KANSAS CITY COMMERCIAL CLEANING - Kansas City Commercial Cleaning

Tag : KANSAS CITY COMMERCIAL CLEANING

IMPORTANCE OF JANITORIAL SERVICES SAVING MONEY
09/09/2017
ELITE CLEAN CO, KANSAS CITY COMMERCIAL CLEANING, OFFICE CLEANING

What To Look For In A Commercial Cleaning Company

The owner or manager of an office building needs to have the best possible janitorial services in order to keep offices looking clean and professional. When a client walks into an office with a clean environment, he or she gets a favorable impression of the business. There are a few things that owners and managers of Texas buildings should consider when looking to hire a janitorial services provider. Here are a few examples.

An Expert Staff

In order to clean an office building in a thorough way, a janitorial staff must have the training and knowledge to get the job done right. Staff members must use the most effective cleaning solutions as well as have a collection of professional equipment to accomplish all of the required cleaning tasks. Janitorial management must employee a staff that arrives promptly and gets down to work.

Fulfillment of Duties

Owners and managers of office buildings in Texas want a variety of tasks done by a cleaning staff. A cleaning staff must comply with all of these requests. A team of employees should be assigned specific jobs so the work will be done in an efficient, timely manner.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning

Many of the individuals who own or manage office buildings want a janitorial management service that uses eco-friendly cleaning solutions. These owners and managers want both their employees and the people who visit their offices to be safe from the harmful chemicals used in many cleaning solutions. Eco-friendly cleaning products that clean in a thorough way while not utilizing chemicals that are harmful to the environment are a necessary feature to look for when hiring commercial cleaners.

All Questions Answered

Finally, when looking for a commercial cleaning service, office building owners and managers should search for a company that answers all of their questions. In fact, a commercial cleaning company should be more than happy to answer questions about pricing, services and cleaning products along with any other concerns of a client. At Elite Clean Co, we are glad to answer any questions about our first-rate commercial cleaning services in Kansas City!

Elite Clean Co.

Maximize Your Kansas City Office Space

If you want to increase productivity in the workplace, it is a good idea to start by ensuring a clean and organized space for your employees to work. Most employees spend just as much time, if not more, in the office as they do at home; therefore, it is important to maximize office space and keep things running smoothly. This is also true if you work from home, as it will keep your work area clean and encourage productivity. Below are four simple ways to maximize office space.

Organize Documents

Even though computers handle almost every aspect of our business lives, you will be hard-pressed to find an office that is 100% paperless. There are many instances where hard copy documents are still needed. Files, as well as the cabinets used to store them, take up large amounts of office space. The common practice today is to store files offsite in a storage space, clearing up more room in the office.

Adjust the Lighting

It is always best to allow as much natural light into the office as possible. Sunlight can drastically increase a person’s mood and will make sitting in an office all day seem less cramped and bland. Of course, natural lighting is not always possible, or there simply isn’t enough of it to illuminate the entire office space. If this is the case, recessed lighting or overhead down lighting is a wonderful alternative. Avoid floor lamps as they can take up a lot of space, and try to find light bulbs that mimic natural lighting.

Think Vertical

The best way to maximize office space is to build up. Simply keeping things together and more organized frees up a lot of space and prevents a cluttered workplace. Utilize shelves, wall hooks, bulletin boards, and other useful tools to help you keep things off of the floor and away from the walls.

Remove Clutter

Clutter can be more than just books and paper, and it can significantly decrease productivity by making things harder to find and, therefore, taking more time to accomplish simple tasks and creating a stressful work environment. In addition to the regular office mess, too many decorations – such as magnets, photos, Christmas cards, and other memorabilia – can result in a completely disorganized mess. While it is nice to have family photos to look at while you’re away, try to keep these things to a minimum while you are at work and save the décor for your home. The primary concern ought to be a clean and productive workplace.

Keeping up with these four simple steps will help you maximize office space and increase productivity in the workplace. Hiring a professional is a wise decision since most employees have enough work to do without spending extra time organizing and deep cleaning. Elite Clean Co in Kansas City, provides quality office cleaning services; let the professional do their work so you can get back to doing yours in a clean environment.

