Why Is SMS the Third Leg of the Stool?

When an SMS technician visits a property, he not only takes care of the work order at hand but he also spends a few minutes doing a quick inspection of the property to see if any other problems stand out.

Upon completion of a quarterly preventive maintenance visit, our HVAC technician noticed a large amount of surface water on the front parking lot although the weather had been dry for several days.

The technician took the above picture of his muddy boot in the puddle.  We sent the picture and a proposal to the property manager, offering to investigate and repair the water leak.  Unaware of the problem, the property manager gratefully authorized us to proceed.  No doubt, our additional “eyes and ears” on the property saved the owner thousands of dollars in unexpected water and sewer charges that would have resulted.

All of our twenty-eight service technicians, regardless of their specialty will do a quick drive-around and help our clients know when something needs attention.

This is why, on hundreds of office, industrial and retail properties across Metro-Atlanta…

SMS is the third leg of the stool
that helps keep properties operating at peak performance.

For further information…

Getting Ahead of the Package Unit Shortage

The comfortable early Spring days we are enjoying now will soon give way to hot and humid summertime weather. How prepared are you for HVAC system breakdowns necessitating the replacement of major components?

Unpredictability in delivery of new HVAC package units systems persists. 3-, 5- and 10-ton units can take as little as a week or as long as three months to deliver. Special order systems can require six months delivery time.

Landlords, property managers and tenants must take extra steps to ensure against disruptions this summer. Supply problems could cost tenants their ability to conduct business. It could also kill a new lease deal that a landlord and tenant hope to make.

SMS’s HVAC team recommends the following steps be taken now to alleviate big problems later:

Landlords/Property Managers:

  • Landlords should not have to inherit poorly maintained HVAC systems at the end of a lease. Throughout the lease term, Tenants should provide evidence of regular maintenance of HVAC systems performed by a reputable contractor. Within six months of lease expiration all HVAC systems should be inspected to ensure such systems have been property maintained.
  • Vacant suites: Inspect and continue servicing HVAC systems in vacant suites to prevent deterioration resulting from neglect.
  • Anticipate costly delays in new system deliveries by scheduling system replacements in advance of future need.

Tenants:

  • SMS recommends performing scheduled preventive maintenance quarterly. Less frequent service may save a small amount of service fees, but dirty filters and coils will lead to reduced efficiency resulting in greater utility cost and shortened useful life of the equipment.

Landlords, Property Managers and Tenants should always get a second opinion on the condition and serviceability of systems. Often a recommendation to replace a unit is unnecessary when maintenance or repair of a component is all that’s needed.

For further information…