Does Your Business Have a Cold Weather Plan? (Part 1)

11/19/2019 (Permalink)

A cold weather plan will help prevent winter storms and freezing temps from damaging your building and interrupting your business operation.

Cold weather poses extreme risks to your commercial property: power outages, roof damage, burst pipes and other water damage. Survive and recover from winter weather damage by making a cold weather plan for your facility and equipment. (The plan will also help your business respond to and manage any emergency event.)

Create the Plan

Develop a written plan to include actions to take:

• Before the onset of winter
• When a winter storm is imminent and/or damaging cold temperatures are expected
• After a winter storm and/or prolonged cold weather

Start by considering some “what ifs,” such as:

• What if you lose heat?
• What if the facility is closed (weather, holidays, etc.) and extreme weather is expected?
• What if a fire protection sprinkler pipe (or other pipe) freezes and bursts?
• What if there are facility areas that could be susceptible to freezing?

Don’t forget to consider who will do what tasks.

• Assign roles and responsibilities for all tasks.
• Plan for initial and annual training.
• Include an annual review and evaluation of the plan.

Before Winter Begins

Inspect the building

Develop a checklist to ensure:

• Openings around exterior walls such as windows, doors, or other openings are sealed
• Equipment penthouses are protected from cold air infiltration
• Louvers are closed or sealed
• Dampers on ducts leading to the outside are closed (if possible)
• Attics and other areas susceptible to the cold are properly insulated
• Air flow is adequate to maintain heat in all areas of the building (at least 40ºF)

Pay special attention to your building’s roof and make repairs now if needed. Check to be sure that:

• Drains, drain pipes and gutters are free of debris
• Roof cover is free of cracks or blisters
• Decking is free of rust or other signs of deterioration
• Flashing is secured
• There are no cracked or bent roof supports (beams, columns, joists)

Check utilities and process equipment

• Check and repair heating systems
• Inspect process, water, condensate and steam lines subject to freezing for proper insulation or heat tracing
• Drain, blow out or flush lines for seasonal or idle equipment
• Check alternate fuel supplies for operation and sufficient supply

Identify and align resources

The time to line up needed resources is before the winter season starts. You may need human and other resources, such as:

• Emergency generator
• Fuel supplies for fire protection equipment, processes or on-site generators
• Snow removal services to ensure access to the property
• Contractor to remove snow and ice from the roof
• Disaster recovery and remediation company, like SERVPRO of West Hartford

Read part 2 of this article to continue developing and implementing a cold weather plan for your business.

For commercial cleaning and disaster restoration needs, call SERVPRO of West Hartford today at 860.206.6141

Help Is Here

In addition to offering commercial cleaning services, the team at SERVPRO of West Hartford has specialized training and experience in water damage restoration services, fire and smoke damage restoration services, biohazard cleanup and natural disaster prevention and cleanup. Call SERVPRO of West Hartford (860.206.6141) any time.

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with water, sewage, storm, mold, fire and other damage.

SERVPRO of West Hartford
100 Peters Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002
IICRC Certified
Ralph DiCristofaro 
Certified SERVPRO technicians
Call 860.206.6141
24-hour emergency service

For commercial cleaning and disaster restoration needs, call SERVPRO of West Hartford today at 860.206.6141