Elite Clean Co.

Office Carpet Cleaning Ideas And Tips

Regular carpet cleaning not just ensures you a healthy life but also prolongs the life of your carpet. No matter how much money you have spent while installing carpet, without a touch of care, your carpet will certainly get deteriorated pretty soon.

A clean carpet can add value to your home, can help in getting rid of pollutants, allergens, bacteria, and keep your office odor free. One process, several benefits – Isn’t it worth trying? So, let’s look at some of the quickest yet effective carpet cleaning tips that can help you win this battle.

Don’t love spills!

Spills, such as tea, coffee, milk should be removed right after the mini accident. This is because, if you do it early, your carpet cleaning solution can collect most of the liquid before it soaks in. In other words, a quick treatment can keep your carpet from stubborn stains. But, resist the temptation to rub as it can only make the case even worse.

Vacuuming, obvious but always!

Whenever you are treating your carpet with some cleaning solutions or washing the entire surface, make sure you vacuum any surface debris. It will make your cleaning process a lot easier – it stops your carpet washer from getting clogged up. Say, if you have organized a Christmas party at your home, stuffs like pine needles and tinsel can play havoc with your cleaner.

Cleaning solution – Not an experimental thing

Though trying some unknown cleaning chemical (other than the manufacturer’s recommendations) seems tempting many times, this is the first thing that you need to avoid. These chemicals can damage your carpet and even invalidate its warranty.

Appropriate cleaning solutions that are specially designed for your carpet will not produce excessive foam, hamper the color or leave any sticky residues, which can later invite more dirt. These chemicals can handle high-traffic areas and think about the allergy sufferers. So basically there are only two types of cleaners you can rely on. First, the one suggested by the manufacturer. Second, there is no second.

While using the cleaner for the first time, make sure that you try out in a small surface where it is not easily visible. This will help in stopping some sad possibilities like color fading or other such issues.

Start furthest from the door:

It is pretty obvious that you need to start carpet cleaning from the corner furthest away from the door and work back towards the door. This means, you don’t have to walk on damp surfaces ruining your entire cleaning purpose.

Never over-soak:

Your carpet has certain saturation point. So, never soak the carpet above the point. Till the saturation point, your carpet won’t take longer time to dry. But after that, it takes much more time to dry and your entire cleaning process may seem ineffective. Further, if you lay your carpet without drying properly it can lead to moisture. The moisture can only create a sad story. One ideal way to get rid of moisture would be opening doors and windows. They can help big time in speeding up the drying process. Apart from it, you can turn on your heater on a low setting.

Treat stubborn stains:

You can handle all the stubborn stains and high-traffic areas with some special yet simple methods. You can use a wash tool or hose on the surface as it will give a more thorough cleaning effect. If possible, try to pre-treat the areas before applying the wash tool to scrub. You might come across some oily stains that demand more than just a single application. For such cases, you need to do your homework a bit.

Elite Clean Co.

Keeping The Office Clean Between Janitorial Visits

At Elite Clean Co, we want to make sure that we meet all of your Kansas City commercial cleaning needs. So, we will not only work with you to create the perfect program for your needs and budget, but we will even offer valuable tips to use in between our visits to ensure the cleanliness of your property. We want you to keep your office clean between our visits!

First and foremost, we recommend that you take a moment and imagine you are a client entering the office. Walk around the office and make note of any areas that are cluttered, or just plain messy. Be sure to follow the same path that one of your clients might take and to be unbiased. Don’t make excuses for any area or person, because your clients won’t. After your initial assessment, follow these tips to make sure your office is as clean as you can make it without us.

