4 Tips for Keeping your Office Winter-ready

The cold weather can often make commercial spaces like offices susceptible to a variety of problems. The leading office architects in India assert that winters can leverage new challenges with regard to employee health and office maintenance and upkeeping. For instance, the cold season can make the employee force prone to seasonal illnesses like common cold, flu, and other bugs. Thus, offices should be well-equipped with safety amenities such as hand sanitizers, tissues, and medications.

Moreover, the top office architects in Delhi suggest that authorities should also focus on increasing the green area in an office space. They should add more indoor plants like peace lily, snake plant, Chinese evergreen, etc. that can not only add a touch of nature to the space but also help in cleaning and purifying the indoor air.

Here are some more tips you should follow to keep your office winter-ready:

• Check the HVAC cleaning

The leading office architects in Mumbai assert that the HVAC system is of vital importance in all kinds of commercial facilities, especially office spaces. As the winter approaches, office authorities should always ensure proper inspection and cleaning of all the HVAC system components, namely ducts, vents, coils, drain pans, and others that can influence the indoor air quality. Make sure to clean all the HVAC filters, vents, and ducts that facilitate proper air circulation and ventilation. In case you’re planning to refurbish or change your office’s HVAC system, you should preferably decide on automated systems as they help in regulating and maintaining comfortable indoor temperature in the office premises.

• Inspect the plumbing system

Frozen pipes are highly prone to bursting and the risk is notably high in areas where temperature drops are way below nominal levels. Thus, commercial architects in India suggest office authorities to get all their plumbing equipment checked and repaired before the winters approach in full swing. For instance, you can insulate the pipes with fibreglass tubing or foam. You can also consider wrapping exposed pipes with heat tape to prevent plunging temperatures.

• Inspect roofing and guttering

Always conduct a comprehensive inspection of the roof and guttering system of your office prior to the winter season. Check for any loose tiles or slates and replace all the damaged or missing pieces. Moreover, clean the roof of all the debris, dead tree branches, and leaves. Simultaneously, you should also inspect the gutters for any kinds of blockages or damage. Winds often blow away dead leaves into the gutters and drain pipes that may eventually lead to clogging. This may further result in back flowing of water in the gutters, eventually leading to leakage or seeping in the roof and side walls of the office.

• Check all the smoke detectors

Equipment like smoke detectors are essential for making an office space safe and sound. However, the winter season can often make them susceptible to malfunctioning. The leading office architects in Bangalore assert that smoke detectors tend to chirp more while heading into colder temperatures as the temperature drop may result in low battery performance. This may eventually impede with the functioning of the smoke detectors. Thus, always ensure to replace the batteries in smoke detectors as the winter approaches.

Moreover, the top architects in India also suggest that all office spaces should follow social distancing norms and safety measures due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Office authorities should ensure that their employees are seated with a minimum gap of six feet from each other at all times. Encourage your employees to always wear a mask. Lastly, in case any employee feels sick or uncomfortable, you should affirmatively ask them to stay at home.