Winter brings its own unique challenges to facilities, and preparing for those conditions ahead of the cold weather can save you time, money, and headaches. Creating a fall maintenance checklist can help you develop consistent annual practices to stay on top of equipment status, create performance benchmarks, and prepare accurate budgeting for your facility.
There are several elements in your facility that need to be considered and assessed before the weather drops and the snow arrives.
Building exterior
It’s important to look at the outside of your building to make sure everything is in tip-top shape for winter. Assess your landscaping to determine whether you have to wrap any shrubbery, fertilize your lawns, and cut back any hanging branches that could freeze and break. Check window seals for places that need re-sealing, so they don’t allow cold air to enter your building.
Look at your roof, too, and confirm that the drains are clear and in proper working order to avoid ponding water on your roof that can freeze and thaw in the winter, causing damage to your roof. Don’t forget outdoor or pipes that are located on an exterior wall. These can often freeze in the winter and may need extra insulation to keep them working when the temperatures dip.
Heating systems
Before the time comes to heat your building, make sure that your heating system is working the way it should. Have it inspected, check your thermostat settings, test the system, bleed radiators, and change HVAC filters for maximum indoor air quality for your building. You might want to consider investing in a “smart” technology like thermostats you can program on a grid. This type of upgrade may save you money along with offering you a simple and accurate way to stay on top of your heating systems.
Snow removal
To keep visitors and staff safe, a snow removal plan needs to be set up before the season starts. If you are using a service, ensure that you have a contract and know that you will be covered when winter starts. If you are managing snow removal on your own, stock up on ice melter, develop a schedule for cleaning walkways and parking lots, and create a location for your snow to be evacuated once it accumulates. Don’t forget to identify possible areas of obstruction or places where your downspouts might create icy patches you will need to monitor.
With fall in full swing, now’s the time to put your maintenance plan in place to ensure you have a safe, secure, and dry facility this winter.
