Buildings Magazine - October 2018

PAVEMENT should be anti-iced before winter weather begins.

No matter what climate or location you live in, winter is coming. The severity, of course, depends on location. Whether you live somewhere where the temperatures only drop slightly, you're seeing frost or keeping an eye out for snow, experts agree now is the time to prepare your building for winter.

Buildings in some locations might only need to focus on HVAC and IAQ, while others need to get ready inside and out.

Healthy HVAC Tips
Because the HVAC system affects your
entire building, it's important it's tuned
up and ready for winter weather.
Joe Marian Jr., service manager
at ABM Industries, acknowledges each
facility type and actual building is dif-
ferent, but there are common actions to
prepare for winter weather:
n Have a full inspection of the HVAC
equipment before winter by a quali-
fied service technician.
n Uncover opportunities for energy sav-
ings. Set space thermostats to lower
set points. Shut down unnecessary
cooling equipment and systems.
n Close off main water and drain water
piping in unheated spaces.
n Drain and winterize cooling towers, if
not in use.
n Be aware of IAQ. Find out how not to
let sick building syndrome reduce pro-
ductivity in your facility.
n Inspect roofs, weather stripping and
insulation for holes or leaks and repair
to prevent energy loss.
n Ensure the building envelope doesn't
have significant air leaks or areas of
infiltration.

Except for the HVAC equipment inspection and anything involving code or equipment manufacturer requirements, much of this can be done in-house. "The on-site staff knows their facility better than anyone," Marian says. "And in most cases, the winterization process is a matter of common sense and proper housekeeping."

Think of winter preparation as insur-
ance on the equipment. Kevin Miskewicz,
director of commercial product planning
at Mitsubishi Electric, says that "prop-
erly protecting your HVAC system from
extreme weather conditions can improve
its performance and lifespan. Investing
in snow hoods, wind baffles and outdoor
unit stands prevents snow and ice from
getting inside the equipment and poten-
tially causing damage."

Winterizing Angles

Marian suggests looking at winterizing from three angles:

1) Energy savings. Think about how each space within a building is used. "Let's say the facility has a conference room that's used once a week for an hourlong meeting, a gym, a warehouse and a shared office space that's occupied 40 hours a week," Miskewicz says.

"All of these spaces have different cooling and heating needs. The conference room, for example, doesn't need to be constantly heated if it's unoccupied. The way the facility manager approaches the needs of the different spaces has a big impact on occupant comfort and the facil-ity's utility bills."

2) Occupant comfort. Making sure tenants and visitors are comfortable is important. Being in the building when the heat turns on for the first time can be unpleasant.

3) Disaster prevention. Prevent fro-
zen and bursting water pipes. "Any one
of these water systems freezing up can
cause catastrophic equipment failures,
infrastructure damage from water leaks or
life safety issues," Marian explains.

Inspect Roof Now and
Throughout Winter

If you haven't had your roof inspected recently, include that among your winter preparation to-dos. This will help ensure the roof is in good condition going into inclement weather. Temperature changes and precipitation typically found during the winter can be difficult on a roof.

In "Win the Winter Roofing War" (bit. ly/2m TPIDK), Adam Herring, senior project manager at Highland Commercial Roofing, says that "some building owners perform these in-house, but if you plan to hire someone else to do the inspection, take into consideration that there could be long lead times as you get closer to winter and plan accordingly."

He also suggests looking for roof damage caused by birds, especially around HVAC equipment or places where water collects. The inspection is also an opportunity to remove debris and organic material that may have collected.

Throughout the winter, Herring encourages periodic checks of how the roof looks to make sure nothing is wrong or building up (e.g. icicles at the gutter, which could indicate an ice dam, or a pile of snow blocking an access ladder).

Knowing all you can about your roof (including what to do if something happens and proper care and maintenance) will make winter upkeep and safety easier.

Snow Removal Solutions
If not properly removed and main-
tained, snow can cause underlying
problems. For example, ice can build
up when snow or rain freezes, increas-
ing the chances for slip-and-fall accidents.
Another consideration from not properly
removing snow includes obstruction of
things like fire hydrants, signs and handi-
cap parking spaces.
Brad Caton, founder and CEO
of Invictus Professional Snowfighters Ltd.,
suggests that facility managers be
Tips to Prepare Your Building for Winter