Canadian winters can be bone-chillingly brutal. Here in the Nation’s Capital, the winters are especially tough. In February 2016, the average temperature was -21C, with the longest freezing spell (temperatures strictly below freezing) running 40 consecutive days from January 24th to March 4th, 2016. With this in mind, winter is certainly no laughing matter. Without proper preparation and planning, your business, and your clients, could suffer this winter season. Knowledge and awareness are your best defense, so here are our top ten tips to bear in mind when preparing your commercial property for the coming Ottawa winter.

1-Watch the weather forecast to know what’s coming.

Keep an eye on any storm warnings, or severe weather updates in Ottawa and the surrounding areas.

2-Keep your staff in the know.

Have a plan in place to keep in touch with staff via phone, email, or social media to keep them abreast of changing situations, snowstorms or icy driveways.

3-Determine potential risks.

Make sure to identify problem areas in good time before the cold comes. Does your entranceway get slippery? If so, make sure you have some carpeting installed. Preventative maintenance will stop problems before they can happen.

4-Check the pipes.

How are your pipes looking? Water damage from a burst frozen pipe can be extremely costly, as well as causing your business to shut down while it is fixed. Make sure your water lines are winterized and any exposed piping is checked frequently.

5-Temperature control.

Make sure your furnace or heating system has been recently serviced and is up to code. Keep space heaters on hand for winter emergencies. You can also take a look at your building’s insulation to find areas where heating costs can be reduced.

6-Look at your walkways.

Check entrances and emergency exits to make sure they are always kept clear of snow and ice. Keep a good supply of sand or salt on hand, as well as snow removal equipment such as shovels or snow-blowers.

7-Keep in good contact with your snow-clearing company

to ensure they are aware of your needs and requirements. When dealing with a new client, Marsten begins with a review of all locations with the client to identify all areas that require attention, along with any important protocols. The identified requirements for each site will then be reviewed by the property’s supervisor with their crew to ensure all requirements are clear before the snow blowing, snow plowing, salting or snow dumping commences.

8-Have your business fitted out with a back-up power source.

A generator will be immensely useful if a storm causes the power in your building to go down. Having a reliable power source to hand means that your business can keep running, and turning a profit, even with the power out.

9-Keep a detailed inventory.

Make a detailed inventory list and take photos of your building and its important contents, such as any equipment. This way, if anything is damaged due to the bad weather, it can easily be replaced.

10-Choose your vendors wisely.

Select qualified and reliable service providers that you know you can count on if the worst were to happen. Keep their contact details in a safe place that is easily accessible.

If you have any further questions about how to prepare your commercial business for the Ottawa winter, or to discuss our snow clearing, salting, and snow dumping services, then don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We want everyone to have an enjoyable and safe winter season.