The creation and implementation of a building maintenance plan, especially one that focuses on preventative maintenance, is one of the most important tasks in ensuring smooth operations of any public or commercial facility.  Below, you can find a snapshot of the major areas you should pay attention to when creating your building maintenance plan.  Adherence to the points listed below will reduce the need for emergency repair calls and surprise equipment failures.  In other words, everything should be running smoothly.

Roofing Maintenance Plan

• Inspect roofing at least twice yearly, especially after any major storms.  It is good practice to have the twice yearly checkups after the major heating and cooling seasons.

• Ensure all shingles remain attached

• Check for any ponding or leaks in roofing material

• Clear out gutter and drainage systems of leaves or other debris

Exterior Building Maintenance Plan

• Be sure to have scheduled landscaping/exterior maintenance services for spring, summer, and fall months

• Be sure to have scheduled snow and ice removal services for the winter months, for both parking areas and walkways

• Parking areas and exterior walkways should remain well-maintained and in good condition

• Check for adequate outdoor lighting

• Clean all windows from the outside at least twice yearly

Interior Building Maintenance Plan

• Make sure that all fire extinguishers are up-to-date and accessible

• If the building has a sprinkler system, check sprinkler heads quarterly

• Be sure that all emergency exits and backup emergency lights are working

• Clean all windows from the inside at least twice yearly

Flooring Maintenance Plan

• Ensure all surfaces are completely sealed

• Schedule carpet cleaning at least once or twice yearly

• Schedule the stripping and waxing of all VCT at least once or twice yearly

• Keep "Wet Floor" signs in the vicinity

Electrical Maintenance Plan

• Test alarm systems

• Check all electrical panels on the interior and exterior of the building.  Be sure that they pass all safety codes, wires are well-secured, and circuits labeled.

• Make sure there are no exposed wires

HVAC Maintenance Plan

• Inspect all systems monthly

• Schedule seasonal tune-ups

• Clear vents of dust or any other debris

• Inspect regularly for energy efficiency

Plumbing Maintenance Plan

• Thorough inspection annually

• Monthly check of sump and sewage pumps

• Investigate any leaks or noises coming from plumbing system

• Ensure public restrooms maintain cleanliness. Recommended daily or weekly cleaning, depending on their use

Lighting Maintenance Plan

• For smaller facilities, replace lights as they go out.  For larger facilities, plan on creating a "group re-lamping" schedule based on light bulb life and usage.

• Dust lamps and lights regularly to ensure peak lighting performance

• Finally, maintain a backup inventory of light bulbs and other lighting mechanisms so that when lights to burn out, they can be replaced.

The post How to Create a Preventative Building Maintenance Plan appeared first on JoeCleans.

Below are a few ways a carpet cleaning company can help you spruce up a home a real estate agent is trying to sell:

Traffic marks.

Life happens. That's why the carpets in family homes, often those with children, can accumulate dark traffic areas. Fortunately, these types of cleans are no-brainers for professional carpet cleaning companies. Homeowners often become blind to the traffic areas in their homes.  Politely pointing out that a great connection of yours can quickly get the job done will be a major win for everyone. The homeowner will be very grateful that they have a considerate agent with their best interest in mind. The agent will be one step closer to getting the sale.

Pet stains and odors

We all love our pets, regardless of the fact that they may leave our homes with a vague, musty odor. Professional carpet cleaning companies often have specialized cleaning detergents to tackle both pet stains and odors. Every home has a unique "smell" that outsiders immediately notice before entering a home. The last thing a real estate agent wants is their prospective buyer to be turned off by the home as soon as they enter and their nose wrinkles from a funky smell. The same goes for pet stains.  Unsightly stains on carpets can leave prospective buyers uneasy about the sale.  However, both of these issues can be easily fixed with a visit from your local carpet cleaner.

Tile & grout

In the case of soiled grout lines, it often becomes difficult to recognize the original grout color save from far corners of the floors. Believe it or not, some white grout lines end up black and no one bats an eye.  That is, until they come to the realization of "that's not supposed to look like that....". Soiled grout lines are a daunting task as the common solution for a homeowner is often a Saturday afternoon spent on their hands and knees scrubbing with a toothbrush. Agents don't have to let this image get into their prospective buyers' heads.  Carpet cleaners often offer tile & grout cleaning services that produce results that are second to none.

