Four Smart Ways To Save Money On Commercial Property Upkeep

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If you've recently purchased a commercial property, you're probably looking for ways to keep operating costs as low as possible. Fortunately, today's commercial building owners have many available options for saving money on operating costs as well as minimizing the risk that their investment may be damaged by costly lawsuits. Following are just four of the many ways that you protect your investment and save money on upkeep. 

Go Green 

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average commercial building wastes as much as 30 percent in energy — and this is directly reflected in their utility bills. Commercial property owners can have nighttime energy audits performed to determine afters-hours energy usage that could be scaled down. For instance, if sleep settings aren't used on office equipment such as printers, computers, scanners, and fax machines, you're paying unnecessary energy costs. You can also use smart power strips designed to allow you to choose which devices should always be on and which ones don't need to be powered up when not in use. 

Even simple solutions such as keeping blinds open during the day to take advantage of natural lighting or turning thermostats down before leaving for the day can save you money on utility bills. 

Have a Quality Commercial Security System Installed 

Break-ins and vandalism cost commercial property owners money, no matter how well they're insured. For instance, a property that becomes known for being a target of criminals is likely to have a difficult time attracting and retaining quality commercial tenants. Discouraging miscreants means that you'll pay less in overall repair costs, and today's security systems also guard against property damage caused by fire. As an added bonus, it is likely that you will get a break on your commercial property insurance policy if you've got a good commercial security system in place. Contact companies like A Tech / Easy Living Store to learn about your options.

Practice Optimal Maintenance Techniques 

Keeping your property well-maintained lessens your chances of becoming involved in a lawsuit. For instance, you can be sued if you've neglected to have the leaves raked in your parking lot and they become a slimy mess that creates a slip-and-fall hazard. If your landscaping is allowed to become overgrown, you may be liable for damages if someone is the victim of a crime on your property if it can be proved that the perpetrator took advantage of the cover provided by your landscaping to more easily commit the crime. Overgrown landscaping can also put your property at risk for being damaged by fire.

Keeping walkways as clear as possible of snow and ice during winter is another important aspect of commercial property maintenance. Although you may not be able to snow plow your parking lot on an hourly basis during a seasonal snowstorm, you should definitely keep the steps leading up to your building clear and free. The interior of your building should also be well-maintained to make it a safer environment — for instance, loose floorboards should immediately be repaired or replaced to prevent someone from tripping over them and taking you to court for damages. 

Install Bright Lights 

There's nothing quite like bright lighting to keep potential intruders and other miscreants away from commercial property — and although it seems obvious that bright lights at night should be a part of every commercial property owner's safety strategy, many completely neglect to put this into practice.To keep lighting costs down, have LED lighting installed. You can also save money if you choose to use motion lights in critical areas — they'll only come on when activated, and being in a sudden spotlight is enough to convince most thieves and vandals to seek out more vulnerable targets. 

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31 August 2017

Protect Your Business Investment

Ever since I became an adult, I’ve dreamed about moving to the mountains after my husband retires from his job. At this time, I would love to open a bed and breakfast in a beautiful mountain town. In order to protect my business establishment, I will need to invest in a state-of-the-art security system. Because I’ve worked hard for everything I’ve ever had in my life, I don’t want to lose it overnight due to a smart thief. If you are planning to open a bed and breakfast in the near future, don’t forget to install a technologically advanced security system before your first guest arrives. On this blog, you will discover the best types of security systems to install at a bed and breakfast.