Organize those loose papers piled around the office and on desks. Paperwork piles can look messy and lead to time-consuming issues whenever your employees need to find needed files. Try using filing cabinets and desktop trays, or go paperless and scan everything to store electronically.
Dust and wipe your electronics to keep them clean. Using disinfectant sprays or wipes can also cut down on the rate of cross-infections when your employees start to get sick.
Empty trash cans and small waste buckets as often as needed. Don’t be afraid to take those bags out to the dumpster either, instead of piling them up in a corner and waiting for us to gather them for you. We are more than happy to do so if you would prefer, but your clients may not understand your aversion to the dumpster as much as we will.
Disinfect the restrooms daily; they are a high traffic area and do not take long to look unkempt. Simple steps will get them through to our next visit without making people squirm when they open the door. Wipe the toilet seats and lids, clean off the sink and counter areas, and refill the soap dispensers, paper towels and toilet paper whenever needed. And if someone leaves a mess on the floor, don’t be afraid to grab a broom.
Make sure your employees keep the break room clean and presentable. This means having them wash, dry and put away dishes immediately after they use them. The counters and refrigerator should also be clean and organized. Have employees write their names on the food they place in the fridge, that way when the it starts taking on a life of its own, the owner can be easily tracked down to slay the beast.
Above all, keep all public areas respectable. Some of the people walking into your office will never make it past these areas, so if that’s the only impression they will get of your business, make sure it’s a good one.

Follow these steps and your office is sure to impress almost as much as it does after one of our visits. And if you should need a commercial cleaning for your Kansas City office sooner than planned, give Elite Clean Co a call!

Elite Clean Co.

Proud To Be Kansas City’s Best Janitorial Services Company

Hiring a janitorial service is a decision that may seem routine and insignificant, but it is actually one that can shape the direction of your business. By aligning yourself with top notch professionals that are capable of doing jobs that any business owner would be thoroughly pleased with, you can ensure that your business operates at a level that is conducive to long term success.

Hiring a janitorial team that is understaffed or ill-prepared to handle the messes and maintenance that a lively business or industrial site can create often results in a number of problems. The production of everyday operations will slow down noticeably if your are working with a janitorial team that is in over their head in any way. In cases of chemical spills and sterile areas, working with janitorial service professionals that are inexperienced or lacking knowledge can result in a wide variety of costly problems in both the short and long term.

On the flip side, a team of janitorial professionals that are well equipped and prepared to handle any situation can be an incredibly valuable asset to a company. When people can be trusted to do their jobs at a high level, the peace of mind that is gained is difficult to put a price tag on. In short, every successful business with well oiled day-to-day operations has hired the services of a top notch janitorial service team. As far as Kansas City janitorial services go, one company has risen above the rest.

If you are a business owner or building manager in the greater Houston area that is currently in the market for Kansas City Janitorial Services, please contact Elite Clean Co. With a staff of professionals, a fleet of vehicles and a bevy of knowledge in the industrial cleaning industry, you can hire Elite Clean Co with confidence of knowing that you are getting Kansas City’s best janitorial service.

Elite Clean Co.

Janitorial Services Are An Investment, Not An Expense

The antiquated notion that quality janitorial services are a trivial expense for your business, and a waste of valuable financial resources no longer holds water in today’s competitive marketplace.

We know as well as any savvy business professional that a business that truly values its clientele, is eager to grow, and chooses to maintain a positive image, also values a clean facility and work environment. For that reason, at Elite Clean Co we see quality janitorial service as an investment, not an expense.

Consider the following scenario: You have decided to partner with a local business in your area that attracts a consumer base similar to yours, and offers a service complementary to your company’s mission. Both businesses decide it would be best to consolidate, and have your office move into a shared location in order to cut property and building expenses. Upon moving into your recent partner’s office, however, you notice the office appliances are oily from human contact, the carpet is stained, and the windows are clouded with dirt. Disgusted and overwhelmed, you now find yourself second-guessing a once promising business proposition.

While such a scenario has few redeeming qualities, it reminds us that among the many gestures businesses can make to ensure that their publics feel valued, maintaining a spotless workplace is one that is essential and fundamental. Your visitors deserve to have a pleasurable experience from day one, without exception. Don’t sacrifice your employees or customer’s satisfaction and experience for filth. Invest in a quality cleaning service, and forever salvage the face of your business.

