Prep Your Property For Cold Seasons

Fall is upon us and it's the time to prep your property for cold seasons. Wardrobes are making the transition to looks that are a bit more layered, but have you taken the necessary steps to layer your commercial properties with protective measures to endure winter's worst?

Here's a start for your pre-winter prepping:


Check the Exterior
Properly sealing exterior walls with signs of leaks, stains, cracks, and missing mortar will help retain warmth within the property. The fall season is the perfect time to seal all roof leaks, and prevent possible leaks from melting snow. Clearing all gutters, down spouts, drainage lines, and turning off all drains will prevent water from freezing which potentially could add weight to the buildings exterior causing mishaps. Draining all irrigation lines and keeping them dry prior to winter months will additionally help keep your commercial property in tip top shape this winter.When cleaning this Fall, be sure to check the gutters for leaks and misaligned pipes. A rule of thumb is to be sure that downspouts carry water at least 10 feet away from your property.

Service the Furnace
Servicing furnace is a key item to keeping your tenants happy (and warm) during the winter months. It’s a great idea to prep this winter by making sure it’s in working condition. Having your furnace cleaned and tuned annually is a useful preventative measure. Dirty furnace filters reduce furnace efficiency, contaminate air flow, and increase the possibilities of in home fires. Making sure the supply registers are adjusted helps the air flow inside the property. Opening the supply registers on the first floor and closing a few on the second floor allows hot air to rise and cold air to fall. This time of year can be costly when it comes to maintenance, but worth it when the winter months come and your furnace is still going strong.

Clean the Ducts
Cleaning dirty ducts is a good cautionary measure to take, especially in older properties. The EPA suggest resorting to duct cleaning when “there is substantial visible mold growth inside hard surface ducts, when ducts are infested with vermin, and when ducts are clogged with substantial amounts of debris/dust". Inspection of air ducts will help insure that your ducts are energy efficient and produce a quality flow of your heated air and cleaning of ducts will promote cleaner air quality.

Winterize the Windows
Windows can be responsible for about 10 to 20 percent of heat loss during the cold winter months. Having energy efficient windows help to retain and increase surface temperatures during the winter. But, they can come with a costly budget. Replacing the sealant and caulking around the windows are cost effective solutions to seal the property during winter months. Inspecting current weather stripping, and replacing any worn seals on doors to ensure they close properly will reduce heat escaping or cold weather from breaching the property.  Installing storm windows, adding weather stripping, etc. is a cheaper alternative to prep your commercial property for winter. Be sure to keep your tenants happy by taking these extra actions to make sure they're warm this winter. Click here for ways to make your existing windows more efficient. 

Preventative measures are investments in your commercial property that pay off in the long run. Taking the time to avoid any mishaps saves you time and money.

Contributing Author:

Kevin Thomas
Vice President of Block Maintenance Solutions
Block Real Estate Services
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