Be Prepared

The WeatherUnderground Forecast for the upcoming week makes me think it is time to remind people to stay prepared all the time.

Here in Wisconsin we often think of winter as our harshest climate period, with snow and bitter cold possible for a number of months every year. The reality is that our climate can be challenging almost any time of the year and we need to be prepared for the variety that mother nature dishes out in The Dairy State.

With temps in the triple digits this week and heat index potentially over 120 degrees - there will be very limited availability of air conditioning technicians for your car, business, or home.

Take the time today to check out your cars belts, fluid levels, and make sure the hoses are all firm and without bulges. Examine your tires visually, make sure there are no noticeable bumps or irregularities on the tread surface or sidewalls.

At home or at your office, take a few minutes and remove the cover to your air conditioning unit and clean the fins, removing debris that will take away from the efficiency of the unit. Make sure all the lines are also clear of debris and show no wear or kinks.

Also, take a look around the neighborhood and find the people that may be at risk in extreme weather. Look in on them this week as well. If friends don't have air conditioning, invite them over during the heat of the day when temperatures are in the 90's or higher.

One final note - Please - do not leave children or pets in a car when there is potential for hot weather conditions. Even with the windows down the temperatures in vehicles will reach incredibly dangerous levels very quickly.

Brian

Remember - Seasonal Maintenance

Memorial Day weekend has passed and we are now entering the summer season. What does this mean for asset management? It is time to make sure that the seasonal maintenance and upkeep is completed to avoid inefficiencies in your physical operations. More plainly stated - save money by doing your maintenance.

Facilities are in the process of changing over between heating and cooling often, as temperatures vary during this season in most areas of the country. Are your systems up to the task? Are you behind the curve when it comes to preparations for seasonal spikes? Is your infrastructure outdated, or maybe with the recent budget cuts you skipped a maintenance cycle? Now is the time to get things back on track.

Back-up generators become critical in storm season. Is your system ready for the tantrums that mother nature throws at this time of year? When is the last time you actually did a load test on your emergency power system?

Vehicles also need to be evaluated with seasonal change. Did you know that the change in temperatures in most temperate climates can create up to 5% change in your tire air pressure? That has a dramatic effect on fruel economy and on tire wear.

Engine air filters and cabin air filtration systems also need to be maintained seasonally. Poor air flow in either system robs the vehicle of efficiencies that will cost real dollars at the gas pump.

Take a few minutes and look at the equipment and assets you use in your business and life everyday. Make sure they are up to date and maintained properly. your bottom line will show the results.

Reynolds Asset Management

Don't Overlook the Easy Money

How many people throw away the attachments in the utility bill without ever looking at them? How about the notes on the service receipt from your garage after having a vehicle serviced? You may be throwing away money!

Many of us sometimes forget that there are experts in these fields that can offer advice that is capable of saving us money, and improving the efficiencies of our home, business, or vehicles. I recently took a look at the materials included in my utility bill and was reminded of a few ideas that could save me some hard earned cash with almost no initial cost. Now imagine the possibilites if we can get all our neighbors and friends to do the same...

In today's world, savings at home or at work are probably not going to come in huge increments. Those big dollar items have more than likely already been implemented. Now we need to look for the little savings that will add up over time. Sometimes they may just be handed to you from one of your service providers - don't throw them away.

With the new calendar year many people have continued the old traditions of making resolutions or cleaning out the closets. This is also a great time to do the same in our professional lives. Pick an area of your organization, or a process in your company, and review it for effectiveness. Clean out some of the old and inefficient procedures and start a fresh approach to some of your processes with the beginning of the new year.

Since many business organizations operate on a fiscal year, this can be a great opportunity to make some changes and test run them for the remainder of the year. Maybe you can find something that is unique and previously had been overlooked by examining your business in the middle of the fiscal year instead of at the end, when everyone is clamoring for reports, project deadlines, and final results.

You also may want to take a look at the assets of your business. What tools or vehicles are being underutilized? What facility projects would provide an attractive ROI in the topsy-turvey economic climate today? Do we have any green initiatives that may be financially viable due to the high cost of energy now?

Clean your closets out literally and figuratively this New Year and see what exciting things may happen.