Investing in and taking advantage of a professional cleaning service, however, does more than simply promote a friendly atmosphere for your business. It avoids increases in employee health insurance costs, and can dramatically decrease profits lost due to the use of employee sick days. There’s no debating that a clean workplace is a cornerstone of efficiency, and consistently produces happy, healthy, and hygienic employees.

At Elite Clean Co we submit that a tidy business is a successful business where employees are excited to come to work everyday, and clients are forever satisfied. As a local small business, we understand your business concerns and the value of your time. Therefore we want to be more than just an external cleaning service. We want to be part of your team!

One Call Does It All!

In addition to providing unparalleled cleaning services, we’re here to help lighten your load by managing any additional issues you might experience on a daily basis that require professional assistance. In need of a contractor, painter, plumber, or handyman? Count on us, to provide a solution.

We specialize in commercial property management cleaning services. Our clients are professional offices, childcare and medical facilities.

Contact us today to arrange an on-site evaluation and a scientifically proven personalized plan of action for your property.

Elite Clean Co.

Clean Your Allergies Away

Allergy season is upon us. We can’t wait to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, until that familiar tingling in the nose sets in. For those who also suffer from severe allergies and/or asthma, this is a particularly difficult and dangerous time of the year. In some cases, allergies to spring’s pollens and dust can turn into allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, and for asthmatics serious breathing trouble. You don’t have to seal yourself into a bubble, however, to avoid the discomfort of spring allergies. Keep things clean and fresh and be surprised at the difference it makes.

Allergy-proof Your Cleaning Products

Before you dive into your spring-cleaning, it’s important to look at what you use to clean first. This might surprise you, but your cleaning products could actually be causing your allergic reaction more than seasonal allergies. Studies show that perfumes can trigger allergies in some people and are definitely bad news for asthmatics, so dump the air fresheners, scented detergents, furniture polish, everything, and opt for natural, unscented cleaners instead.

Scent isn’t the only thing that might be irritating to you and your family. Certain ingredients that were once thought as fantastic for cleaning are also detrimental to those suffering from seasonal allergies and asthmatics. Even if you do have unscented cleaners, check the labels for ammonia, bleach, calcium hypochlorite, chlorine, D-limonene, formaldehyde, sodium hypochlorite, and sodium lauryl sulphate. Don’t be surprised if your cleaning products fail to list the ingredients, and if they do, turn them in during your city’s next hazardous waste collection.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, there are plenty of simple, affordable, and natural cleaning options out there that will clean, sanitize, and freshen your home without harsh allergy-inducing chemicals. If you don’t want to purchase natural cleaners, make your own using ingredients such as baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, lemons, olive oil, salt, and white vinegar.

Clean Your Allergies Away

Once you’ve removed the irritants from your cleaning supplies, it’s time to clean. As you know, pollens and dust multiply exponentially in the spring and summer months. This is in part due to everything blooming and in part due to your doors and windows being open. Cleaning tasks that could have been put on hold in the winter cannot be set aside in spring, particularly if you are suffering from allergies. It’s time to roll your sleeves up, put on a mask if cleaning exacerbates your allergies, and follow these tips:

