Regardless of where your organization is located, it’s important to take the time to prepare your buildings and facilities for winter weather. With proper preparation, you can minimize the risk of damage and disruption, and ensure your organization is ready for the cold season.

Winterizing Strategies

When it comes to keeping your buildings and facilities in good repair during the winter months, the following winterizing strategies can help you reduce exposure and lessen the likelihood of serious issues occurring.

Inspect and maintain buildings. Before temperatures turn cold, take a walk around your buildings and facilities to conduct pre-winter inspections. During these inspections, you can:

• Remove debris.

• Identify areas that need to be weatherproofed or insulated.

• Make sure your buildings and facilities have adequate drainage to minimize surface water and prevent ice from forming.

• Seal cracks or holes in any foundations, walls and utility openings.

Prepare your plumbing and irrigation systems. Even if you will be using your buildings and facilities regularly throughout the winter, it’s important to do a one-time shutdown and pipe drainage, including your irrigation systems. This can protect your systems from freezing and causing damage to pipes, sprinkler heads and other components.

If your buildings and facilities are equipped with fire suppression systems, they either need to remain at 55 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, or you need to talk with your fire sprinkler protection contractor to determine which specific anti-freeze product will best protect your system from frozen lines. Consider reviewing this checklist developed by Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to prevent frozen sprinkler pipes.

Winterize heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. It’s important to have furnace or heating systems professionally inspected and serviced. You should replace filters, clean vents and ensure your buildings and facilities have proper ventilation in preparation for the winter months.

Areas with plumbing should be adequately heated to avoid freezing if your water pipes are not drained. If these areas are too cold, you will need to add insulation. You will also want to make sure your exterior venting and HVAC openings are protected and have sufficient ground clearance so snow will not block them. This will also prevent mold and condensation.

Air conditioning units will need to be prepared for colder weather. You can take the following steps to get them ready:

• Turn them off.

• Wash them.

• Cover them.

• Cover their pipes.

Clean your roof and gutters. The best way to prevent roof damage via ice dams and water is by thoroughly cleaning gutters and downspouts ahead of time. Use this opportunity to check for any roof leaks and damage before snow or colder weather arrives.

Specific Areas to Winterize

As you’re going through your winterization checklist, don’t stop at the roofs and pipes—other areas and items that need pre-winter attention include:

• Commercial kitchens. You will need to drain all dishwashers and sinks, even if you plan to use them over the winter. You should also clean grease traps and disposals—dirt and grime can accumulate over the winter and turn into a much bigger problem.

• Outdoor equipment and furniture. Any equipment or furniture left unprotected over the winter is bound to look much different when spring comes around. Secure items left outside and cover anything that may deteriorate.

• Pathways and parking lots. Patch any cracks or potholes in your pathways and parking lots so there is less area where water can pool and freeze. Stock de-icing materials and supplies in strategic areas for easy and quick access. If people will be entering your buildings and facilities on a regular basis, it can be helpful to have sand containers available at each outside door. Consider installing signs and barriers in areas that historically have had a higher risk of slips, trips and falls. You can also consider using electric warming mats to melt snow and ice in high-traffic areas.

Tools to Help You Winterize

As you prepare your buildings and facilities for the colder months, the following tools can help you accomplish your purpose. Keep in mind, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—while potentially expensive up-front, certain preventive items could save you thousands of dollars in insurance deductibles and increased premiums.

• Insulation and weatherproofing. Insulation is readily available at your local hardware or home improvement store and can save you from problems associated with freezing temperatures. Insulate exposed pipes, drain outdoor faucets and shut off external water sources. You may also consider applying weatherproofing sealants to your doors and windows.

• Automated systems and remote monitoring. Put technology to work in your favor. If you invest in smart thermostats and remote monitoring systems, you can change the temperature inside your building from anywhere and be informed about any leaks or temperature fluctuations through your mobile device.

Some insurers provide temperature and water sensor alert systems at no additional charge for eligible customers. Click here to learn more about our CM Sensor® 24/7 Temperature and Water Alert System and how it can help prevent small issues from becoming big problems.

• Emergency preparedness materials. Ensure adequate quantities of de-icing materials, shovels and emergency kits are available in your buildings and facilities. As you stock up on these supplies, remember to also update your winter emergency plan and train staff members on emergency procedures and equipment.

Create a Monitoring and Response Plan

Once you have addressed the physical things you can do to protect your property, consider the addition of a monitoring and response plan. Church Mutual’s Winter Storm & Freeze Preparedness Plan checklist can help you get started in building your plan.

• Monitoring. Conduct routine checks of the forecast to plan for foreseeable cold weather. When cold weather arrives, ensure someone is assigned to monitor your facility’s water systems and/or sensors for power outages, temperature drops, and/or water leaks. Be sure to consider that someone should still be monitoring during vacations, holidays and weekends.

• Response to a freeze event. If the temperature drops, consider implementing a response plan that can include an increase in frequency of physical checks of the facility. If your heating source is lost, consider shutting off water and draining pipes. If water cannot be shut off, faucets should be opened to a drip to prevent burst pipes. Open doors to cabinets, closets and any other unheated rooms containing water pipes. Remove ceiling tiles to expose pipes to warmer air from the room. After shutting off water to the building, make sure there is no standing water in the pipes by running all faucets and/or blowing out the lines with compressed air.  

• Response to a frozen pipe. If a frozen pipe is discovered, turn up the heat in the building, turn on the hot and cold faucets fed by the frozen pipe, and apply heat to the pipe, if accessible. Heat can be applied with heating tape, an electric hair dryer, hot towels or a portable space heater until water running through the faucet returns to full strength. Keep heat sources away from flammable materials and monitor as you thaw the pipe(s). DO NOT use open flames such as a blowtorch or candles. You may also consider contacting a licensed plumber as soon as possible.

By taking proactive steps to get “winter ready,” you can ensure your buildings and facilities are well-protected and ready to face the challenges of winter. Additionally, you’re much less likely to experience significant damage and/or disruption to your operations.

To find more tips, resources and helpful information for organizations like yours, visit churchmutual.com/safety.