Winter is in full swing, and many regions have accumulated significant amounts of snow this year, making snow removal and storage a challenge to manage. Maintenance managers need to adopt a proactive approach to stay on top of the parking lot’s condition as part of their winter maintenance strategy.

Here are some tips for keeping your parking lot safe, accessible, and clear this winter:

• Start by ensuring that you have the tools and supplies required for the remainder of the season. Stock up on salt, clear a spot for storage, and be sure to implement a maintenance plan for any equipment you will be using throughout the season.
• While you want to use enough salt to keep walkways and parking lots slip-free, you don’t want to overuse it, as it can corrode pavement and cause environmental damage.
• Keep an eye on the weather consistently so you can be proactive by putting salt down, managing snow plowing contracts, and scheduling maintenance staff accordingly.
• Keep your parking lot maintained by clearing your drains, ensuring that fire hydrants and handicapped parking lots remain accessible, and marking any areas where the ground can be uneven and could impede snow removal.
• Whether you are contracting out your snow removal or managing it in-house, choosing a place to store the snow is crucial. Keep in mind accessibility, visibility, drainage, and additional sites for storage, should the snowfall exceed your expectations or available space.
• If you are clearing snow in-house, ensure that you are pushing snow away from your building, especially the entry points, so that during the freeze-thaw cycling, water does not flow towards your building.
• Clearing snow during the snowfall can help you stay on top of the accumulation and avoid it from becoming compact and difficult to move. Plow during off-peak hours for ease and convenience.

Keeping your parking lot maintained throughout the winter season is an important part of your outdoor maintenance strategy to ensure that access to your building remains safe and available for your staff and guests.