12 Tasks to Finish for Building Maintenance Before Fall

As the weather gets cooler, it's time to start getting your business ready for fall. Even though taking care of a building is a never-ending job, ignoring it can lead to expensive repairs very quickly, especially in the cooler months when you spend less time taking care of the outside. Here is a list of things to do inside and outside your building to get it ready for fall.

1. Set up an appointment for your HVAC system to be checked out.

As part of your fall tune-up, your technician will change the air filters, clean and check the heating parts, and set the temperature on your thermostat. Also, you should ask them to winterize the cooling parts of your system. This means cleaning the coils, replacing the refrigerant, and draining the drain lines to stop mold from growing. Also, now is a great time of year to have your air ducts cleaned to get rid of mold, pollen, dust, and other things that can make the air in your home less healthy.

2. Washing the outside with force

When it's snowing, you won't use a pressure washer. But if your sidewalks, parking lot, and building's outside need to be cleaned, fall is a great time to have a professional pressure-wash them.

3. Clean your window panes.

If you still need to do it, fall and spring are the best times to clean your windows.

4. Prepare your sprinkler system for winter.

If the grass around your business dies in the winter, you need to winterize your sprinkler system so that the pipes don't freeze. Also, places with landscaping all year may need to change their watering plans to account for shorter days and cooler temperatures.

5. Get ready to clear snow

If you have a contract for snow removal, get your parking lot and sidewalks ready before the first snow or ice storm. Mark parking lots, entrances, and streets with stakes so plows can find their way. Fill in any cracks in your parking lot or walkways to stop frozen water from getting in and doing more damage.

6. Set up an inspection of your plumbing

Leaks, clogs, low water pressure, and pipes that are out in the cold can all be problems. So, check the plumbing before the first freeze to make sure everything is in good shape.

7. Hire someone to do landscaping

Even if you already have a regular landscape maintenance plan, you might want to add raking leaves and moving flower beds for plants that like cooler weather.

8. Think about the outside lighting

During the winter, a lot of your staff and customers leave your building at night. All of the parking lots, garages, walkways, and outside lights should be looked at and replaced if needed.

9. Check the roof.

Schedule a roof check before snow and ice cover it to fix any leaks or damage. Leaves and other trash should be cleaned off flat roofs, and if necessary, they should be pressure washed.

10. Check the seals on windows and doors.

Energy is lost through doors and windows that let in a draft. Seals and weather stripping are checked and fixed or replaced as needed.

11. Set up a locksmith checkup

Check all actual locks, hardware, exit bars, and other locking parts with the help of your professional locksmith. If you have digital locks, you should have a locksmith check all of the access points, update the software, and set up any biometric devices as needed.

12. Look for pests

As the temperature drops, animals go inside to stay warm. After you've looked at the outside of your building and sealed any possible entry points, hire a pest control company to check the inside for pests.

Now is a great time to find out how CloudApper Facility Solutions can help you if you have too many maintenance tasks to do to get your building ready for fall. When you work with CloudApper Facilities for your facilities management needs, you can avoid the stress of unplanned downtime and give your staff more time to do more important things.

Source: http://www.cloudapper.com/facility-management/12-facility-maintenance-tasks-to-finish-before-fall/