The southeastern portion of the U.S. experiences variable winters. Some years, certain regions might experience moderate temperatures and minimal storm activity during the winter, while others encounter severe blizzards, lake effect snowfalls, snow squalls, ice storms, and more. These various winter storms can make it unsafe or impossible to commute, work, or patronize a place of business, and in some cases greatly damage facilities. If you’re not ready for such inclement weather, then, your people might end up in harm’s way while your bottom line takes a major blow.

Here’s how The Budd Group can help you prepare for any kind of winter storm that comes your way.

Winterizing Your Property Inside and Out

In order to prevent the worst outcomes from winter weather, you must reinforce your facility’s exterior and interior features. This process is known as winterization and involves tasks/processes such as:

• Plumbing -- pipes must be fully functional, completely sealed and insulated, and well-guarded against cold temperatures to prevent freezing
• HVAC -- heating systems should be optimized for efficiency, clear of any blockages, receive fresh filters, properly calibrated, etc.
• Windows -- all gaps must be sealed, insulated, and/or weatherstripped to prevent drafts and condensation, and storm windows may need to be installed to prepare for inclement weather
• Roofing -- roofs and gutters must be regularly cleared from heavy snowfall (roof snow removal service), any gaps or holes need to be filled and sealed, missing shingles need to be replaced, etc., so prevent moisture from entering from above
• Exterior/Landscaping -- any cracks on the property’s envelope must be sealed to keep air and moisture out of your facility, trims and shrubs should be trimmed to reduce the risk of falling limbs and trunks (landscape debris removal), and grass/vegetation should be graded to keep water and ice from building up

Our various building maintenance specialists can help you winterize your entire facility in each of these key ways to minimize the damage done by a winter storm.

Minimizing Moisture and Other Tripping Hazards

Whenever there’s moisture outside, whether in the form of snow, ice, or water, people will track some of it inside when they enter your facility. This accumulation of moisture increases the risk of slips, trips, and falls while damaging floors and other interior surfaces. Our expert janitorial teams are equipped with proper wet floor signage to let everyone know that there is or recently has been water present in the area. Our janitorial staff also makes sure to routinely mop up these wet areas and place mats and high-powered fans to keep floors dry and safe to tread upon.

Preventing the Risk of Fires

A fire might be the last thing on your mind during the cold season, but winter is actually the time of year where fires are most likely to occur. Not only that, if a fire does occur during a winter storm, those inside your facility may have a difficult time escaping. For these reasons, The Budd Group prioritizes fire safety and prevention when preparing properties for winter weather. We will inspect sprinkler systems, extinguishers, smoke detectors, alarms, and other relevant equipment/systems to ensure they are in working order and help facility managers create fire safety protocols specifically for winter.

Maintaining Proper Lighting

The days are short during the winter, and sunlight is often hard to come by. This lack of light can reduce the safety of operations, especially those that require high visibility and precision. Part of winter preparedness, then, is inspecting, repairing, and/or updating a facility’s indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures to ensure everyone can see exactly what they’re doing and where they’re going during this darker period.

Setting Snow and Ice Aside

In addition to harming your property and suffocating your landscape, heavy snowfall can cause major accessibility issues, preventing cars from entering your lot and making it unsafe for people to enter your facility. Our snow plowing services help ensure that your driveways, lots, and foot traffic areas remain clear and usable. And our ice management efforts (including properly spreading rock salt in key areas) make it safe for employees, patrons, and guests to walk in and out of your building.

Preparing for the Worst

Winter storm safety and preparedness are only possible if everyone in your organization is on the same page. The Budd Group provides training and contingency planning to coordinate all employees to properly respond to different types of winter storms, mapping out exit points, creating safety strategies, and so on.

Weathering the Winter

We can’t yet know what this winter will bring -- better to be safe than sorry. Let us help you prepare your people and property for the worst winter has to offer. You can also count on us to help you pick up the pieces after a severe storm has occurred (i.e. storm debris removal, repairs, painting, etc.). To learn more about all that The Budd Group can do for your business this winter and beyond call us today at 800-221-8158, or send us an email at Solutions@BuddGroup.com!