Anyone living in the Denver area knows just how brutal the snow season can be. Property managers, especially, have a tough job ensuring that their building is prepared for winter weather and all the problems it can bring. Although we’ve moved into summer, there’s still no time to slouch when it comes to snow preparation. In fact, we believe the off season is the best time of year to get everything in order for next winter. The absence of snow and ice – and not having to be outside in freezing temperatures – makes it easy to inspect the property and identify any potential problems or possible improvements.
Here’s a list of things you can do in the warmer months of the year to stay prepared for winter:
How to Prepare Your Property for Winter During the Off Season
Get all your snow supplies together in the off season. Ensure that all snow shovels and/or snow blowers are in good condition, and restock on ice melt products well before winter. You should always have a good mop with a bucket-wringer and wet floor signs. Invest in both indoor and outdoor winter entrance mats. This will reduce injury risks and also prevent people from tracking snow and ice melt products all over your floors. It’s also a good idea to keep a few extra coats, gloves, & hats handy in case someone needs them to go outside to shovel snow or lay down ice melt.
Check the property for any trees that have dead or overgrown branches and trim them back from the building, electrical wires, walkways and parking lots. Branches can easily break off due to ice or heavy winds during snowstorms and cause property damage, personal injury, or electrical issues.
Inspect the outdoor lighting around the property. Good illumination is important around building entrances, walkways, stairs, and parking lots. Adding extra lights around stairs, ramps, or darker areas – even simply replacing dim bulbs – can make a huge difference and minimize accidents when ice and snow are present.
Inspect all handrails on exterior stairs and ramps to make sure they’re properly secured and sturdy. Also check stairs, ramps, and walkways for cracks or uneven pavement. Repairing these before winter will reduce injury risks while also preventing frost action from causing further damage come wintertime.
Ensure that rain and snow runoff flows away from the building and doesn’t pool up on walkways, parking lots, stairs, or ramps. Make runoff & drainage improvements to any problem areas during the off season so that water is directed away properly.
Clean out gutters and downspouts, checking that they’re in good condition and properly secured. Cleaning out gutters and downspouts will prevent creating ice dams, leading to property damage that is usually very expensive to repair. Make sure that all downspouts extend at least 5 feet away from the building to prevent flooding the foundation. It’s also important to verify that they don’t create puddles in areas that can create injury risks.
If your property has any outdoor furniture or decorations that can be damaged by snow or ice – wood benches or terra cotta flower pots, for example – make sure that they are properly weather-proofed before winter or bring them indoors before winter. Repairing or replacing them after the fact can be expensive, and any damaged furniture or decorations can have a negative impact on your property’s appearance.
Want to Make Sure Your Denver Commercial Property Is Prepared for Winter?
Taking a proactive approach to safety is the best way to minimize the risk of accidents or injuries. At Snow Management Services, our winter planning & risk management will ensure that your property is prepared for even the worst winters – way before the snow starts. We also offer the full range of snow removal and de-icing services, including sidewalk management and off-site snow hauling. To see how SMS can keep your Denver commercial property prepared for whatever winters throw at you, give us a call today at (303) 750-8867 or get in touch with us online to get started.