As seasons change, so do your responsibilities around your properties. Properties have different needs in the scorching heat of summer than they do in the negative temperatures and feet of snow brought by harsh winters. Before winter is here in full swing, follow these 8 steps of winter prep for properties! For any additional questions, contact Building Maintenance Management.
Step 1. Prepare for Power Outages
Depending on your property, power outages can be costly and detrimental to your business. In fact, power outages collectively can cost economies billions of dollars in lost revenue. To protect yourself from loss of income, invest in a generator to give you uninterruptible power supplies.
Backup generators can keep temperatures comfortable, office equipment from going on the fritz, and food in the break room from spoiling and causing nasty smells that may be hard to remove. Make sure that your office is prepared to face power outages this winter.
Step 2. Plan for Snow and Ice Removal
With a harsh Minnesota winter looming, one thing all MN residents understand is the impact of snow. Snow and ice can make travel impossible and be detrimental to your business. That’s why snow management is important to plan for. Whether you plan to complete snow and ice removal on your own or hire an external company to manage it for you – your plan should be in place before the first prediction of snow.
Step 3. Protect Your Roof
Before the first snow falls, be sure to make sure your roof is prepared for the winter weather. Buildups of snow and ice throughout winter can wreak havoc on your roof – especially if your roof isn’t in great condition to begin with.
A professional roof inspection is the best way to make sure your roof is ready. Contact a local roofing company to perform an inspection and make any necessary repairs.
Step 4. Mitigate Security Risks
With winter comes the holiday season. While it may not be something commonly associated with the holidays, robberies increase by 20% throughout December. Prepare your property by increasing security or just running a check of your current security systems. Keep in mind that an increase in visible security on its own can often dissuade potential thieves.
Step 5. Service Your HVAC Systems
Winter weather means that more people will be spending time indoors, which means HVAC filters are going to be worked more heavily. Most filters only last about three months with normal use, so make sure you are changing filters as often as necessary to keep tenants and employees healthy.
Step 6. Inspect Building for Sources of Lost Heat
Do you have employees complaining about being cold all winter long? One way to combat this is to inspect doors and windows for proper seals. Any spots where cold air leaks in should be dealt with before the cold sets in to keep your heating as efficient and inexpensive as possible.
Step 7. Insulate Plumbing
A burst pipe in the winter can be a nightmare, but without insulation pipes are liable to freeze. Now is the time to take preventative measures to ensure that you aren’t facing a flood and replacing pipes in a few months.
Step 8. Prepare Your Landscape
Taking the time to rake leaves and prepare your landscape makes its bounce back in the spring that much easier! Before the first frost, aerate and fertilize your soil and prune your plants to make sure they are healthy and will survive the winter.
Do you want help with winter prep for your property? Call Building Maintenance Management today at 763-541-4886 or contact us!
