Why Your Infrastructure Needs Regular Maintenance
It's kind of crazy that as I'm writing this post (it's November 23) a water line broke in Huntsville. It's another example of how important infrastructure maintenance really is.
These types of issues are a big deal whether you're a property manager or a public works director. Those tenants who were considering renewing their lease are having second thoughts. Those visitors who are in your shopping center leave you a negative review. And for municipalities, residents are calling city hall demanding answers while critical services get disrupted.
Luckily, when we pick up the phone, we're there in no time to fix it. But what's even better is that we can prevent it from happening in the first place. We perform regular pressure tests for our clients, from private property owners to civil utilities departments, to help them avoid emergency repair costs, property damage, and unhappy constituents.
The Real Cost of Reactive Maintenance
Infrastructure breakdowns are expensive whether you're managing a private development or overseeing public utilities. Trust me.
Planned maintenance expenses are between two and three times lower than what emergency repair services cost. It's a nasty combo of property damage, lost business income, service disruptions, and dissatisfied customers (or constituents) resulting from emergency repairs.
Contractors charge a premium for waking up in the middle of the night and fixing the problem. Then, you have to get materials fast. (That's not cheap).
Minor issues turn into major disasters. You can identify water system pressure issues through scheduled testing, which prevents major system breakdowns. Storm drainage systems often fail during heavy rain because maintenance personnel fail to remove accumulated debris from these systems. Imagine what a regular check-up could prevent, whether it's protecting a commercial property or keeping a street from flooding.
Property owners and municipal leaders who want to prevent disasters perform regular maintenance checks as a proactive measure. Maintenance investments benefit everyone by creating value that helps cover the costs of these investments and protects public safety.
There are several things an infrastructure maintenance program should cover. Don't sign a contract unless you're getting all of these.
Regular Drainage System Inspections
At Sy-Con, we perform camera inspections to detect problems inside your lines before they become major issues. Storm drains and sewer lines get clogged up with debris and tree roots. Obviously, this isn't good. All that mess damages pipes. Our drainage system inspections focus on being proactive about some of these:
We detect cracks and plan for any needed repairs
Our team of experts inspects offset joints and reports on issues
We find root intrusions and blockages in your system before they get out of hand
Our team identifies problems when they first appear. Whether you're overseeing a private development or managing municipal utilities, if you've been thinking about needing something like this, don't hesitate to reach out. We'd love to talk through it with you.
Learn More About Our Maintenance Plans
Comprehensive Pressure Testing
Water lines require scheduled pressure testing. Our team performs inspections to confirm that all code requirements have been met. The system requires testing to detect operational weaknesses that could lead to system failure. This helps keep operations running smoothly—whether that's keeping tenants and residents happy on private property or ensuring reliable service delivery for municipal water systems.
Our testing process detects system leaks and joint breakdowns and identifies stress points in the system. Again, a controlled test is a much better choice than taking the risk.
Fire Suppression System Checks
When was the last time you thought of all the fire hydrants and suppression lines you have on your property or throughout your service area? Probably not a lot. There are a lot of things happening below the surface, and it's not easy to spot when they're not humming along like they should.
The equipment remains unused for extended periods of time, so it's easy to forget to check on it. We work alongside your existing fire suppression service provider to help identify or repair any part of the underground system. Our team performs complete inspections of hydrant assemblies to detect leaks while checking pressure levels to confirm your system is operating and ready should you need it. This is critical for both private developments and public fire protection infrastructure.
Storm Drainage Maintenance
Northwest Arkansas gets its share of heavy rain. When storm drainage systems fail, you're looking at some real issues. It can lead to flooding and erosion. And those can damage property and create major headaches for municipal public works departments dealing with flooded roads and infrastructure damage.
Our maintenance plans include regular clearing of debris and checking for proper flow. We inspect catch basins and ensure your system can handle the water volume it was designed for.
We also address those eyesores that tend to pile up, like ugly, deteriorated curb inlet boxes or eroded junction boxes that have seen better days. And what about those water traps that never seem to stay fixed? We handle those persistent problems too. We've seen too many flooded roads and damaged foundations that could have been avoided with basic storm drainage upkeep.
Building An Ongoing Maintenance Plan
When it comes to protecting infrastructure, you really shouldn't just hope for the best. A comprehensive, scheduled maintenance program will give you and those you serve peace of mind.
Every property and municipality is different.
An apartment complex has different needs than a shopping center. A municipal water system faces different challenges than a private industrial facility. That's why cookie-cutter maintenance plans don't work.
When we develop a maintenance plan, we start by assessing your current infrastructure. We'll find out what works best by getting down to the root of what you need. We figure out all of this by asking: How old are your utility systems? What materials were used in the original installation? What's your usage pattern or service demand? What are the most critical systems that absolutely cannot fail?
(Don't worry, we're not trying to put you in the hot seat. We just believe that one-size-fits-all isn't the right approach, so we have to figure out a good game plan).
From there, we create a schedule. Some things need quarterly attention. Others can be checked annually. The key is consistency and follow-through.
All maintenance plans include:
Scheduled inspections to generate complete reports and action plans
Scheduled maintenance to stop minor equipment problems from developing into major equipment breakdowns
Proper documentation that follows insurance requirements and meets all regulatory compliance needs
Emergency response protocols that start operating when equipment failures happen
Financial planning to prevent unexpected maintenance expenses
Here's What Sets Us Apart
You might be thinking: Okay, Sy. I get it. Maintenance matters. But why should I trust your team with this?
Happy to answer.
Our company holds an Unlimited Arkansas Contractors License and Arkansas Department of Health Distribution Water License D-II. Our team possesses complete qualifications to work on all parts of utility infrastructure, private or municipal. You don't need to work with multiple specialists because we handle it all.
We have specialized knowledge of the systems in place throughout Northwest Arkansas because we've been operating here since 2016 (about to be a decade, that's wild!).
Our team recognizes the specific challenges that affect infrastructure systems in this region. We know the soil characteristics. Northwest Arkansas's weather patterns aren't a surprise. We understand the building and permit processes like the back of our hands.
Plus, our main goal focuses on emergency prevention instead of emergency response because we genuinely care about infrastructure protection.
Emergency response calls bring high payment rates to some contractors who actively seek out such situations. Our main objective is to assist you in stopping emergencies before they occur instead of focusing on their consequences post-catastrophe
For us, it starts with our core values. We want to make a positive impact on our community, so we're not in the business of trying to exploit you when stuff starts hitting the fan.
Our team keeps detailed records of all inspection activities and maintenance work that occurs on your infrastructure. Your infrastructure status remains accessible at all times.
No surprises.
If you're ready to learn more, don't hesitate to reach out. Let's get you some peace of mind in knowing that we've got our eyes on your infrastructure and we intend to keep everything operating as it should.
