Paul Rhodes discusses the preparation of "National Warming" and how to prepare for the heat in 2015.

~ Courtesy of NAAHQ and the APTly Spoken Blog

 
With all of the cold weather that we have experienced recently a Facebook friend recently posted online that she would “like to order a cup of global warming please”. While the debate still rages on about the climate on a global scale, I’d like to address a national trend that will happen sooner than many of us would like: National Warming. (In other words; that portion of the year that can turn a beautiful third floor, south-facing apartment here in Georgia into an oven.)

Even if your community is not in the “sticky southeast” portion of the country, the numbers on all of our thermometers are going to rise. Here are some things that we can do now; before it gets hot to prepare for the heat:

Log up: If your community is performing refrigerant service it is a very good practice to log all refrigerant usage, even if it is not required do to your system size. Make sure that your refrigerant log is organized for quick use by verifying the weight of recovery tanks on hand. If your property is going to use one of the new “retrofit” refrigerants be sure to have a plan for recording when and where it is used.

Supply up: Before the heat hits order the supplies that will be needed for proper service. Here’s some suggestions;

• HVAC filters (filters should be replaced as needed; minimum 4 times a year on most communities)

• Filter Dryers (for install on all systems when opened to the air and to recover refrigerant through for reuse)

• Vacuum Pump oil (Should be replaced in the pump every 10 hours of service per MFG recommendation)

• Nitrogen tank refills (To ensure Nitrogen can be run inside pipe when brazing, and to blow out condensation drains)

• Coil cleaner (cleaning both condenser and evaporating coils can save on service and increase system life.

• Acid testers (before recovering refrigerant test for acid. Separate reusable refrigerant from non-reusable and store accordingly)

Tank up: consolidate recovered refrigerant to as few recovery tanks as possible. Consider turning refrigerant in to reclaim with a local source. Check with a local supplier for where to send the used refrigerant.

Clean up: Once the temperature is above freezing, consider some “pre-emptive” cleaning of your condensing coils. This is done using a garden hose with a sprayer attachment to rinse off the outdoor coils from any stuck debris that would prevent airflow.

Plan up: take an in-depth look at the landscaping around your outdoor HVAC equipment. Are the bushes too close to the units? Minimum standards are at least 1 foot of clearance to ensure airflow happens properly (2 feet between units themselves). If the bushes are at that distance now, make sure communicate pruning requirements before growth happens in the spring. (Don’t forget about a pathway for a technician to service the equipment if needed...)

Train up: While things are relatively slow, now is the best time to review procedures for system recovery and evacuation, calculating Superheat and/or Subcool, brazing, and other skills forgotten by disuse during the fall and winter months. Consider a course on how to properly perform these and other related skills for the hot summer months.

This summer as the temperature rises... a little “UP” planning now can help us as technicians experience that “cool under pressure” feeling.
 

Multifamily Group Purchasing experts, Buyers Access, supports customers to drive standardization, compliance, and deliver customized solutions that provide significant benefits and savings to your company. Click here to learn more about the Smart Advantage Purchasing Program today!

Click here to see Buyers Access HVAC suppliers

- See more at: http://www.naahq.org/read/aptly-spoken-blog/hvac-technician-service-announcement-national-warming-coming#sthash.672MysNK.dpuf

Thank you Scott and Laura for stopping by our booth to learn more about the Smart Advantage Purchasing Program.

For more information on how the Smart Advantage Purchasing Program can save you money and increase NOI, please contact our Sales Team today!

They Did It: FCC Votes Yes on Net Neutrality

In a 3-2 party-line vote, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved net neutrality regulations for mobile and wired or “fixed” broadband on February 26. This bans paid priority for Internet traffic and prohibits Internet providers from blocking or slowing down online content. The multifamily industry and its residents depend on the Internet for online marketing and leasing, revenue management, community amenities and more.

The vote reclassifies broadband as a “telecommunications service” under Title II of the Communications Act – a provision traditionally applied to telephone companies. Critics say the FCC has opened up Internet providers to taxes and fees that will reduce investment in the nation’s digital infrastructure.

However, the regulations carve out 27 sections from Title II to prevent utility-like rate oversight. Cable companies and mobile carriers that were not covered by earlier net neutrality regulations are expected to challenge the ruling in court.

NMHC/NAA will review the regulations to determine the impact on the apartment industry.

Shared from the National Multifamily Housing Council

Digested from “U.S. Green Buildings to Attract Lower Interest Rates”
U.S. Green Building Council news release (2/9/15)

Fannie Mae is now offering lower interest rates to multifamily communities with green certifications such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Energy Star and Enterprise Green Communities Criteria.

