in, and the kitchen is already heating up for the morning rush. Then, one of your bussers comes to you with a frantic look. “The dishwasher’s leaking,” they say, and point to the puddle that’s getting bigger and bigger in your back room. As the restaurant manager or owner, what do you do? 

Whether you own a local cafe or are the franchisee of a highly successful chain of restaurants, you may be at equal risk of equipment failures. Something as simple as a missed maintenance check on your dishwasher could result in an entire day’s revenue loss. Restaurant equipment failures are often the most expensive operational cost to cover. Not only will you have to replace the equipment or pay for expensive emergency repairs, but you lose income and reputation due to downtime. 

Downtime at a restaurant can lead to negative reviews, and be detrimental to your business’ reputation and thus profitability. As a restaurant owner, you need reliable and sustainable equipment to keep your doors open. The first step to preventing these failures is preventing their most common causes, including:

• Unskilled or improper operation 
• Lack of prioritization for regular cleaning
• Lack of monitoring
• Failure to perform preventative maintenance

The two most common causes of equipment failures in restaurants are improper operation and skipped preventative maintenance. Ensuring proper training for all staff as well as regular preventative maintenance scheduling is the responsibility of the restaurant owner or manager, and should always be prioritized. When you train well and take care of your equipment, emergency maintenance calls will be reserved for true emergencies. 

Preventative maintenance will save your restaurant unintended costs and downtime by predicting, preventing, and troubleshooting equipment issues before they become failures.  

Preventative maintenance is agile. Tasks are determined by the potential for issues of specific equipment, rather than simple routine checks or reactive maintenance services. MaintenX uses a comprehensive preventative maintenance plan to safeguard your restaurant from unexpected equipment disasters. 

Not only will preventative maintenance help to reduce downtime, but it will increase the performance and lifespan of your restaurant investments. MaintenX wants to ensure that your doors stay open for years to come. Talk to us to schedule preventive maintenance for your restaurant or local business.