Old Man Winter will be blowing into the Midwest before you know it so now’s the time to winterize your business. Here’s a checklist:
Business vehicle: Change to a winter-weight oil, check tire tread and rotate tires if necessary. Check coolant, antifreeze and washer fluid. Check your battery voltage; time to replace an old battery? Stock vehicles with snow brushes, flashlights with new batteries and emergency kits.
Landscaping: Mow the lawn one last time and review your snow removal program. Rake, maybe more than once. Correct soil pH, dethatch and apply weed herbicide. Seed bare patches. Prune trees and bushes, especially those that obscure vision at intersections and obscure any entry to your business.
Indoors: Block obvious leaks and drafts with caulk and outlet gaskets. Add insulation and get the ducts cleaned if necessary; have the heating and sprinkler systems checked. Check smoke alarms and carbon-monoxide detectors. Window problems? If you can’t fix them all at one time, budget to replace a few per year.