Winter Preparedness Checklist For Your Business

Keep your staff warm & safe

More than two-thirds of Americans live in regions that see significant snowfall each year. If your business operates in one of these areas, winter preparedness is key. Without proper preparation, snow and ice can hinder your productivity, damage your facilities and even harm your staff members.

By following our winter preparedness checklist, you can keep your business running efficiently until the weather starts to warm up again.

Warm up cold offices

Cold employees may not do their jobs as well as warm ones. If possible, you’ll want to keep your workspace around 73°F (23°C). During the winter, that can be difficult, especially if you work in a large or poorly insulated building. If you want to keep your employees warm without renovating an entire office, there are a few simple ways:

• Portable heaters: A space heater can warm up one particular area of your workplace. Employees can simply plug them in and pick a desired temperature. Look for heaters with automatic on/off features, as they can help save energy. Otherwise, figure out how large of an area you need to heat and buy a model that fits in the space.

• Draft stoppers: A draft stopper is exactly what it sounds like: a large, dense piece of fabric that prevents cold air from getting in. You can place it at the bottom of a door or on a windowsill, then simply pack it away when the weather gets warmer.

• Weatherstripping: Made of foam, felt, tape, vinyl or similar materials, weatherstripping is a way to seal up drafty fixtures without completely rebuilding them. You cut strips from a large roll, then fix them in place around windows and doors. Most weatherstripping lasts for a few years.

• Electric blankets: If space heaters aren’t feasible, you can keep individual workers warm with electric blankets. Go for styles that offer multiple levels of heating and leave employees’ hands free to type.

• Hot drinks: Hot liquids may not raise your body temperature, but they can help fight the cold just the same. Holding a hot mug heats up your fingers, while steam can warm your face. Keep your staff supplied with coffee, tea and cocoa during the winter.

For more tips on how to warm up your workspace, read Portable Heaters & Other Cold Office Solutions.

Stop pipes from freezing

If your pipes freeze, you may find yourself with a closed workplace and a hefty repair bill. Luckily, there are many ways to keep the water running when the temperature plummets.

The first thing you should do is drain and turn off your outside taps—ideally while the weather is still warm. Then, insulate all outdoor pipes with pipe sleeves, tape or even newspaper. The more protection they have from the elements, the better.

As for indoor prep, the pipes inside your workplace are less prone to freezing. Just make sure you keep the thermostat at 55°F or above. When you leave for the day, turn on a faucet until you get a slow, steady drip. As long as water is running through the pipes, it’s much less likely to freeze and expand.

As a final winter preparedness step, take some time to locate your shut-off valve before anything goes wrong. If a pipe does burst, you’ll want to stop the water flow ASAP.

To learn how to spot a frozen pipe and what to do about it, check out What to Know About How to Prevent Pipes From Freezing.

Winterize your windows

Windows can let in a significant amount of cold air, even if you keep them closed. Installing a window insulation kit can keep your workplace warm without obstructing your views of the outside world. These kits contain thin plastic sheets that cover your window panes and keep out the cold better than glass. To install a kit:

1. Close and lock the window you want to insulate
2. Measure your windows and cut pieces of double-sided tape to fit
3. Apply the tape to the sides, top and bottom of your windows
4. Line up the plastic insulation with your window and the tape
5. Press down the plastic to create a firm seal
6. Use a hair dryer to shrink the plastic and make it fit your window pane
7. Trim any excess plastic and discard it

Read How to Winterize Windows With Window Insulation Kits & More to learn about thermal curtains, caulking and other ways to complement plastic insulation.

Drive safely through snow & ice

Snowy and icy roads contribute to more than 500,000 automobile crashes each year. Whether your staff needs to deliver goods, transport people or simply commute to work, you may wish to invest in some specialized products and share some cold weather safety tips for employees:

• Winter tires and chains: If you work in an area with heavy, frequent snowfall, you may want to outfit your vehicle with winter tires. These provide better grip in low temperatures and on icy roads than standard all-weather tires. For jobs that require off-road driving, you may also need heavy-duty tire chains.

• Car survival kit: Vehicles often get damaged or stuck in cold-weather conditions. If that happens, a car survival kit could save a person’s life. A good kit should contain some sand (for traction), a flashlight, reflective triangles, blankets, a first-aid kit, some food and water, matches and deicing gear.

• Maintenance equipment: Performing preventative maintenance on your vehicle can also help you drive more safely during the winter. Antifreeze can prevent the fluid in your engine from freezing. Winter windshield wiper fluid can stay liquid in temperatures as low as -30°F. In especially cold areas, you may need an engine block heater to warm up your engine before you leave the garage.

Check out Must-Have Winter Driving Safety Products to Help Keep Employees Safe for a deeper dive into winter tires and survival kits.

Prepare for winter weather with Walmart Business

Winter preparedness requires careful planning and plenty of high-quality gear. If you need a convenient and reliable supplier for winter goods, Walmart Business can help. Sign up for a free Walmart Business account to plan your purchases and see a complete order history for both in-store and online. You can also create accounts for multiple users and save your preferred payment information.

If you already have an account, upgrade to a Walmart Business+ membership. With it, you’ll get free shipping from Business.Walmart.com¹ and free delivery from nearby Walmart stores on orders of $35 or more.² You’ll also earn 2% back in Walmart Business Rewards on orders of $250 or more.³ Altogether, your business could save more than $500 per year.⁴

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Restrictions apply. 

³ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁴ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).