- Category:
Small Business Energy Savings - Published:
April 4, 2024
10 Spring Cleaning Tips for Businesses to Save Energy
Incorporate these energy efficiency tips into your spring cleaning business practices to help your team transition from winter to warmer weather. Taking the time to clean, repair and freshen up is a great way to ensure your business runs well, ultimately saving you money and energy.
Spring cleaning checklist for small businesses
Now that the weather’s getting warmer, these spring cleaning tips are a great place to start saving energy and reduce your small business costs. Let this checklist inspire your facility and operators to think of more ways to save energy in your business.
1. Wash windows and screens to let in more light
Clean office windows let in more light and warmth. You may be able to turn off the lights and turn down the heat for part of the day, when the sun is streaming into your work spaces. This will lower your business’ electric bill.
2. Open the windows to increase air circulation
Letting in fresh air to your facility is as good as bringing in the sunshine. Rooms that have been tightly sealed against winter cold will benefit from clean air. When the weather is nice enough, the outside air can help keep your space comfortable without the need to run the air conditioner. Investing in energy efficient windows will help keep your space comfortable all year long.
3. Dust off your appliances
It’s just as important to prevent dust build-up in your business space as it is to keep your home dust-free. Dust is more than just unsightly—it can add to your energy bill and increase your maintenance costs. Keeping your break room appliances and office machinery clean helps their motors run smoothly, which is more energy efficient and lengthens their life expectancy.
4. Vacuum and sweep your floors
Another way to keep the dust down in your office is to sweep and vacuum all floors. Cleaner air is also good for employee health and productivity. Vacuuming frequently, ideally using an energy efficient vacuum with good filters, goes a long way toward improving air quality.
5. Declutter and donate unused electronics and appliances
Clutter can block vents and mess with the flow of air through your work spaces over the winter. Storage and clutter can also block light and attract dust. Clearing out what isn’t needed and organizing your spaces makes them more pleasant to work in and improves business productivity.
You can also save on your energy bill by upgrading appliances, electronics and machinery. Because office equipment is on for most of the day, it uses a lot of energy and can put out a lot of heat. Upgrade to energy efficient office equipment and donate your used equipment to a worthy charity in your area.
6. Optimize your lighting fixtures
Now is a good time to take a look at your office lighting. Replacing inefficient incandescent bulbs with energy-saving LEDs is a top spring cleaning tip. If you already have LED lighting installed, make sure it’s clean so you’re getting the maximum light possible, undimmed by grime. Consider adding sensors and dimmers that turn off lights in empty rooms, which will also save you money.
7. Clean your air filters and ceiling fans
One of the tried and true spring cleaning tips to save energy and cost is to clean or change out air filters and regularly clean any ceiling fans. When air flows smoothly through your HVAC system and your ceiling fans can effectively distribute it throughout your office, your building uses less energy and your employees are more comfortable. Clean systems also mean less wear and tear, because the mechanisms don’t have to work as hard, which lowers your maintenance costs.
8. Adjust or upgrade your thermostat
Adjusting your thermostat upward during warmer months means your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard. Upgrading your thermostat to a programmable model allows you to easily adjust the temperature during different parts of the day.
When people are working, you can set it to be a cooler, more comfortable temperature. But at night, when the outside temperature is lower and the office is empty, you can set it to be a few degrees warmer. Even better than a programmable thermostat is one that ties into a smart system that orchestrates your lights, fans, windows and HVAC system for optimum efficiency.
9. Seal any air leaks around windows and air ducts
Blocking frigid outside drafts saves energy during the winter, but it’s also helpful during the rest of the year, especially when you want to keep your business cool in the summer. Sealing air leaks keeps cool air inside your structure, lessening the stress on your HVAC system. It also helps keep out pollen, a contributor to dust build-up, so you don’t have to clean appliances and machinery as often.
10. Clean your office refrigerator
Grime and spills inside and outside of your office refrigerator isn’t just gross, it causes your refrigerator to operate inefficiently. The heat exchanger, refrigerant and fans can’t work properly when they’re dirty, meaning increased energy and maintenance costs for your business. Spring cleaning for energy efficiency should always include regular maintenance of refrigeration to ensure a longer lifespan for such expensive equipment.
Why is spring cleaning popular?
The tradition of spring cleaning is as old as human history. When wood, coal and kerosene were the main sources of warmth and light, they filled rooms with soot and grime during the winter. As soon as the weather warmed up, people would open their homes to air them out and wipe down everything inside. Ancient cultures also celebrated the spiritual elements of spring renewal by cleaning homes and workshops.
How does spring cleaning help your business?
Both the practical and emotional aspects of spring cleaning apply to your business. When your workplaces are clean and orderly, work can be done with greater efficiency. An ordered workplace also affects employee mood. People feel better about the business and their roles, and are more motivated to put in their best efforts.
When your systems are running efficiently and your people are, too, you’ll see gains in productivity and employee satisfaction—and it doesn’t hurt to save electricity and reduce business costs at the same time.
Get a fresh start with Constellation
These spring cleaning, energy saving tips are just the start of ways to run your business more efficiently and profitably. We invite you to explore more energy solutions for your small business that will keep your energy costs down and your profits up.
