If you own a commercial property that won’t be in use this winter, whether it’s an office, storage space, or property you rent (apartment, home, etc), you want to make sure it’s ready for a potentially icy winter. Neglecting winter building preparation for any vacant property can cause costly issues and damage. Many do not consider these preparations because they assume the same maintenance for their occupied facilities will suffice for their vacant property.
Winter building preparation for your vacant property is important to prevent damage.
Not the case! There are steps that should be taken to make sure your property is ready and in tip-top shape for occupation. See below for more information.
Winter Building Preparation Steps
- Heating Systems: You should keep the heat on, even if just at a low setting. Otherwise, leaving the heating system off completely could result in frozen pipes, which can break and become a costly repair. Also, make sure you perform maintenance on the heating system twice a year, even if the building still isn’t occupied—this includes the replacement of filters.
- Pipes: Make sure pipes are properly caulked around where they enter your property.
- Irrigation: If you have any exposed irrigation lines, make sure they’re insulted.
- Toilets and Sinks: Use antifreeze in toilets and sinks to prevent freezing of plumping systems.
- Faucets: During weather that drops below freezing, you should allow indoor faucets to operate at a fast drip to prevent freezing—both hot and cold. Outdoor faucets should be turned off and drained of excess water.
- Gutters: Make sure the vacant property gutters are clean to avoid buildup of ice, or ice dams. Pooled water overflowing from the gutters can cause nasty water damage.
Also, if possible, give the property a visit once a week or so. If any damage or unexpected problems occur, you’ll catch them early rather than later when they’re an expensive headache.
Forgot to Prepare Your Vacant Property for Winter?
This is where Crockett Facilities Services, Inc. (CFSI) can help. We service all types of HVAC equipment, including packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs), air handling units (AHUs), rooftop units (RTUs), chillers, boilers, heat pumps and mission-critical computer room air conditioners (CRACs).
Over the years, we have fine-tuned and customized our preventive maintenance practices to ensure the best performance possible, extending the life of your HVAC equipment.
To learn more about winter building preparation, please contact us at 202.600.2787 or sales@crockett-facilities.com. Our PM contract customers receive priority service with 24/7 emergency service in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.