4 Tips to Keep Your Commercial Property Safe During the Holidays

12/18/2018 (Permalink)

The holiday season is full of cheer and good will, but it can also be an especially stressful time for local business owners.  Many small businesses will be experiencing their busiest sales rush of the year, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Other businesses may be closing for a short holiday break or even an extended winter hiatus.  Whatever your business model may be, if you make sure you’re prepared for the holiday season, it can help you prevent problems to your commercial property.

Here at SERVPRO Hackensack/Little Ferry, we’re passionate about keeping this community safe from disasters. As a premier locally owned and operated restoration company, we’ve been providing 24-hour emergency services to local businesses and residences for over 10 years. We understand how important preparation and prevention are to keep businesses protected from winter disasters.   

Let’s keep your commercial property safe this holiday season! Here are 4 simple tips to help make sure your business stays merry and bright:

Be Smart About Safe Holiday Decorations 

• Choose decorations made of non-combustible materials. 
• Choose electric or battery-operated candle lights instead of real candles.
• Make sure not to cover or block: fire sprinklers, fire alarms, fire extinguishers, or emergency exit signs.
• Make sure there is clear access to any and all emergency exits.
• If you use extension cords, be careful to keep them out of high traffic areas to prevent trips and falls.
• Be a champion of ladder safety when hanging decorations up high.
• Make sure all electrical decorations are turned off before leaving the building.

Make Sure Your Building Doesn’t Freeze

Pipes that freeze and burst are a winter nightmare for any business owner. Make sure your building is protected from freezing.

If your building is unoccupied, you should still maintain your thermostats at a minimum of 55 degrees. You may even want to run a small trickle of water to keep pipes from freezing. Use insulation to keep pipes from getting too cold, and open up closet and cabinet doors to expose your pipes to warmer room temperatures. You may even want to install an electric sensor to monitor for early detection of a leak.  

Keep the Roof Clear of Debris or Snow

Before any winter storms hit, make sure to clean leaves, dirt, and debris from your roof.  These can block gutters and downspouts, and if enough debris builds up it can prevent snow from melting, which can lead to heavy snow buildup on your roof.

If/when a storm occurs, make sure you have a snow removal plan in place. You may need to designate an employee or plan for professional snow removal services. What you don’t want is an excess of snow build up, which could cause structural failure or water intrusion into your business.

Make Sure Your Building Is Secure When You’re Closed

Whether you’re shutting down for the winter season or taking a break for the holidays, make sure your business is prepared for safety before everyone leaves. 

Shut down any unnecessary office equipment and double check your building alarms and security. 

If something happens and your commercial property is in need of professional cleaning or restoration services this holiday season, SERVPRO of Hackensack / Little Ferry will be happy to help!  We pride ourselves on being “faster to any disaster” with the highly trained technicians and advanced tools and equipment necessary to get you back to smooth running business operations as quickly as possible.

You can reach us anytime 24/7 at 201-441-1343.