Start outside. It does you no good to clean the inside of your home from top to bottom if dirt and pollen is going to be tracked in from the outside, particularly if you have carpeting to trap the irritants. Keep your driveway, walkways, front porch, and patios swept clean to avoid additional dust being tracked or blown into your house.
Reduce your clutter. Speaking of dust, there is no better dust trap than a ton of knick-knacks, bookshelves full of books, boxes everywhere, magazines, newspapers, piles of clothes… I could go on. If your house is cluttered, it’s dusty, not to mention a lot harder to clean. Reduce your clutter to avoid dust traps. You don’t want the dust and you definitely don’t want the mites.
Replace mattress covers and pillowcases. Speaking of dust mites, replace your mattress covers and pillowcases with dust-proof covering. It’s also wise to replace your bedding with hypoallergenic, natural options to ensure that your allergies are not being triggered at night during your sleep. The same goes for your blankets and comforters.
Wash them weekly. Aside from protecting your mattress and pillows from dust mites, you should also wash your sheets and pillowcases weekly in your washing machine’s hot cycle, and your blankets and comforters monthly. Use unscented, hypoallergenic, biodegradable laundry detergent and soften your bedding naturally with white vinegar or baking soda.
Don’t dry outside. It admittedly saves energy to avoid using your dryer and air-dry your laundry, but as your linens and clothing are sun drying, they are also picking up pollen from the air. When your allergies kick up, dry everything in the dryer using the lowest heat setting possible to save energy, and skip dryer sheets – those are all kinds of trouble, including causing allergic reactions.
Trap the dust. Speaking of the dust and pollen outside, you need to trap the dust and pollen inside while cleaning; otherwise, it’ll just be released into the air and settle onto your floors, furniture, and décor. Use damp clothes to wipe everything down instead of dry dusting, and make sure your vacuum has a good HEPA filter that traps dust instead of kicking it into the air.
Watch for mold. Keep your kitchen, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and any other area in your home where there is moisture as dry and clean as possible to avoid mold growth. Mold is a primary allergen and can be extremely hazardous to everyone’s health, particularly if you or a family member suffers from asthma. Air out damp environments and keep them clean.
Do this weekly. You might be able to clean your house bi-monthly or monthly in the winter, but you won’t be able to in the spring and summer. Perform all of the steps above weekly to ensure that you are keeping dust and pollen down to a minimum, and vacuum at least twice a week; if you notice the house becoming dirty prior to your weekly schedule, clean earlier to avoid unnecessary irritation.

If you find after practicing these cleaning tips that your allergies aren’t getting any better, you may have to take drastic steps, such as redoing your flooring, curtains, and blinds to avoid allergy triggers like carpeting and heavy drapes that cannot be washed regularly. You might also have to keep your doors and windows shut and run your air-conditioning instead of allowing fresh, yet pollen-laden, air inside. I hope you don’t have to do this, because a beautiful spring day needs to come into your home. Either way, ease your seasonal allergies by keeping everything clean and dust-free.

Elite Clean Co.

Keeping Your Office Restrooms Clean & Sanitary

Sanitary restrooms are a must in the workplace, especially if your customers visit your location. Likewise, when co-workers must share a bathroom, it is essential to maintain a clean, pleasant environment. After all, who wants to walk in and find paper towels all over the floor or worse, an unpleasant mess in the stall? Check out the following tips to ensure that will help you keep your office restrooms clean, sanitary and in great condition.

Treat the Restroom and Co-workers with Respect

Dropping toilet paper on the floor or leaving puddles around the sink area isn’t acceptable at home, and it is no more tolerable at work. It is essential for all employees to respect their co-workers by treating the restroom as if it were their own at home. This means always flushing, discarding trash and cleaning up soap and water spills. For sanitary restrooms, everyone needs to leave the area clean after use. It is a good idea for office workers to set some ground rules regarding bathroom cleanliness so that this is consistently accomplished.

Establish Employee Policies for Restroom Maintenance

You’ve probably seen the signs people post in the office kitchen that say, “Your mother does not work here. Clean up after yourself!” This goes double for the shared workplace restroom, especially if it’s a unisex facility. Important considerations include keeping the paper towels stocked, the soap dispenser full and the bathroom tissue ever-present. Invest in a small storage cabinet to keep extra supplies close by but out of sight. A covered trash can is also important for maintaining a clean, neat image. Make sure to replace lightbulbs when they burn out as well. Finally, invest in an air freshener system so that the restroom is always pleasant to visit.

Schedule Proper Restroom Maintenance

To keep your office bathroom sanitary for everyone, implement routine upkeep procedures. Although you can put staff members in charge of keeping the restroom clean and looking good, that may not be the best use of their time. Also, your employees may not take well to those particular tasks. Working with an experienced cleaning company is the best way to handle this aspect of facility maintenance, because company employees need to handle their own work, not scrub toilets and mop floors. Professional office cleaners can make sure that the entire restroom is clean and germ-free, well stocked with products and putting forth a great image on your behalf. It is, however, a good idea to ask employees to notify management or the janitorial company of problems or malfunctions in the restroom. Not only do broken sinks or toilets make it difficult to keep a restroom clean, but they can also cause slips and falls or employee accidents.

