WINTER MAINTENANCE MORE THAN SNOW,
SHOVELS AND SALT Karl Cundill, Chief Operating Officer at LitmusFM, provides an overview on why facilities need a broader perspective on winter readiness in order to meet the demands of the cold snap.
When most facilities teams are asked about winter preparation, the same answers usually come up: gritting, snow clearance, salt bins. Whilst these are important measures - preventing slips, falls and accidents is always a priority - focusing on the extremities of snow and ice overlooks the wider picture. True winter readiness for facilities, demands a far more comprehensive approach.
The reality is that winter doesn’t begin with the first frost. It begins in early autumn. By then, facilities managers should already be pre-empting the impact of colder, wetter, windier months across every aspect of their estate and facilities. The teams that plan and prepare proactively don’t just think about what happens when the weather deteriorates and snow falls - they think about how the building and its infrastructure will cope with the season ahead.
Autumn into winter: first lines
of defence Exterior maintenance is a critical starting point. Blocked gutters and downpipes are a common cause of leaks, flooding and building damage, but they’re easily preventable with early intervention and proper inspection and cleaning. The same goes for drainage gulleys - ensuring they’re clear of debris, and able to handle heavy rainfall avoids costly disruption. Overhanging branches near roofs, entrances or power lines should also be surveyed, with remedial action taken before high winds or snow loads turn them into potential hazards. A scheduled annual tree survey is often overlooked, but it’s one of the simplest ways to prevent safety risks and power outages.
These measures might not feel like ‘winter prep’ in the traditional sense, but they form the first line of proactive defence against the season.
Planned preventative maintenance Planned preventative maintenance (PPM) is the foundation of any winter strategy. It’s far more effective - and cost- efficient - to prevent failures than to end up firefighting once they occur. Boilers and heating systems should be serviced well ahead of winter, with gas tests, leak checks and filter changes completed and logged. Insulation audits are also vital, particularly in unheated or underutilised spaces where pipes are vulnerable to freezing.
Ventilation and heating controls deserve close attention too. Automatic systems and thermostats that aren’t optimised can lead to significant energy waste, heating buildings unnecessarily when they’re empty. A quick review can save energy costs, reduce carbon output, and protect against avoidable breakdowns.
Generators also need to be checked, serviced and fuelled - a power outage in bad weather isn’t just inconvenient, it can compromise compliance, safety and overall business continuity.
Planning for the unexpected Even with the best preparation, emergencies do happen. That’s why robust business continuity planning is an essential part of winter readiness. Facilities managers need clear, tested strategies for what happens if power is lost, heating fails, or parts of a building must be temporarily closed. Escalation routes should be defined, with roles and responsibilities understood across the team.
Equally important is the implementation of a ‘lessons learned’ process from previous winters. Reviewing how facilities coped last year - what went well, what caused issues, where resilience was lacking - ensures that the same mistakes aren’t repeated.
"The reality is that winter doesn’t begin with the first frost. It begins in early autumn."
Stocking the essentials There’s also a very practical side to preparation: making sure stocks and supplies are in place before they’re needed. Grit and salt are obvious, but winter kits should also include lamps, fuel, batteries, spare parts and critical consumables. The worst time to discover you’ve run out of something essential is when conditions are already at their harshest.
A strategic approach In facilities management, winter shouldn’t be treated as a series of isolated problems to be solved as they arise. Instead, it requires a joined-up, strategic approach that spans maintenance, operations, compliance and contingency planning. By broadening our perspective beyond grit bins and snow shovels, to cover other assets and elements of building fabric, we can ensure facilities remain safe, compliant and operational - whatever the season throws at us.
www.litmusfm.com 22 | TOMORROW’S FM
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