Prepare Commercial Property For Winter

Although none of us may be ready for it, winter is right around the corner. Before it gets here, you’ll want to take the necessary steps to prepare your commercial property for winter. There are seven items you should cross of off your to-do list before the temperatures start dropping.

Install Smart Technology Controls

There will be times during the upcoming months when your building is unoccupied, for example during holiday shut downs or any weather-related closings. During those times, have a system in place (such as with Smart Technology) that can allow you to adjust the heat up or down, depending on the temperature inside your building. Otherwise, if the heat doesn’t come on or a thoughtless employee turns it off on their way out the door, you can end up with frozen or busted pipes due to the cold weather.

Inspect your HVAC system

While you’re probably using your HVAC system right now, it’s a good idea to schedule a maintenance inspection with a certified technician. They can check and change all air filters, replace any broken components, check for efficiency problems, and ensure that air flow is working properly.

Check for drafts or problems with your insulation

One final thought on heat: use a tool to check for drafts around your doors or windows and replace any insulation that may be in need of updating. This is a great way to increase the efficiency of your building and reduce your heating costs this winter.

Make certain your plumbing is ready

We’ve already mentioned frozen pipes if the heat gets turned off. Are your pipes properly insulated? Do you have early warning systems to alert you to any leaks or line breaks? If you didn’t answer yes to any of these questions, be sure to take care of them before winter hits to prevent problems .

Is your roof prepared?

Depending on how Mother Nature shifts this year, we could be in for a cold and snowy winter. Remember, even places like Texas had snow-related problems in 2020! If your roof has any leaves, standing water, punctures, or other problems be sure to address those.

Clean out your gutters

Following up with debris-related concerns, if your gutters are clogged it’s a guaranteed way to create water issues — including leaks along the edges of your flat roofs. This happens when excessive leaves or debris clog your gutters and cause rain or snow to run back into your building along your drip edge.

Turn off your irrigation systems

Some larger facilities with grassy areas have irrigation systems to keep the grass green all year long. Most likely, you won’t be needing this anytime in the near future. Drain the lines of water and disable the control box until springtime.

Prepare Commercial Property for the Winter with IFM

The beauty of Integrated Facility Management is that we handle all winter preparedness work for you, contacting the right companies for inspections, issuing maintenance tickets and ensuring their completion. With LESCO360 on your side, your winter prep work will be significantly easier. Interested in learning more? CONTACT US for more information or to schedule your free quote.