Winter weather is coming to Southeastern Pennsylvania. There’s no question about “if” we’ll have freezing temperatures, ice, and snow. We know it’s going to happen; we only want to know when it’s coming, how cold it will get, and how much precipitation we’re going to have. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, our area can expect an especially cold winter season, but maybe less snow than usual. Of course, with lower temperatures, any amount of snow will create long-term challenges. If you own a business property in Montgomery or Bucks County, get your building and grounds prepared for whatever winter weather comes our way.
Winterizing your commercial building will protect your property, employees, visitors, operations, and bottom line. As an aspect of routine maintenance, it could prevent costly damage, injuries, and insurance claims. Commercial properties have multiple systems, parking areas, diverse occupancy, and a variety of surfaces to consider in light of the upcoming season. Begin implementing your plan now to eliminate the scramble of addressing problems once snow and freezing temperatures arrive.
Conduct a Comprehensive Building Inspection to Prepare Your Business for Winter in PA
Always start every maintenance project by getting the lay of the land. It’s not enough to sit at your desk and make a list. You need to conduct a complete walk-through of your entire building and surrounding property. Document every potential problem and risk, look for vulnerabilities, and contemplate a few worst-case scenarios.
This project also requires brushing up on your commercial insurance policy. While you may have an idea of what is and isn’t covered, your policy will have the specifics. It will also remind you of your deductibles, exclusions, and limits. Reach out to your commercial insurance agent to review your current policy, consider beneficial updates, and ask any questions about what to do in case of a winter weather problem. If your agent has an app, download it to your business cell phone for the quickest access in case of a problem.
During your building inspection, be on the lookout for various issues that could become big problems in freezing temperatures, snow, wind, or accumulating ice:
- Examine the roof and building exterior to look for loose or missing shingles, damaged flashing, and loose siding.
- Clear gutters and downspouts to ensure proper water flow.
- Turn off outside spigots and disconnect hoses.
- Contract a plumber for a complete inspection, particularly where plumbing is closest to exterior walls. Ask for recommendations about heat tape or pipe insulation in any high risk locations.
- Walk the grounds to look for depressions or low-lying areas that are most likely to collect water and freeze. Pay special attention to the entry points of the parking lot.
- Schedule an HVAC contractor to conduct maintenance on your heating systems and ducts.
- Confirm that all exterior lights, especially emergency lights, work as expected.
Maintain documentation on the entire inspection, and keep paper copies of any reports provided by contractors. If there is a problem that requires insurance coverage, these records will support the claim.
Prevent Winter Weather Damage and Injuries at Your Pennsylvania Small Business
No business owner in Montgomery or Bucks County should ever be caught by surprise when winter weather and freezing temperatures come along in January and February. Mild weather is the exception, not the norm.
Most of the basic steps for protecting your property and employees are easy to implement long before the first snowfall. Insert snowplow markers at parking curbs and along the driveways. These guides provide visibility for employees and prevent snowplows from damaging landscaping or the parking lot.
Keep Ice Melt or rock salt somewhere that is easily accessible to whoever will be responsible for making sure the walkways and entryways are not slippery. It’s also wise to have a shovel, ice scraper, and windshield brush near the building doors in case people are heading out during snowfall.
Never assume that whoever you hired in the past to plow your parking lot is available this winter. Contact your snowplow contractor now to find out if they are still in business and to request acurrent Certificate of Insurance. Review your commercial property insurance with your agent to make sure you know what to do in the event of damage caused by a snowplow.
Review Your Company Policies for Winter Weather
Although your employees are not part of your commercial property, they are the people that property supports. Your winterization efforts will go a long way in protecting employees, but you also need reasonable policies. First, contact your insurance agent to make sure you fully understand your workers compensation policy. That will help you determine your employee requirements and expectations in the event of winter weather. Consider holding a full company meeting to verbally review the policies and distribute a paper copy. Although your weather policies may already be in the employee handbook or online, it’s helpful to isolate the specifics so everyone is on the same page.
Employees need to know what is expected of them in terms of commuting during winter weather, leaving the office early, and working remotely. They also need clarity about personal safety and responsibility in the parking lot, on walkways, and on wet surfaces in the building. Finally, employees should know exactly how to report drafts at windows and doors, heating system concerns, property hazards, and injuries. When a winter mishap takes place despite all prevention efforts, addressing the issue quickly is the best way to stop it from getting worse.
Keep Your Business Running Smoothly All Winter
The final aspect of properly winterizing your commercial building is creating a contingency plan for power outages. In Southeastern Pennsylvania, winter winds combined with ice and snow accumulation on trees and power lines can knock out power for several hours or even days. Can your business operate without power to its main building?
Review your systems with your IT professional, electrical contractor, plumber, and HVAC contractor to find out what to do in the event of a power outage. Backup generators are a great resource, but it may be too expensive to try to get the whole building restored. If you can bring the servers back online and prevent major mechanical system damage while allowing employees to work from home, that might be the most efficient way to manage things temporarily.
Although your commercial insurance may or may not be activated by a winter weather event, your local agent can be a vital resource to preparing for the season. At Smyrl Insurance, we think about more than insurance. We look at the big picture with our business clients to help them avoid the issues that often lead to claims. We educate, nurture, and empower area business owners through insurance so that they have a strong understanding of how it supports and protects their livelihood. We are also happy to recommend trusted local service providers for your building and property maintenance needs. If you want to make sure your business is ready for whatever this winter throws our way, contact us to review your commercial policies. We serve business clients with commercial liability, commercial property, workers compensation, business interruption insurance, and other insurance needs in Hatfield, Lansdale, Souderton, Harleysville, and throughout the region in Montgomery County and Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
