As cooler weather moves in, you may want to think about preparing your warehouse for winter. Winterizing your facility has several benefits, such as energy savings, employee safety, preventing unwanted debris from entering your warehouse, and protecting the longevity of your equipment. Here are a few areas of your warehouse to focus on when preparing for winter.
How to Prepare Loading Docks For Winter
Let’s begin at the loading docks, one of the largest point of entry into your warehouse. As an area that sees a lot of action in a facility, you want to ensure you have the proper dock equipment and that you are keeping up with the manufacturer’s service recommendations. If dock doors and positions go without proper protection they can turn into potential weak points in your facility. Here are a few ways to prepare your loading docks for winter:
- Check Your Seals
A dock seal in need of replacement can cause several issues for your warehouse. Not only does it let cold air in (and warm air out) which will increase your energy bills, it also can allow in the elements. Any rain, snow, or slush in a loading dock area is dangerous for employees.
- Check Your Lighting
With winter weather also comes shorter days and less daylight. As the sun goes down earlier, you want to make sure there is adequate lighting in your dock areas to ensure safety.
- Check Your Loading Dock Drive
The outside of your loading docks can present safety hazards, as well. Make sure your drive is free of ice and debris and use salt when needed.
Our Millwright Services department installs and services loading dock equipment and can help you prepare your warehouse for winter.
Invest in HVLS Fans to Improve Heat Efficiency
Although a fan might not be the first item that comes to mind when preparing your warehouse for cooler temperatures, a High Volume Low Speed (HVLS) fan improves airflow to help regulate internal temperatures to such a degree that heating and cooling costs go down. The fans are designed to run in reverse during the cooler months, forcing trapped air down from the ceiling and distributing it evenly throughout the workplace, resulting in a heat savings of 20% or more!
If you are looking for warehouse services, contact the experts at Welch Equipment. We are a complete material handling solutions provider serving customers across the Rocky Mountain Region in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Montana.