Forecast have you concerned? Then it is the perfect time to prepare for winter weather safety and develop a plan to ensure your doors stay open. According to the Insurance Information Institute, this is truer than ever. Winter storms cause catastrophe losses, including those from water damage due to frozen pipes. Many are calling for better preparedness as a way to help reduce the impact storms have on our communities, including small businesses.

“Risk mitigation is the key to reducing property damage and one of the reasons insurers and policyholders are moving away from ‘detect and repair’ and toward ‘predict and prevent,’” said Sean Kevelighan, CEO, Insurance Information Institute.

Get Started with these Winter Weather Preparedness Tips

Plan Ahead

• Assess your risk – what are the weather trends in your area?
• Inventory supplies and make necessary purchases.
• Create a plan for operating business even in a weather event.
• Stay informed by watching weather and signing up for alerts.
• Plan a way to always maintain heat in your business, if possible.
• Check your insurance coverage and inventory valuable equipment.

Prepare

Check your facility

• Inspect the roof, make repairs and know the maximum snow load.
• Assess how weathertight your property is, adding additional seals on windows and doors as needed.
• Insulate pipes, crawl space and attics.
• Check the air filters in your HVAC system and verify the last time it was maintained.
• Purchase (or check) a generator.

Check the exterior (and call in an expert if needed!)

• Trim trees within falling distance of your building.
• Double check that all hoses are disconnected, drained and stored.
• Ensure exterior faucets/bibs are shut off and covered with insulation.
• Be sure all exterior faucets/bibs have a shut-off valve inside the building, if not call a plumber!
• Hire a licensed professional to inspect your fire protection sprinkler systems.

Find even more great tips for winter preparedness from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety.