During the relatively mild seasons of spring, summer, and fall, there probably isn’t too much to worry about with your steel building. As long as it is in good condition and no repairs are needed, you can simply keep your attention on other things. When winter draws near, however, that story starts to change, and you’ll want to make sure the steel buildings on your property are ready for the harsher conditions that may be ahead.  

On this page, we’ll take a look at some of the fundamentals involved with winterizing a steel building. If you need to add a new steel building to your property, American Steel Carports, Inc. is the ideal team for such a project. We have been serving customers successfully for years, and the process starts with a visit to our Build & Price tool. Or, if you would prefer, you can contact us and discuss the project you have in mind with a member of our team.  

How to Winterize Your Steel Building 

Step 1) Insulation is a Great Start 

This is the starting point for any kind of winterizing effort. When you have good insulation in place, you’ll have solid protection against the cold weather that is soon to arrive. Metal is an excellent conductor, so if it is not insulated, any cold that arrives on the outside is soon to be felt on the inside. Insulation will slow down that transfer of energy and leave the interior of your steel building far more comfortable throughout the year.  

You’ll greatly appreciate this upgrade if you tend to spend a lot of time in your building, even in the winter months. For example, if you use this building as a workshop and you want to be able to spend time out there no matter the weather conditions, having insulation is essential.  

Step 2) Invest in Weather Stripping 

Once the insulation hurdle is cleared, the next item on your to-do list should be to add weather stripping around the doors or windows. It’s surprising just how much of an effect even small cracks and openings can have on the temperature inside your building. There doesn’t need to be a huge gap between the door and the frame for the weather to sneak in during the winter. Fortunately, weather stripping is affordable and easy to install, so this is a job that you should be able to check off in no time at all.  

Step 3) Check the Condition of the Roof 

The roof of your metal building is a critical component throughout the year, but it’s especially important during the winter months if you live in a climate where rain and snow are the norm. Before winter arrives in full force, take some time to visually inspect the condition of the roof and make sure it is ready to go.  

If trees surround your building, it’s likely that there will be leaves and small branches on the roof as fall transitions to winter. Make it a point to safely clean off the room so you aren’t dealing with a messy surface when the snow starts to come down and pile up. Basically, you want your roof to be in the best possible condition so it doesn’t have any complications when trying to hold up to the worst of what the winter has in store. 

Step 4) Snow Removal is an Important Job 

This last point isn’t something that you do in advance of the winter arriving, but it’s too important to leave out of this article. When winter does come in, and the snow starts to come down, make it a point to remove the snow from your metal building’s roof as often as possible. Snow can become incredibly heavy as it piles up on a roof, and leaving it up there for too long will threaten the structure below.  

Also, it’s much easier to safely remove a bit of snow than it is to bring down a huge pile that is a foot deep or more. Consider investing in a broom or brush with an extended pole that you can use to reach up onto the roof and sweep down as much snow as possible. If you do this regularly, you’ll never get to the point of having a major pile that can quickly become a hazard. 

Build Your Custom Steel Building

In the end, there isn’t really that much work that needs to be done to get your steel building ready for winter. You’ll have to do a bit of work, most likely, but steel buildings are incredibly durable and naturally able to stand up to tough weather conditions. Take a moment now to reach out and let’s get started on a new building project that will upgrade your property immediately!