Frozen Pipes Checklist

Every facility manager fears frozen pipes during a brutally cold winter. Whether it’s water pipes, boilers, gas meters or something else, if any of these systems suffer a frozen pipe disaster, the cost of dealing with it will far exceed the cost of making proper preparations.

Here’s your frozen pipes checklist, with 5 steps to take right now to prevent frozen pipes in your facilities:

• Conduct preventive maintenance: The first and most important thing you can do to avoid frozen pipes is to have preventive maintenance done on your facilities and equipment, especially your heating equipment. Make sure your building is properly sealed and equipment is well insulated. The FM360 team can provide this kind of winter-maintenance expertise, and requesting this service now can potentially save you thousands of dollars in repairs and facility downtime.
• Check outside vents: Keeping outside vents clean and uncovered in the winter ensures vents are functioning properly, and avoids letting snow pile up and block vent openings during or after snow or ice removal. Blocked vents can lead to heating equipment malfunction, and malfunctioning heating equipment can lead to frozen or burst pipes.
• Check outside dampers: Confirm that outside dampers are closing properly. Open dampers can allow cold air into areas where it shouldn’t be, and can compromise boilers and other heating systems.
• Plan location of snow removal: Plan your snow removal in advance of cold weather. Know safe places to pile the snow before removing it. Make sure it’s not being dumped on an outside gas meter or in front of a vent.
• Check vacant or unused spaces: If you have vacant or unused space during the winter, take extra precautions to ensure the area is properly prepared for cold weather. Turn off water to those areas, or make sure they are properly heated. This is especially critical if no one is walking through that part of the facility frequently.

For more information about FM360:

• Thorough description of the FM360 program
• On-site facility assessment request

Need help with preventive maintenance or other winter-related preparations? The FM360 team can help. Contact us now and we’ll make sure your facility is protected.