Winterizing your Business – Safety Tips for Buildings

As winter sweeps across the country, it’s important to make sure your business is protected from the effects of cold, ice and snow before they arrive. Businesses financial resources invested in their physical properties AND their communication infrastructure, both of which are at risk from the effects of freezing rain, ice and heavy snow loads.

The best way to manage risk is to plan ahead.

• Start in the areas of greatest risk – your utility areas: Look for exposed pipes for water, heat, and AC. Insulating these pipes will help reduce the risk of freezing and will help lower your energy costs. Additionally, ensure there is enough heat near these pipes to prevent ice damming or a freeze rupture.
• Test your fire and carbon monoxide detectors and replace any that are not operating correctly.
• If your business has a flat roof, create a maintenance and observation plan to ensure that snow, ice, and other debris such as leaves and branches, do not accumulate on the roof. A clean roof is a strong, non-leaking roof.
• Review the exterior of your property to look for trees that may fall under the weight of ice accumulation this winter. Removal of these trees in a controlled way is a safer option than repairing a damaged structure.
• Purchase electricity-conditioning power strips with battery backups for critical electronics in your office, such as modems, servers, and computers that manage critical functions such as accounting. In the event of a power failure, power surge, or power fluctuations due to ice on power lines, these electricity-conditioning strips will keep your critical IT infrastructure protected.
• Consider purchasing a generator if your office has frequent power outages. A generator will need to be professionally installed by a licensed electrician.
  
  

DII is here to help your business stay safe and functional in all seasons. If you have any questions about winterizing your business or how to insure against weather related losses, please contact your DII representative.