Chicago has notoriously brutal winters. An annual snowfall of 35+ inches and vicious winds from Lake Michigan that ice up streets, sidewalks, and parking lots turn the Windy City into a dangerous skating rink for business owners to contend with. You want your business as active during the winter as the rest of the year but you have special concerns to address — such as preventing accidents on your property due to ice, and keeping your business accessible after a snowfall.
Commercial Property Maintenance Tips for Winter
No one wants winter to hamper their business; whatever maintenance plan you adhere to, you need to get the hard work done before your store opens for the day. Customers need access or they’ll stay away. Tips to keep them coming include:
- Keeping walkways, driveways, and parking lots cleared of snow, accessible to drivers and pedestrians.
- Using good de-icing compounds such as Magnesium chloride, that will break the surface bonds of ice without causing environmental damage later on.
- Supplying safe interior floor mats to prevent customers slipping as they track in the melted water and whatever de-icer you use outside.
- Being prepared to keep your floors cleaned of the de-icing product to prevent damage to your floors.
The very best tip for winter maintenance is to hire a professional, who will do all of this for you and leave you free to run your business. In Chicago, the experienced snow and ice removal experts at Brancato Snow and Ice Management are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We serve multiple counties in the Chicago area, and tailor our winter maintenance programs to commercial enterprises. We understand Chicago winters and specialize in snow and ice removal for large and small businesses, including banks, institutions, retail parking areas and more; let us design a plan for your business this winter. Contact Brancato Snow and Ice Managment for a quote.