Winter Commercial Building Maintenance Checklist
Categories: HVAC | Maintenance | Plumbing
The days are quickly darkening and the air is getting chilly — both great signs that it’s time to begin prepping your commercial building for the winter season ahead.
Transitioning to the cooler months is about more than keeping your building warm, but also creating a safe, comfortable environment for your occupants while ensuring your equipment runs smoothly and efficiently.
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Having a winter maintenance plan tailored to your needs ensures that you’re keeping up with all your HVAC, plumbing, outdoor, and other maintenance needs. By inspecting and servicing your building’s equipment before any problems arise, also known as preventative maintenance, you’re able to optimize your energy consumption and extend your equipment’s life while decreasing costs. Learn more about the benefits of preventative HVAC maintenance in our recent post.
When outlining your winter maintenance plan, consider the following:
- HVAC system: heating, humidifiers, indoor air quality, thermostats, and controls.
- Plumbing: boiler, water heater, insulation, irrigation system, and pipes.
- Drafts and air leaks: roof, attic, basement, crawl space, doors, windows, and insulation.
- Outdoors: downspouts, gutters, and drainage.
Incorporated into your plan should be instructions on what to do in an emergency. Whether that’s the heat cutting out or a frozen pipe bursting, there should always be someone in the building who knows what to do in an emergency. Below, you’ll find our top winter maintenance tips to keep your building in good shape this season.
Heating System
Schedule preventative maintenance service with your HVAC technician to ensure your system is ready for constant heating. It takes more effort and energy to heat a building than to cool it, so a little extra attention now will go a long way this season.
Indoor Air Quality
By servicing your HVAC system ahead of the season, you can help protect building occupants from potential germs, bacteria, and viruses. For a more in-depth look at how you can improve your building's indoor air quality, check out our previous post.
Thermostat and Controls
Ensure any software and technology running your HVAC system is in good condition to help prevent wasted energy. For instance, uncalibrated thermostats could cause a variance in temperature across your building.
Monitor Relative Humidity
Ensure rooms with a lot of technology stay within the ideal range of 45%-55% relative humidity. When the air is dry, increasing the humidity in your building makes a positive impact on occupants. It also benefits your equipment by reducing static electricity and preventing building materials from shrinking or warping.
Humidifier Maintenance
Regularly clean humidifier tanks and all components that come into contact with water or vapor.
Adjust Humidifier Settings
Calibrate humidifiers and dehumidifiers in your HVAC system to maintain consistent humidity levels, especially during colder months when ambient air holds less moisture.
Prevent Mold Growth
Keep a close eye on any areas prone to moisture buildup, as high humidity can lead to mold growth, compromising both equipment and air quality.
Log Humidity Readings
Maintain a daily log of humidity levels to identify trends or sudden changes that might signal HVAC malfunctions.
During the winter months, maintaining proper humidity levels in critical environments like server rooms and data centers is often overlooked, yet it's essential to prevent damage to sensitive equipment and ensure uninterrupted operation.
Plumbing
Without preventive measures, winter weather can have a negative impact on a building’s plumbing system. Some areas of your plumbing system to check and service include:
- Boiler: Have your boiler serviced and keep the boiler room clean and accessible. Check out our Boiler Maintenance Checklist for more tips on keeping your boiler in top shape.
- Water Heater: Drain and flush your water heater to clear it of sediment and minerals. Winter maintenance is crucial — with colder groundwater temperatures, your water heater works harder to heat up, and hot water is used more frequently in the winter.
- Irrigation Systems: Drain and turn off any outdoor water lines, and insulate above-ground components. Water left in your irrigation system can freeze and damage pipes.
- Pipe Insulation: Insulate exposed pipes to reduce the risk of them freezing and losing heat.
- Frozen Pipe Prevention: Keep a stable indoor temperature and let water run slowly through pipes to avoid freezing and bursting on extremely cold days.
In addition to winter preparations, regular plumbing maintenance is important for your building’s health year round.
Drafts and Air Leaks
A simple way to conserve energy in the cold is to seal all drafts and air leaks.
Identifying gaps where warm air is escaping can be done by visually inspecting areas, using an air leak detection tool, or enlisting a professional’s help.
Some common areas of drafts and leaks include:
- Roofing: Inspect flashing, vents, and any other components where gaps could form.
- Attics, Basements, and Crawl Spaces: Ensure entrances to these areas are adequately sealed and insulated.
- Doors and Windows: Check for drafts around doors and windows and seal areas with weather stripping, caulk (for gaps up to ¼ inch), or foam spray (for gaps between ¼ inch to 3 inches).
- Insulation: Make sure exterior walls and ceilings are insulated to reduce heat loss. Also, check for any wet insulation. If your building was built before the year 2000, is over 20 years old, or you notice your building is losing heated/cooled air easily, you should consult a professional to inspect your building’s insulation.
Outdoor Maintenance
Just like you need a good winter coat, your building’s exterior needs extra protection, too. Snow and ice are some of the main concerns, but you should also think about any equipment that won’t do as well in the cold.
- Clear Gutters and Downspouts: Remove debris to prevent water buildup and ensure proper drainage when snow melts to prevent structural damage.
- Outdoor Equipment: Inspect any equipment exposed to weather, ensuring it's secured, running efficiently, and covered for protection.
Safety Considerations
Winter weather can bring additional safety risks to your building and its occupants. As a reminder, it’s important to have emergency plans in place. Help create a safe environment by planning for the following:
- Water and Ice: Regularly maintain sidewalks, stairs, and entryways to prevent slips and falls.
- Electrical and Fire Hazards: Check that electrical systems are dry and free from moisture.
This is also a good time to test your detectors, such as smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.
The Importance of Building Winterization
Winterization keeps your building comfortable, safe, and efficient through colder months.
Freezing temperatures, dry air, and wet conditions can lead to more upkeep, so planning for these and any emergencies will help you make the most of the season.
How can you give your building some extra attention in the winter?
- HVAC Maintenance: Prepare for efficient heating and maintain healthy air quality.
- Plumbing Precautions: Prevent frozen pipes and maintain a sufficient hot water supply.
- Drafts and Insulation: Seal leaks for better energy efficiency.
- Outdoor Upkeep: Keep drainage systems clear.
- Safety Measures: Minimize risks related to ice, water, and electrical hazards.
We know prepping for the season is busy — below you can download and take our Winter Building Maintenance Checklist on the go. Always remember that preventative maintenance around your building is the best way to keep up with seasonal maintenance tasks.
Seasonal Building Services with RBI
Managing your building each season can be made simpler by entrusting a quality service company to implement preventative maintenance on your building’s equipment.
RBI is a premier full-service plumbing, mechanical, service, controls, and design-build company. We provide custom services tailored to meet your needs and requirements at each stage of your building’s journey, from helping you find the right equipment to installing and maintaining your systems.
From routine maintenance to 24-hour emergency assistance, our people are here for you.