When a major winter storm is about to hit, as a business owner it is tough to know if you should close your business for the day and stay home, or to risk the potentially dangerous drive over to your business to protect it from any winter weather threats.

There are a few things that could go wrong, such as power outages, frozen pipes, roof damage, break-ins and fire risks that cause on average 64.8 billion dollars per year (per the National Centers for Environmental Information). You need to make sure that your business stays safe and operationally ready.

Here’s more information on how to protect your small business during snowstorms.

Know the security and safety risks

Snowstorms can be challenging from a weather perspective. They create icy and snowy conditions that pose safety challenges, and they also cause a whole list of security and safety risks that can devastate an unprotected small business.

Icy conditions

Icy conditions in your parking lot and surrounding property can put customers and employees at risk. Determine if your property is safe before you decide whether you will stay open or not.

Heating systems

Is your heat working as well as it could? If not, you might need to close until it’s back up and running. Remaining open while your heat isn’t working could put customers and employees at risk.

Flooding or burst pipes

Flooding is always a risk during winter weather. One main issue is from burst pipes. In cold temperatures, pipes are at risk for freezing, which could cause them to burst and cause damage to your business.

Assess your pipes before the cold season occurs to identify at-risk pipes and always inspect your business for ways to mitigate flood damage if a situation were to occur. An environmental monitoring system will alert you to leaks or dramatic temperature fluctuations that could lead to bigger issues.

Snow accumulation

Heavy snow accumulation on a flat roof can build up hundreds of pounds of weight, which can lead to a roof collapsing. Ensure that your roof remains clear of heavy snow, otherwise this could cause major damage.

Power outages

Power outages are another issue that could harm your business during winter weather. Risks include equipment outages, lost revenue, and operational disruption. If the risks are great enough, you may even want to consider purchasing a backup generator.

Security

Then from a security perspective, having to close your business during a storm leaves the building vulnerable to burglars. Criminals know that businesses are shut down, meaning there is nobody inside. Your burglar alarm system offers peace of mind in this scenario.

First responders

Due to poor weather, first responders get increased calls due to upticks in accidents. Because of this, they could have a harder time responding to a safety alarm, which could also put your business at risk.

Protection through 24/7 monitoring & commercial security solutions

How do you protect yourself from these increased risks? One option is to use professional monitoring systems, which could be your ears and eyes when you aren’t physically at the business.

Monitoring systems allow for real time video surveillance so that you can check in on the building from the safety of your home. They also allow for immediate alerts for any break-ins, automatic emergency dispatch for fires and temperature sensors to make sure the internal temperature of your building stays above freezing so you don’t risk frozen pipes.

In the event of a power outage, most modern security systems have a backup battery they operate on so that you can keep watch when conditions are at their very worst. If something does go wrong, they often store video footage for insurance purposes. This leaves you less vulnerable to massive disaster costs.

Preparation checklist:

If you do have a security and monitoring system in place, here is a quick pre-storm checklist that you can use prior to a winter storm so that you keep your business safe:

• Test your backup systems (check that all batteries are charged).
• Ensure monitoring systems are active and working properly.
• Test remote access to security cameras.
• Know your emergency contacts in case anything goes wrong.

Being proactive when a storm is coming will reduce the negative impact of winter weather. It may even help you remain open no matter what the weather brings!

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