Protecting Your Property

2/9/2023 (Permalink)

Winter Safety Tips

With the colder weather upon us, it is important to be prepared to avoid damage to your home and/or business. Cold weather can wreak havoc and cause costly damages. Whether it is heavy rain, sleet or snow, freezing temperatures, or damaging winds, all can cause major property destruction. Although the weather is up to Mother Nature alone, you can take the steps to be prepared and risk bigger damage with the winter weather.

To help prevent damages related to the weather, there are a few safety precautions one can take such as:

• Check your home or business property for downed tree limbs and branches. Winter weather conditions can cause branches to fall, which can cause damage to the property and even potentially cause personal injuries.
• Roofs, water pipes, and gutters should all be regularly inspected to make certain that they are in proper condition. The gutter downspouts should be directed away from your building. Be sure to have your gutters cleared of debris. Have leaves regularly raked and blown?
• Make sure any chimney and exhaust system are free of debris.
• Test gas lines if they have been out of use to make sure they are in good working condition with no leaks.
• Examine your property. Check walkways and parking lots for proper drainage or pooling after rainstorms.    
• Take precautions to avoid pipes from freezing. Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage. When temperatures start to take a drop, let the cold water drip from the faucet. Never set your heat below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure all exterior pipes are properly insulated.
• Ask your local SERVPRO Franchise about completing an Emergency Ready Profile (ERP) for your business. This no-cost assessment provides you with a plan to get your business back up and running faster after an emergency disaster.

Although we are not in control of the winter weather nor can we predict the future, it is always better to be prepared! Being prepared for a disaster will ensure that you are back up on your feet in a shorter period of time than if you did not have a plan. If you run a commercial business, get an Emergency Ready Profile set up as soon as possible and avoid the headache of not knowing what to do after a disaster strikes. Disaster stops for no one, so get ahead of it and have a plan set!