Budderfly Delivers Exceptional Service with Immediate Impact for a Zaxby’s Location
A Zaxby’s restaurant in Florida, a tenant of Essential Properties Realty Trust (EPRT), was struggling with severe HVAC issues that were negatively affecting tenant satisfaction, comfort, and operations. Despite previous repair attempts, the dining area remained uncomfortably warm, and thermostats were reaching as high as 85°F. Budderfly stepped in not only to install new equipment, but to diagnose and fully resolve the root causes of the problem, delivering high-quality work and reinforcing the trust placed in us by EPRT.
CHALLENGES
The restaurant was dealing with long-standing HVAC issues that had gone unresolved despite repeated service attempts by various contractors. The dining area was consistently too hot, and HVAC units were running nonstop with little impact. Once the Budderfly Service Team arrived on site for a scheduled HVAC replacement, our experts saw that the issues went far beyond worn-out equipment:
The building was equipped with split systems, an HVAC system that includes an indoor and outdoor unit as two separate devices, typically found in residential buildings.
After removing ceiling panels to assess the system, Budderfly’s team discovered that key ductwork had completely disconnected and was left hanging in the attic.
Water damage had saturated the insulation and surrounding materials.
Return air was being drawn from the attic, where temperatures ranged from 130–150°F, instead of from the climate-controlled space.
The HVAC units were under constant strain due to inefficient airflow and improperly routed ducting.
BUDDERFLY’S SOLUTION
Recognizing the scope of the issue—and the frustration of both tenant and property owner—we elevated the situation quickly. Despite the out-of-scope nature of the ductwork repairs, EPRT trusted our assessment and gave the green light to proceed.
Budderfly’s in-house team of technicians identified key problems quickly and worked overnight shifts to gather materials and begin the project immediately.
Over the course of a week, six HVAC units were replaced, and the entire restaurant’s ductwork was reconstructed.
The work was completed discreetly with minimal disruption to the business.
With Budderfly’s high-efficiency HVAC equipment and properly functioning ductwork, the restaurant is expected to see a 50–60% reduction in energy use, which will result in long-term savings for both the property owner and the tenant.
