8 tips to prepare your buildings & facilities for winter—now

As winter looms, snow and falling temperatures have the potential to disrupt your building’s operations and compromise the safety of its occupants. Having a winter preparedness plan defined in advance allows you to mitigate these risks, minimize winter storm damage, and safeguard your workforce and visitors.

Tips for buildings:

1. Keep HVAC systems in good order. Change filters and perform inspections throughout the year to ensure systems are ready when occupants need to stay warm.
2. Perform regular and preventative maintenance on power generators, like fluid changes and electrical connection checks. If purchasing a new system, have it installed by a certified electrician to guarantee the continued electricity flow when disruptions occur.
3. Immediately address any water leaks and be sure exposed pipes are wrapped and insulated to avoid freezing, bursting, and flooding.
4. During winter months, slip and fall prevention is another component of protecting employees and guests. Clean walk-off mats, salt & grit external walkways, and clear parking lots regularly.
5. Clear snow and ice from roofs or overhangs. High levels of accumulated snow and ice should be removed promptly to avoid injuries or property damage.

Tips for managing winter suppliers:

6. Start early! Vendor selection and agreements are typically completed months prior to the upcoming season. Once the storm hits, service providers’ calendars fill up quickly and new customers are put at the end of the line.
7. Do your due diligence before selecting vendors. It is important to spend time properly identifying, vetting, and selecting vendors for key seasonal activities like snow removal or maintenance. Doing this research upfront may save you from costly mistakes or service interruptions later.
8. Regularly update critical files. Contracting, checking insurance, and evaluating suppliers’ performance throughout the year may be time-consuming, but it ensures their services are vetted and available when needed.

Download our free winter preparedness checklist to help minimize the upcoming winter’s impact on your buildings, occupants, customers, and your bottom line.

Need help getting ready? Our facilities experts at Building Services Network are happy to provide a free consultation to assess your winter readiness and match you with top-rate vendors to perform critical winter tasks. Request a consult →