Sharing a restroom with co-workers doesn’t have to be an unpleasant experience. Contact the Kansas City commercial cleaning experts at Elite Clean Co to discuss your office cleaning needs. We will handle everything to ensure that your company always has clean and sanitary restrooms.

Elite Clean Co.

Cleaning The Green Way

Cleaning products are everywhere in our homes and offices: on dishes, countertops, furniture, clothes, floors, windows, and floating through the air. In our war on dirt and germs we may often actually be making things worse.

Most of the conventional cleaning products we all grew up with are petroleum-based and have dubious health and environmental implications. Instead of opting for cleaning products that annihilate everything in their path, there are plenty of natural products and methods that keep a house clean and fresh-smelling without the toxic side effects.

Top Green Cleaning Tips

Employ green cleaning products

As the health and environmental impacts of conventional cleaning products become more thoroughly understood, more and more brands of healthy, green, and effective cleaning products have started hitting the market and competing for that coveted place of honor under your sink. Many of these products are non-toxic, biodegradable, and made from renewable resources (not petroleum). But if designer labels aren’t for you, home-mixed cleaners can get the job done and then some. Vinegar and baking soda can be used to clean almost anything. Mix in a little warm water with either of these and you’ve got yourself an all-purpose cleaner.

Avoid poor indoor air quality

It is not uncommon for the air inside a home or office to be more toxic than the air outside. This is because of the presence of toxic materials and substances and the fact that homes and buildings are better insulated than ever before (which is a good thing from an energy standpoint). Keeping windows open as often as possible allows fresh air in and keeps toxins flowing out. This is especially important when cleaning your home.

Be careful with antibacterial cleaners

The antibacterial and antimicrobial ‘cleaners’ that many people think are necessary, especially during cold season, don’t clean hands better than soap and water, and also add to the risk of breeding “super germs,” bacteria that survive the chemical onslaught and have resistant offspring. The FDA has found that antibacterial soaps and hand cleansers do not work better than regular soap and water, and should be avoided.

Help your office smell baking soda-licious

Baking soda not only removes those strange smells coming from your fridge, it’s also a great odor-eliminator for your carpet. Just sprinkle on a little baking soda to soak up some of those odors and then vacuum it up.

Clean your indoor air naturally

Skip the store-bought air fresheners and instead try boiling cinnamon, cloves, or any other herbs you have a fondness for. Fresh chocolate chip cookies also have been known to create a friendly aroma. Also, plants may not make your house smell different but are good for filtering interior air–pretty much any broad green leaf plant will do. Peace Lilies are a favorite choice.

Toss toxic cleaners carefully

When replacing your cleaning products, don’t just throw the old ones in the trash. If they’re too toxic for your home, they won’t be good for the drain or the landfill either. Many communities hold toxics & electronics recycling days and will take all of these off your hands. Throwing chemicals in the trash or down the drain means they might end up back in your water supply and come back to haunt you.

Avoid conventional dry cleaners

Conventional dry cleaners are the largest users of the industrial solvent called Perchloroethylene, or perc, which is toxic to humans and also creates smog. The two most common green drycleaning methods are carbon dioxide cleaning and Green Earth. Seek out cleaners that use green methods. If you do take clothes to conventional cleaners, be sure to air them outside before wearing them or putting them in the closet.

Leave the toxins at the door

Imagine what’s on your shoes at the end of the day. Bringing that oil, antifreeze, animal waste, particulate pollution, pollen, and who knows what else into the house is not good news, especially for kids and other critters that spend time on floor level. Keep the sidewalk out of your home with a good doormat or a shoeless house policy. Many green buildings now include entryway track-off systems as a means of maintaining a healthy interior environment. Less dirt also means less sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming, which means less work, water, energy, and fewer chemicals.

Design with clean in mind

Designing houses and other building with cleanability in mind can create spaces that are cleaner, healthier, and require fewer substances to maintain. In larger buildings, good cleanability can also be a big money-saver as cleaning costs can often add up to as much as half of a building’s total energy costs.

