Winter is right around the corner which means snow and bitter cold for the Chicagoland area. While many of us wish the warm weather could stay for longer, it is time to start thinking about the well-being of your building and the health and safety of your team. Have you considered what your facility might need to prepare itself for winter? As your commercial handyman, Omni Facility Maintenance will take care of all that for you so you can focus on your core business.
Act Now
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a business owner is considering your facility’s winterizing needs too late. Especially in the Chicagoland area, having all parts of your building winterized before the bitter cold hits will ensure that your building and team are prepared for winter, no matter when it comes. Getting this process started earlier rather than later will ensure a fast and smooth transition to protect your building for the entire season. We at Omni Facility Maintenance can ensure your building is winterized well before the cold hits.
What’s needed?
If you’re not into facility maintenance, you might be wondering what goes into a facility’s winterization process. There are several aspects of your building that require special care during the colder months:
Interior
Winterizing your floors, doors, windows, heaters, boilers, and vents is vital to keeping your building and team healthy this winter. On your floors, place matts at every entrance where your employees can wipe their feet off before fully entering the building. Wet floors are a hazard. Your windows should be well sealed and in good condition to ensure heat doesn’t escape the building. This will also save you a ton of money. The building’s heaters, boilers, and vents should be clean and working properly before winter starts. When the heat comes on, you don’t want any dust and buildup in there. At best, it can burn and make your building smell. At worst, it can catch fire.
Exterior
Your exterior building will need to be winterized as well. Having a professional check the integrity of your roof will help prevent issues from snow accumulation; for example, the weight of the snow could cause the roof to cave in if it is not sound. In addition to checking your roof, you will want to ensure your parking lot is clear of major cracks and is properly paved. During the winter, salt the ground before it snows to help prevent slips and falls outside.
One of the best ways you can prepare and maintain your winterized facility is simply to clean. Cleaning your building (or having your building cleaned) on a regular basis in the winter will aid in maintaining the winterization process. Whether it’s a cleaning crew or your employees, cleaning and watching the building through the winter will help prevent any serious damage. When a building is not properly winterized, problems can occur such as physical damage to employees and customers, loss of power and heat, and damage to the overall integrity of your building.
New/Under Construction Facilities
Winterizing new/under construction facilities is vital to maintaining a long-term, healthy infrastructure. Keeping your building healthy from the beginning is the best way to avoid costly repairs down the line. For new buildings, the first winter could potentially be the worst if it is not winterized properly. In addition, any building that isn’t properly winterized can face the same consequences as listed above. To keep your new building new, contact us about preparing it for the winter.
Conclusion
Ensuring your building is properly winterized before winter hits will give you, your team, and your building safety and security. It may seem like a stressful process, but with the right timing and facility maintenance partner, it’s really simple! We here at Omni Facility Maintenance can assure that your building will be ready for whatever winter has to throw at it. Don’t put off this important facility maintenance step, give us a call today! 1-877-863-4948