WINTER MAINTENANCE AVOIDING THE WINTER SHOCK
Dean Towers of BCS Electrics looks at thorough, but cost-efficient winter maintenance for your electrical systems.
Winter weather puts stresses on every part of a building; heating and lighting are used more, pipes can freeze or burst, heavy snowfall affects roofs and outdoor areas. Having a winter maintenance plan allows FMs to plan for every eventuality and keep everything compliant, making month to month management much easier. Whilst there are good resources available on general winter maintenance, as a specialist electrical contractor here are the most common issues we come across and how to combat them.
Put your electrical system through an ‘MOT’ Just as a car has its yearly MOT to prevent a sudden breakdown at an inconvenient moment, it’s far cheaper to have your electrical systems serviced each year than to save in the short term and pay out for emergency repairs later. Darker mornings and evenings, colder rooms, changes to timers and increased loads on sockets from additional heat sources all contribute to risk factor.
“Reduced light in the winter months affects employee wellbeing.”
Pre-empting this and checking for any faults and potential challenges is a vital part of any winter maintenance plan. Making sure that your back-up power supplies or generators are serviced and ready to kick in, in case of
power cuts is also important. An electrical ‘MOT’ will highlight potential challenges within a building and offer options on saving energy and keeping electrical systems running smoothly.
“An electrical ‘MOT’ will highlight potential challenges within a building and offer options on saving energy.”
Get smart lighting for a healthier winter
workplace Seasonal Affective Disorder is a well-known and documented condition. Reduced light in the winter months affects employee wellbeing, so it’s important to make sure that all lighting is bright enough, while still using energy-efficient bulbs. Inside a building, good lighting with a warm colour can also reduce the risk of headaches and eye strain, whilst externally a brightly lit building feels safe and welcoming when employees are arriving at and leaving work in the dark.
In the building’s surrounding areas, a well-lit car park reduces the risk of accidents and other incidents
48 | TOMORROW’S FM
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