Miller-Valentine Group – Building Solutions

Summer Will be Here Soon
by: Kevin Kiger
Senior Property Manager
kkiger@mvg.com
937-297-3218 Direct

Along with April showers comes the opportunity to begin planning and implementing many of the exterior maintenance and repair activities including pavement repairs, painting and HVAC Inspections.

Asphaltic Pavement
Most asphalt pavements are comprised of three (3) sections, sub grade (soil), base structure (crushed gravel/asphalt) and finish coat (asphalt). If pavement repairs are required, it is usually due to failure of the sub grade or base structure. The repair process includes identification of the cause of failure, including inadequate design or moisture. Depending on the size of the failed area, you may consider consulting with an engineering firm and/or take core samples. Core samples will provide a profile of the pavement sections and whether the sub grade and/or base structure are adequate or have failed due to excessive moisture.

If failure is due to moisture, it will be necessary to excavate the effected materials and replace them with the proper thickness of dry compacted materials. Depending on the amount and source of the moisture, it may be necessary to install drain tile.

After repairs are made to the sub grade and base structure, the existing pavement (finish coat) should be trimmed to provide vertical sides. While not required, causing the repair to be square or rectangular in shape provides for a professional appearance. Before placing the asphalt, a tack coat of hot AC (asphalt cement) should be applied to the surface of the base structure and vertical sides of the area of repair.

The last step of the repair is to seal the joints (rubberized crack filler is recommended).

HVAC Inspections
Prior to warmer weather, ventilation and air conditioning preventative maintenance should be performed. This maintenance activity is highly recommended and will increase the efficiency of equipment operation; unfortunately, it does not guarantee against future failures.

A consistent outdoor temperature of 55-60 degrees will be required to perform preventative maintenance (typically May) on air conditioning systems. Running the air conditioner prior to these temperatures could damage the compressor.

Specifications should include, but not necessarily be limited to checking belts, contactors, electrical connections, amp draw of the motor(s) when running, cleanliness of coil(s) and refrigerant pressures. Your Owner’s Manual or a qualified HVAC contractor should be consulted for a complete list of items to be inspected during preventative maintenance,

The next inspection should be performed in the late fall/early winter and should be designed towards the inspection of the heating system.

Paint
While painting can occur throughout the summer, late spring and early fall are the better times, as temperatures are more moderate.

The various painted surfaces may require different types of paint (latex, oil, etc). The finish of the paint (flat, egg shell, gloss, etc.) is typically your choice. Your painting specifications should include cleaning and preparation (including repairs) of the surface, the type and finish of paint, applied thickness of the paint film and time frame in which the work is to be completed.

Snow Removal
While snow removal season in the Dayton/Cincinnati area usually begins in late November/early December, your planning should begin in October.

I will be back to discuss snow removal and more prior to then.

Enjoy the summer!

What’s In/What’s Out… In Office Design
by: Leigh-Ann Turner
LATurner@mvg.com
937-297-3275 Direct

Design of the perfect office environment is forever-evolving. Here is the latest thinking on what works and what doesn’t.

Out – Corner executive office
In – Workstations near outside windows
Why – Today’s executives are either traveling or in meetings and those corner offices, with the glorious windows, sit empty. Give that well deserved natural light to the employees that spend all day at their desk.

Out – Random seating and collaboration spaces
In – Enclosed huddle rooms
Why – Open collaboration areas in cubicle spaces are distracting to non-participating staff that try and continue to work. Provide small enclosed meeting areas for four to six people that are close by and that can be used at a moments notice. Another important function of the huddle rooms are for those private phone conversations you may find necessary to make while at work.

Out – A designated office for all
In – Drop-in offices
Why – With the increasing mobility of our jobs not everyone needs a dedicated workspace. Provide “drop-in” workspaces with a phone and date hook-up for people who move between offices or work sites.

Out – The traditional high wall cubicle
In – Lower cube walls
Why – High walled cubes are too isolating and hamper the needed collaboration of today’s team environments. Four foot high cube walls work well and still provide adequate privacy. If noise is a concern add a white-noise sound masking system.

Out – Large copier/fax/printer centers
In – All in one machines spread throughout the workspace
Why – Have you ever stopped to think how much time is wasted everyday just walking back and forth to the printer? Placing multi-function machines in several locations will increase productivity dramatically.