Through its Multifamily Green Initiative, Fannie Mae will offer green-certified multifamily properties a 10 basis point reduction in the interest rate of a refinance, acquisition or supplemental mortgage loan. This rate cut lowers a 4 percent market interest rate to 3.9 percent. A building owner with a $10 million loan amortizing over 30 years would save $95,000 in interest payments over a 10-year term.

Fannie Mae is the national leader in multifamily financing, with a more than $200 billion portfolio. All loans financed through the Multifamily Green Initiative will be securitized as Green MBS, increasing the volume of green bonds in the market.

- Read more here

 

Warmer days are around the corner so make sure you are ready to prepare your pool for the summer. Test your equipment, check safety features, and have sparkling clean water ready for the first splash of the summer season. Before opening the pool for swimming, follow these 12 simple steps below:

1) Remove, clean, and store the pool cover
 

2) Thoroughly clean and vacuum the pool
 

3) Add water to the desired height at the prescribed rate of 1” (25mm) per hour
 

4) Test water balance, pH, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, and total alkalinity levels
 

5) Inspect electrical service, filters, skimmers, drains, ladders, diving boards, plugs, gauges, and other important components of the system
 

6) Lubricate fittings, valves, o-rings, and plugs
 

7) Inspect tile and grout installations
 

8) Clean and inspect pool deck
 

9) Skim pool water surface and vacuum pool bottom
 

10) Backwash filter, if necessary
 

11) Shock pool water to breakpoint levels
 

12) Add algaecide, as required

 

11th Annual Buyers Access Business Education Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is just 5 days away!

With all this talk about HVAC Energy Efficiency Standards, sometimes it is difficult to remember or even know what the abbreviations really stand for. So, below is a quick reference key to understanding Energy Efficiency lingo.

SEER = Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating

EER = Energy Efficiency Rating

HSPF = Heating Seasonal Performance Factor

AFUE = Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency

HVAC Questions?

Ask us about new 2015 condensing unit legislation or any other HVAC questions you have. Our supplier, HD Supply, has over 100 years of combined HVAC experience.

Click here to learn more.

Buyers Access will be attending, exhibiting and hosting many events in 2015. Here is the most recent 2015 Event Calendar for reference. We look forward to connecting with you this year. Cheers! 

• Buyers Access 2015 Business Education Conference - February 9 -12
Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort Rio Grande | San Juan, Puerto Rico

• NAA 2015 Student Housing Conference & Exposition - February 17-18
Aria Resort | Las Vegas, NV

• TAA 2015 Education Conference & Lone Star Expo - April 22-25
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center | San Antonio, TX

• NAA 2015 Education Conference & Exposition - June 24-27
Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center | Las Vegas, NV

The beginning of January is the time for New Year's resolutions, so what are you going to do in 2015 to improve NOI? What can you do to implement a cost-effective purchasing program for your Management company? Oftentimes, we fail to chart the specific and attainable steps necessary to successfully achieve our goals. Buyers Access suggest the following to help optimize your purchasing program in 2015:

Review & Analyze – Perform a complete review of MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Operations) spend for 2013. Evaluate each property’s expenses and number of vendors used.

Consolidate & Standardize – A reduction in the number of suppliers, and different product brands/styles = standardization. This results in a reduction of invoice processing, inefficient inventory, and time. Time = Money

Utilize e-Commerce Technology – By implementing a configurable, electronic purchasing platform, you can gain spend control, standardize, and reduce processing costs per invoice. The average process cost per paper invoice is $18. The average cost per electronic invoice is $3*. Savings of $15 per invoice.

Negotiate Pricing & Value Added Services – Review your current vendor pricing and discounts. Does that vendor offer value added services (free shipping, rebates, training & reliable customer service)? Schedule meetings with your preferred vendors to review your current purchasing programs.

Implement Your Revised Purchasing Program – Rollout your new purchasing program and procedures to each property. Include initial, and on going training to all property personnel, schedule quarterly updates, and performance reports.

Be Realistic & Honest - Do you and/or anyone in your organization have the time to review, develop & implement these necessary steps? Consider the real value of a reputable Purchasing/Spend Management Consultant, like Buyers Access. Our average member realizes a NOI of over $50 per unit per year.

To learn more about other cost/time reducing strategies and services that Buyers Access can offer, contact us. We look forward to hearing from you, and wish you healthy and prosperous New Year.

*Purchasing Today –Volume 10, Number 4, Page 18