Creating a strong relationship with a carpet cleaning company can give you a leg-up on your competition. This relationship can give you quick, last-minute, and often after-hour cleanings that may end up making your deal. In addition, if your relationship becomes strong enough to where you are exclusively referring each other to your networks, you may be able to get a new sale or two out of the relationship as well.

For more information, give us a call at 877-HIRE-JOE.

The post Real Estate Agents: Carpet Cleaners Can Be Your Best Ally appeared first on JoeCleans.

With the daily hustle and bustle of today's world, it may sometimes be difficult to keep office cleaning and tidiness on track.  Without a doubt, a clean office space provides many benefits to employees and clients alike.  These benefits include, but are not limited to: a focused mindset, improved health (less sneezing or congestion), and heightened company morale.  In order to keep your office in great shape and spirits, consider following our comprehensive cleaning guide that should be sure to keep you on track.

Daily Office Cleaning

• Empty trash bins, replace liners
• Vacuum carpeted surfaces
• Disinfect tile/hard floors
• Clean entryway mats
• Wipe down glass faces
• Wipe down all reflective surfaces
• Clean doorknobs and light switches
• Sanitize bathroom toilets/sinks

Weekly Office Cleaning

• Polish hardwood surfaces like floors and conference room tables
• Wipe down computer screens
• Empty and disinfect break room refrigerators
• Clean walls and cabinets
• Replace hand soap in bathroom
• Replace towels/paper towels in bathroom
• Test hand dryers

Monthly Office Cleaning

• Vacuum all fabric furniture
• Vacuum vents
• Dust computers and desks, printers, fax machines, etc
• Wash windows (interior and exterior)
• Test smoke detectors

By regularly following these general guidelines, your office space should be in great condition.  If these tasks seem too daunting for you or your workforce, consider hiring a professional cleaning company to take the load off of you.  To learn more, click here.

The post Office Cleaning: The Comprehensive Guide appeared first on JoeCleans.

Many things contribute to company culture, but one of the most overlooked of them all is proper office kitchen cleaning etiquette.  Adherence to a good set of rules by all employees will set a positive tone within the office.  A clean office space (including the kitchen) is conducive to a great work environment - something every office should try to achieve.

Clean up after yourself

Although cleaning up after yourself is a general rule of life, it especially applies to your office kitchen or break room.   If everyone in the office disregarded their mess, the break room would become an unpleasant place very quickly.  Be sure to do your part and take care of any spills or crumbs you've left behind.

Label your food

Tupperware is so diverse, isn't it?  Labeling your food is a courteous act that will avoid any confusion and won't leave you lunchless.  Mistakes happen, but by clearly labeling your food will lessen the chances and will also leave you responsible for #3...

Clear your remains from the office kitchen fridge

If you decide to pass on one of your meals, don't leave it in the fridge assuming that someone will discard of it for you.  Rotten food is disgusting and quite unsanitary.  It would be very rude of you to subject your coworkers to store their lunch among mold and odors.  Clearly labeling your food will prompt you to remove these items once you've decided you definitely will not be eating them, as no one wants to be known as the coworker who stunk up the fridge.

Replenish when possible

If you happen to pour the last cup of coffee, or pull the last napkin out of the dispenser, take an extra minute to replenish it.  Simple tasks like this will help keep things in the office running smoothly.  And trust us, there will be those that appreciate it!  We often don't notice when these things do get done, however if a coworker needs a napkin to clean up a spill, or they need a coffee in a pinch to relieve a caffeine headache, they will be grateful you took the extra minute.  In time, you will find a situation where you are grateful someone else took the time to restock.

Only eat/drink what is yours

Could there be anything worse than heading to the lunchroom after a hectic morning to have a bite of last night's delicious leftovers, only to find out that they are GONE?  Who could betray you in such a way?  You sure wouldn't be happy if someone ate your lunch, so do not touch your coworker's food!  No matter how thirsty you are, pass on the coworker's soda and go for the water cooler instead.  After an office party, only help yourself to leftovers if a specific note has been posted or email sent out noting that this is okay.

Following these general guidelines will surely keep the office kitchen or break room a zen area that everyone in the office will look forward to entering.

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