The 2021-2022 winter will be the coldest in 230 years. These very low temperatures will affect many structures, including commercial buildings.
It’s far more difficult and costly to upgrade your commercial building in winter. Therefore, you must invest in remodeling projects to create a comfortable environment for your tenants. These are simple renovation projects which can prevent further building repairs down the road.
There are many things that you can do to boost the safety and functionality of your commercial building. Here are the primary commercial building upgrades that you should do first.
- Get New HVAC Filters
HVAC filters will trap dust and other particles that can reduce the quality of air in your building. In addition, they can reduce your energy bills during the winter because your systems will be running more efficiently. Consequently, you have to ensure that they are in the right working condition.
You can invite a professional to conduct a checkup on the HVAC system. If they identify any problems, they can replace the filters with new ones and do other commercial building repairs.
- Repair or Replace Damaged Windows
Damaged windows will allow a lot of heat to escape in the cold winter months. In addition, some of these windows don’t have the correct design to improve energy efficiency. As a result, they’ll have cracks and weak sealing that allows heat to escape.
You have to repair your old windows or install new ones. Once you do that, you’ll be assured that water and moisture won’t find their way into the building. Moreover, the overall energy expenditure during the winter months will reduce.
- Improve Exterior Drainage
Your commercial building may be using sprinklers, irrigation systems, and exterior faucets. Water can accumulate on these features and freeze when winter comes. The freezing will eventually destroy the pipes and the structure of your building.
You’ll need to drain the water from all pipes and external storage containers. Then, you’ll insulate and cover the pipes to prevent the accumulation of freezing water.
- Work on Your Roofing
A strong roof prevents cold wind and rain from entering your commercial building. You need to inspect your roof and check for damage or holes. You can also confirm the strength of shingles and seals to see if they can withstand the winter.
If there is any problem, you can contact commercial roofing services to install new shingles and seal any holes.
- Come Up With a Disaster Plan
You may do all repairs and upgrades to your commercial building, but things can still go wrong. A disaster plan will provide a framework that you will follow if there is a gas leak, flooding fire, or any type of disaster. This disaster plan should be shared with all tenants and employees.
Local building contractors can provide previous disaster plans. You can use them as a template when creating your own disaster plan.
Prepare for Winter by Doing Commercial Building Upgrades
Winter is coming, and only structurally sound commercial buildings will provide comfortable spaces. That is why you need to do some renovations and repairs on your commercial property. These commercial building upgrades will improve the safety and functionality of the building.
For more practical Home Improvement tips, please see our other blog posts.
