BUILDER SUPPLIER FEEDBACK Biggest


• Not performing ice resurfacer mainte- nance per manufacturer’s recommen- dations.


Maintenance Mistakes


We contacted a number of builder/supplier members and asked:


What are the biggest maintenance mistakes made by rink operators?


Their answers are as follows: ROBB OLEXIN


Senior sales consultant/new project development, Becker Arena Products


“Not edging the ice enough and laying down too much unnec- essary water when resurfacing.”


JIM FARREN


Senior vice president, American Insurance Agency


“Te insurance industry’s view of maintenance may be very different than an owner operator’s list. I first came up with a list of my own then asked a few insurance in-


dustry professionals to share their thoughts. “Here is our list:


• Not following compressor maintenance suggestions and meeting state com- pressor inspection deadlines.


• Not maintaining floors and inspecting for flooring defects.


• Ice surface — Failing to ensure that it is level, hard and free from defects.


• Documentation — Not keeping and updating maintenance logs regularly to track incidents and record maintenance information on compressors, resur- facers, skates, etc.


22 WINT ER 2 019


• Parking lots and entryways — Not repairing cracked or unleveled walking surfaces.


• Building — Not checking walls and roof for moisture/leaks.


• Snow removal — Not keeping walkways, parking lots, roof entry and exits clear.


• Bleachers — Worn/slick treads on stairs and lose hardware on rails.


• Snack Bar — Questionable flooring, seating and cooking equipment.


• Storage of combustible materials — Not maintaining and storing properly.


• Protective netting maintenance — Open spaces, gaps, holes and splits in netting.


• Ice resurfacer crossing area — Not maintaining barriers and keeping walking surface free from ice and debris.


• Skate aids — Not performing regular maintenance per manufacturer’s recommendations.


• Dasher boards, glass and doors — Not properly maintaining player benches, entry and exit areas from the ice surface, gaps and ‘Zam’ doors.


• Ceiling — Missing pieces, damaged or loose.”


FRED KLAUDI Sales manager, Level Ice


“Not knowing the thickness of their entire ice surface. Tere are those that do not drill to measure thickness. Having the ice too thick increases the amount


the refrigeration system works. Simply knowing the ice thickness keeps the ice responsive and helps reduce overall costs.”


DAVE WESCOTT Managing partner, All Star Arenas


“Since many facilities run 12 months of the year, we can no longer use the traditional rink schedule that allowed for equipment mainte-


nance during rink shut-down periods. Now we must work these services into the busy 12-month schedule.


“Many rinks used to have the


‘maintenance guy’ who could fix anything. Two things happened, though: those guys retired, and equipment has become more complicated. Using outside help is needed now more than ever. However, the facility manager must follow up on maintenance tasks whether they are done in-house or not.


“Refrigeration – HVAC — We have noticed two scenarios when it comes to the HVAC-R and HVAC related issues:


1. Te ‘Hero Service Company’: Many arenas have a refrigeration company that takes care of many rinks in the area. Tese guys are the best at saving you at 3 a.m. on a Saturday and always show up when it’s a crisis. However, very few of these guys follow up and return to complete the repairs, and even fewer will do preventive maintenance. Truth be told, if preventive maintenance was performed properly, these hero guys might not be needed as much.


2. Not Following Up — Many facilities have maintenance contracts for the HVAC-R and the HVAC equipment in the building. Unfortunately, in today’s environment, with many companies understaffed, whether on purpose or not, many of the maintenance tasks get missed or pushed back.


“Some facilities that have a monthly


contract may not see a service person for two to three months. Te company may only have junior technicians that cannot perform a full inspection or maintenance task, or worse yet, have a billing department that sends out an invoice whether or not the service has been done.


“Typically, someone in the rink is


responsible for these contracts. It is up to this individual to follow up on these contracts to make sure the company is actually performing the work, showing up in a timely manner, following up with recommendations and/or service that is necessary.


“Dehumidification — Dehumidifiers are simple machines; they just need attention. Be mindful of the following:


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