When you’re responsible for managing a commercial property, whether it’s an apartment complex, the grounds of a retirement community, a retail establishment, or an industrial facility, protecting customers, residents, visitors, employees and vendors is always a top priority.
If you’re located in a region that experiences freezing temperatures, snowstorms, and accumulating ice, safety takes on a whole new meaning.
Your commercial property needs a plan to manage winter precipitation
Most of us can find childlike enjoyment in catching snowflakes on our tongues, building a snowman with the kids, going sledding or ice skating, and even participating in a good old-fashioned snowball fight.
But no one appreciates being forced to traverse through deep snowfall or negotiate slippery roads and walkways – not to mention the increased liability issues presented by hazardous conditions. So, your commercial property needs a plan to effectively manage the bitter cold and wintry precipitation.
Obviously, streets, driveways, parking lots, sidewalks and outdoor stairways are of immediate concern. But it’s also important to remember that weakened trees and shrubs can also pose unexpected risks, as can poor drainage areas and an improperly winterized irrigation system.
Moving snow and keeping surfaces treated for ice, proper pruning and trimming of ornamental trees and shrubberies, irrigation winterization and proper drainage function are all items that need to be addressed well before the first snow starts to fall.
Choose an all-season commercial landscape maintenance partner
This is where choosing the right commercial landscaping maintenance partner makes all the difference. Although some landscaping contractors are “fair weather” service providers, there are others like U.S. Lawns who’ll be there to take care of your grounds throughout all the seasons.
With the right landscape management team on your side:
- Your irrigation system will be properly shut down and the pipes emptied to minimize the need for any repairs come spring startup.
- Your trees and shrubs will be properly mulched, trimmed and pruned to weather the winter storms.
- Your turf will be fed, dethatched, aerated and well prepared to get the most out of the dormant season.
- Drainage areas will all be in working order to avoid backups, floods, and unnecessary icy areas.
- Your team will have you on their schedule to ensure prompt response on snow plowing, shoveling and application of deicers such as rock salt, calcium chloride and safe paw.
It’s also worth mentioning that when you partner with commercial landscaping management professionals like U.S. Lawns, you’re protecting your property as much as you’re protecting your people.
How so? Because we’re there all year round, we have a strong familiarity with the placement of the softscape elements as well as your unique hardscape. This means we’re far less likely to cause damage when we’re shoveling and snow plowing around plants, flower beds, trees and shrubs, curbs, paver stone walkways, benches, and other stationary hardscape features that may be covered in snow and therefore unseen.
Now, it bears repeating here that since we’ll have you on our schedule months ahead of time, including snow and ice services in your annual landscape maintenance plan gives you a huge advantage: by preventing the necessity of finding a snow and ice contractor with the capacity to fit you in at the last minute, you’re also ensuring minimal disruption to continuing business as usual.
The safety of your people, your property and your business depend on having a commercial landscape maintenance partner who’ll be there, even in the worst winter weather.
Contact U.S. Lawns today and get your winter plan in place.