Maintenance Preparations for Winter

Winter can be detrimental to your property; the adverse and changing weather conditions can cause serious issues and sometimes prevent repairs or maintenance work from being completed. Due to the unpredictable nature of the cooler months, the best way to prepare is to get ahead in the autumn.

Preventative and planned maintenance is the best way to ensure that your property is ready to withstand the winter. Here we will cover just some of the maintenance preparations your building may need in the lead up to the cooler months.

Check Water Systems

Frozen or burst water pipes can wreak havoc in the winter months, so preparing the water systems for winter and ensuring they are fully functional is essential. Where possible check all pipes in your facility, paying close attention to any damage or cracks. You may also want to think about insulating external pipes to reduce freezing risks. By performing any necessary maintenance and repair works on your water systems during the autumn you’ll be confident that throughout the colder period they will run smoothly.

Clean Drains

It is widely understood that cleaning gutters and drains is one of the most important maintenance tasks to complete before adverse weather. As debris, such as leaves, are collected in the gutters, it can cause blockages and further damage. Before the cold weather hits, it’s important to clear any debris, to prevent it icing over and blocking the drains.

Check the Roof

Checking and maintaining the roof is important prior to the colder months for a number of different reasons. First of all, performing roof maintenance during winter is impractical as the weather conditions could make it extremely dangerous. In addition to that, adverse winter weather will wreak havoc on your building if your roof is in need of repair; the weather will likely make the condition of the roof deteriorate and could cause even bigger issues inside the building itself.

Summer months can sometimes cause more damage that is expected, due to flash storms and heavy rains which can lead to the roof weakening in the lead up to winter. It is therefore important to regularly check on the condition of the roof and keep it well maintained throughout the year.

Check Energy Efficiency

Throughout winter your building may use more energy through increased heating and lighting, therefore its vital to ensure your building is running efficiently otherwise you could be facing large bills. Regularly having your boiler serviced and maintained will ensure it is running efficiently.

Checking your property is properly insulated ahead of the winter months can also help to reduce heating bills; in addition to insulation being essential for keeping the heating bill low, you can place this around pipes to prevent the possibility of them freezing in the colder weather. You may also want to look at installing extra insulation in your roof, to help keep your property warmer. If you already have insulation, make sure that any damaged or missing sections are replaced quickly. At MSL, we can provide an ESOS assessment, which aims to identify areas of your business where energy usage can be improved and costs minimised.

Landscaping

If there are any trees in the area surrounding your facility ensure that they are properly pruned. Severe weather can cause branches to break or trees to fall on your property, which can not only cause external damage to your facility, but is also pose as a health and safety issue too.

Check Doors and Windows

Inspect all your facility’s doors and windows for any possible gaps, applying caulking and weather stripping where necessary. Any cracks or holes will allow hot air to escape and cold air to get in, thus increasing your heating usage and consequently, your bills.

Snow Preparation

Whilst one can never predict whether snow is likely to fall in any given winter, it is always good to be prepared for such an eventuality, as heavy snow can cause huge issues, from business closure to major accidents/falls.  Stock piles useful items such as snow shovels, de-icers and grit salts, so if a heavy snow fall should happen, you are able to deal with it quickly.

MSL can help to prepare your facility for winter with a planned maintenance schedule to suit you. For more information about planned maintenance you can contact MSL on 0333 1234450.