How to prepare your building for future cold weather maintenance challenges

Winter is approaching, bringing the dual challenges of harsh conditions and cleanliness challenges. Whether you work in an area that is usually cold or usually mild in winter, you don't know when extreme, unexpected weather events will cause interruptions. Now is the time to prepare properly. With correct precautions and daily care, facility managers can protect their buildings and ensure the safety of occupants throughout the season.   

In the next few months, as residents move in and out of your building, here are four tips to ensure you have a safe winter in the future.

1. Reseal the hard floor-before the winter starts to become ugly, check that the finish on the floor is adequate. If the finish is worn, reseal the floor before winter arrives. Floor finishes protect hard floors from rain, snow, salt and dirt. However, colder temperatures can negatively affect the drying of the finish, leading to cracking and peeling. If your area is already experiencing heavier wet conditions, scrubbing and recoating are the next best options. Applying a protective coating as early as possible will help avoid leaving deeper stains in your floor finishes and prevent the need to peel and repair the floor more frequently.

2. Implement an entrance mat system-after properly preparing the floor or carpeted area, you need the correct entrance mat system to protect them from rain, mud, snow and dirt. Industry-recognized data shows that 80% of the soil, dust, and winter pollutants in the facility are entered through the door through the shoes of visitors and building occupants. An effective entrance mat system can remove up to 90% of the dirt on the shoes. High-quality commercial floor mats are designed to remove and contain water and moisture. They should not only have a dam boundary, but also have a vinyl or rubber backing to help contain the soil and prevent slipping.

It is recommended that the floor mat system has 15 feet of leads inside and outside your building before the occupants reach the carpeted or hard floor of your facility.

In addition, ensuring that proper mats are laid will help reduce slips and falls on wet floors. According to the 2020 workplace safety index report, US companies lose 10.84 billion U.S. dollars each year as a result.

3. Use floor neutralizers to protect and remove ice melt residue-even the best matting system on the market cannot capture every bit of moisture and dirt. Winter melting ice residue on shoes can damage the floor and leave unsightly white salt residues throughout the building. Trying to remove traces with ordinary cleaners will cause more damage. To properly remove melted ice residue, use a floor neutralizer specifically designed to dissolve melted ice, dirt, and water film. For best results, apply the floor neutralizer to the mop and apply to the floor or use an automatic floor scrubber.

4. Assess building lighting-it is much easier to install new outdoor lighting or change the existing lighting equipment in the building when the weather is good. Autumn is a good time to consider upgrades (such as LED lights). LED technology is not affected by cold temperatures, so it can provide reliable and adequate lighting in darker winters. LED lights are also very energy-efficient, with lower maintenance and replacement costs.

Facility maintenance is a year-round task, and each season brings its own challenges. There is no doubt that due to bad weather conditions, less sunshine hours, and more dirt and grime entering the building, facility managers often refer to winter as the most stressful period of the year. But no matter where you work, following these simple tips can give you peace of mind, help protect your building, and protect your residents and guests from slips, trips, and falls this winter.

Susan Scapparone has worked in product management at Staples for 10 years and is the director of product management in the facility category. In her daily work, she leads a cross-functional team responsible for launching new chemical solutions and cleaning tools. Scapparone also played a key role, introducing Coastwide Professional™ J series paper and soap dispensers and replenishers to modern bathrooms.

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