Tips on Winterizing Steel Buildings

One of the biggest reasons for the popularity of steel buildings for both home and commercial use is how little maintenance they require. Unlike structures made of wood, they don’t need to be repainted every few years, and they don’t suffer from erosion the same way that concrete structures do. That doesn’t mean that steel buildings are completely free of maintenance requirements, though. As winter closes in across the country, you might pay attention to these tips to help your steel buildings, garages or storage sheds come through the winter without incurring damage.

Insulation

If you’re storing items that may be affected by the cold or if you intend to use your building during the winter, insulation is vital. Even if you’re not, insulation can help prevent damage to your building by reducing interior moisture that results from condensation. Investing in insulation for your metal building can help extend its life and reduce the little bit of maintenance it requires even further. And of course, you get the additional benefit of a building that’s usable year-round.

Inspection

Before the cold weather sets in fully, do walk-around inspection of your building, inside and out. Make a list of items that need to be attended before the cold, with its snow and freezing rain, sets in. Look for any chinks, holes or weak spots in the building’s shell that need to be repaired. For an older building or one that has had plumbing problems during the year, contact a professional to check the pipes for damage that should be repaired before the freeze.

Inside, look for any signs of leaks in your building, particularly on the roof. Look for holes, rips or tears in the outer shell and have them repaired before the cold sets in.

Cleaning

Clear the gutters and downspouts of debris and leaves to ensure full drainage. Drain any hoses or outdoor plumbing and shut off the water to them to prevent the pipes or hoses from freezing and cracking during the winter storms.

If your doors and windows aren’t fitted with weather-resistant stripping, this is a good time to fix that oversight. If they already have weather stripping, check it to make sure that it’s still in good repair. It only takes half an hour to apply weather stripping to a door, window or gap, and the cost is usually under $10. Compare that to the cost of repairs if a freeze forces the gaps wider.

Steel buildings require very little in the way of maintenance, but the few hours a year that you spend winterizing can prevent major problems down the line.