Elite Clean Co.

How To Cut Down Your Small Business Energy Bill

Small businesses use energy mostly for heating and cooling, lighting, office equipment, and any specialized machinery required for the business. Outlined below are six basic steps which a small business can take to reduce energy consumption and lower energy bills.

1. Track your energy costs.
Take time to review your energy usage and understand how your business consumes energy.

2. Pay attention to how you use energy.
You and your employees can do a lot to save money simply by turning things off when they are not in use. Keep up on routine maintenance. By maintaining and cleaning equipment, you can ensure the safe and efficient operation of your energy consuming systems and appliances.

3. Troubleshoot problem areas.
If you suspect equipment is malfunctioning, running too long, or not operating properly, get it fixed quickly. Install more efficient equipment.

4. Invest in systems or appliances with high energy efficiency ratings.
New equipment and appliances offer opportunities for improved energy efficiency. If there is an added cost for high efficiency equipment, be sure to factor in savings from lower energy operation costs over the life of the appliance. Here are some suggestions that provide a good return on your investment:

Install automatic, programmable, set-back thermostats to control both heating and cooling. Most offer flexible options that enable you to change settings for different days of the week, weekends and holidays.
Install occupancy sensors in hallways, bathrooms, meeting rooms, kitchens, storage rooms, and other areas where lights can be shut off for blocks of time.
Install photocells in outdoor entry, and security lighting to automatically sense outdoor lighting levels which turn on and off automatically.
Install light emitting diode (L.E.D.) exit signs in place of incandescent signs. L.E.D. signs last up to 15 times longer, and use much less energy.
When changing interior lighting, use energy efficient fluorescent T-8 lamps with electronic ballasts.
If you lease equipment, insist on energy efficient models to lower your operating costs. Check out our $mart Business lighting rebate program for small businesses. You may qualify for rebates on some of the above items.

5. Change Energy Usage Behavior
Significant energy savings can be achieved by simply changing how you and your employees use energy. Some of the fastest and easiest ways to save money typically cost little or nothing. If all of these simple suggestions are implemented, you could reduce your energy costs considerably.

Turn off lights, computers, and other office equipment when they are not in use. Have a procedure to ensure these items are switched off overnight and on weekends. Consider installing reminder labels.
Lower your heater thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting when your business is occupied. Set the temperature back further when the business is unoccupied.
In warmer months, raise your air conditioner thermostat to the highest comfortable setting. There should be at least five degrees F between heating and cooling set points.
Set back or turn off heating or air conditioning, a little while before the end of your operating hours. (Remember to maintain some heating in winter to prevent pipes from freezing.)
Let the sunshine warm your office during colder months by opening drapes or blinds. Close them at night to retain heat.
Remember to turn off outside safety and security lighting at the start of each day.
Keep doors and windows closed to prevent heat loss during winter or loss of cool air in summer. However, you may wish to keep doors and windows open to provide ventilation, instead of using air conditioning in summer.

6. Routine Maintenance
Maintenance of energy-consuming equipment is critical to ensuring optimum energy efficiency. Many maintenance items do not require specialized training and can be done yourself. Here are some key items to incorporate into your business maintenance routine.

Check to be sure all automatic controls are set and operating correctly.
Clean all filters in your heating and cooling system monthly.
Check and regularly clean filters if you use exhaust fans.
Caulk or weatherstrip any drafty doors or windows.
Remove unneeded light bulbs or use lower wattage bulbs.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with screw-in energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs as appropriate.
Lower your water heater thermostat. Washington State law requires all new water heaters to be preset at 120 degrees F for safety.
Adjust outdoor lighting timer controls to accommodate daylight savings time changes, or install photocells to adjust automatically to changes in the season.
T-8 fluorescent tubes (1-inch diameter) last longer than the older T-12 lamps. You do not need to replace them as frequently as T-12’s. When you do replace them, be sure to buy case-lots from lighting supply companies to save money.
Regularly clean and maintain food refrigeration equipment where applicable.