A 5 step checklist to preparing your commercial building windows for winter

windows-in-autumn-winter

With the winter months not too far away, it’s a good idea to understand how to best prepare your commercial windows for the cold months ahead. The continued rain and freezing conditions can quickly cause serious damage to your windows if they are not in good shape. It can also add significantly to your companies heating bills, right up until spring when you have time to finally fix any issues. So, to make sure you’re prepared, here is a simple 5-step checklist to follow in order to get your commercial building windows ready for winter.

1. Check the seals

Spend time going around each window in your building and carefully checking the sealant. If there are gaps in the sealant, this can allow drafts to come through all day long, causing your office space to become colder and meaning you need to spend more on heating. Worse still, this can cause water to trickle in between the cracks and then freeze. Over time, this freezing and thawing can cause damage to the window and the surrounding brickwork. As such, simply resealing any areas that are in disrepair can save you a lot of future hassle.

2. Clear out the gutters

Though you might not realise it, poor guttering can cause unwanted damage to your windows as well. If drains are blocked or cracked, then all throughout the winter you will have rain and muck falling down onto the window and window sills from above. Over time, this can cause these areas to become damaged. This is a surprisingly big issue, especially for commercial property owners that have neglected to clean their drains properly for a number of years.

3. Give them a thorough clean

Once everything else is done, go round and give all of your windows a solid clean, both inside and out. Like most things, failing to clean them properly and regularly can cause issues to crop up. Just by removing any dust and grime and repainting any worn marks, they will look better and last longer. With cold, dark nights ahead, you’re not going to want to get outside and clean them then. So you might as well do it now.

4. Are they all double glazed?

Energy efficiency in commercial properties is incredibly important these days. Having old, outdated, single glazed windows is in no way good for the environment, or your company’s bottom line. They are incredibly inefficient at keeping the cold out and the heat in. So, before winter rolls around, it is strongly recommended that you replace old windows with modern, double glazed ones. You will soon start to notice the savings in both money and heat, as well as the time needed to heat your property each morning prior to employees coming in.

5. Inspect the hinges

How well do all of your windows move? You should go around and test each one to see how much they are creaking and whether they do open properly. If they are pretty far gone, then repairing the hinges might not be a possibility, and you might need a complete window replacement. However, if they are still only a little stiff, then you can give them a clean and grease them up in order to allow them to open more easily. The freezing weather will once again cause any issues like this to become much worse, so it’s best to fix them now.

Calling in the experts

If you do notice any issues with your windows, such as major cracks around the frame, discolouring in the glass, or worn out hinges, then it’s time to call in professional help. An expert window refurbishment firm will be able to quickly and cheaply handle any issues now, so that they don’t end up costing you more down the line. The Glazing Face is the most experienced double glazing company Cambridgeshire has to offer. Every year, we help numerous local business owners to thoroughly check all their windows and to ensure they are fit and ready in time for winter. We can offer all manner of window repairs, as mentioned above. We also offer a full commercial window replacement service. Most notably, upgrading your existing, outdated windows for modern, energy efficient double glazing. We can then guarantee that not only will they help with your draft exclusion efforts and save you money throughout winter, but they will also last you well into the future. To find out more, or to discuss a quote or arrange a free survey, contact our friendly team today.