Getting Ready for Fall: A Maintenance Checklist for Business Owners

If you own your business property, it’s time to start thinking about getting ready for fall. This maintenance checklist will help you get everything done.

You’ve got your winter coat and your snow boots, but what are you doing to get your business ready for fall?

As a business owner, you should be thinking about getting your property ready for fall before the coffee shops start serving pumpkin spice lattes. The more you can do in early fall, the better, because the days are already getting shorter, and the time changes the first Sunday in November.

Getting ready for fall is easier with a maintenance checklist, so read on to find out how to prepare your property for cooler weather.

Check the Roof

You need to check up on your roof to make sure it’s in good enough shape to handle fall and winter. This doesn’t mean you need to get a ladder and climb up on the roof yourself. In most cases, it’s best if you don’t.

You can, however, grab a pair of binoculars to take an up close and personal look at your roof situation without risking bodily injury. Look for shingles that show signs of damage beyond the normal wear and tear.

If a shingle looks cracked, out of place, or otherwise damaged, you need to send someone out to fix it as soon as possible.

When you’re inside the building, you should also keep an eye out for any visible water stains. Water stains mean you probably have a leak that you need to find and repair before it gets worse.

Remember, leaks can also lead to mold, and that’s a biological workplace hazard.

Get Your Heating System Inspected

In the summer, you need a functional air conditioner, but when preparing for the fall season, you should make sure that everything is looking good with your heating system.

Your property’s furnace may look just fine and dandy to you, but as your mom always said, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Unfortunately, you aren’t equipped to take a look at what’s going on inside.

You could take a chance that everything will be fine, but doing that means you’re risking a total heating system breakdown during the middle of a snowstorm in November or December.

Still don’t believe us? Read more about why heating tune-ups are critical, and then call your local HVAC company to schedule an appointment.

Mind the Gaps

In cold weather, gaps in your building let the warm air out and the outdoor creatures in. Plug those gaps now.

The best way to do that is to walk around your business a couple of times and look for cracks that need to be covered.

Hardware cloth can keep out animals, while exterior caulk will help you keep the good air inside the business where it belongs.

Getting Ready for Fall (and Every Other Season)

Preparing your business property for the autumn season isn’t something that necessarily has to wait until September. Getting ready for fall is a process that you can start in August and even July.

Your work isn’t done once you’ve checked everything off your maintenance list for fall, so grab a pumpkin scone and explore our blog for small business advice that’s good year-round.