One year later: Raven Mechanical offers tips for businesses to survive unexpected weather as anniversary of devastating 2021 storm looms

HOUSTON, Feb. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- It's been nearly a year since Texas suffered an uncommon deep freeze that left the state stunned and businesses scrambling to save their infrastructure. But Raven Mechanical, LP, a family-owned and operated commercial plumbing, HVAC and utility company in Houston, says there are several measures business owners should take to prevent cold weather from damaging their assets.

"If you're in an area of the country that is not used to sub-zero temperatures, your local and business infrastructure is probably not hardened to handle cold weather," said Raven Mechanical Partner Stephen Jones. "Last year's freezing temperatures in Texas caused billions of dollars in damages to area businesses because so many were caught off guard. While it doesn't often get cold here, there are some actions business owners can take if they see Artic weather headed their way."

1. Avoid turning the heat down too much or completely off when freezing temperatures are expected. In many warmer areas of the country, business owners lower the heat or turn it off altogether at night when employees are not in the building. But employees aren't the only assets that need to stay warm. Pipes and other mechanical equipment need the extra heat during major cold snaps in order to keep from freezing. Building temperatures should not drop below 53 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid freezing pipes and other damage.
2. Insulate pipes in preparation for cold weather. In warmer climates, business owners may not think this is something they need to consider; however, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Taking the time to insulate any pipes that are outdoors or in a wall that may encounter the brunt of cold winds helps keep pipes warmer and prevents them from bursting.
3. Know where the water valve is located. Being able to turn off the water if the pipes do burst will save businesses thousands in clean-up costs. Business owners or their maintenance staffs should know how to access the valve easily so that water does not continue to flow through busted pipes and damage floors, walls and furnishings.
4. Make sure generators are powerful enough to handle the building's needs. While many business owners have installed backup generators in case of power outages caused by storms, those generators need to be rated for commercial use. Many business owners in Texas, for example, saw their generators fail as a result of the demand placed on them when the state's power grid failed last February.
5. Have a winter contingency plan. In addition to making sure the building and its furnishings and equipment stay safe, business owners should also develop a plan for employee and customer safety. This could include planning snow and ice removal from walkways and parking lots, a call list to let employees know if they should report for duty and other longer-term contingency plans should the winter storm shut down roads and services for longer than a day.

"Part of owning a business is making sure employees stay safe and the equipment can function," Jones said. "Taking these preventative actions can also help businesses minimize their damages and loss of revenue. Record heat or cold and unprecedented precipitation are now weather events we have to expect. Business owners should plan for these events accordingly."

About Raven Mechanical

Founded in October 1979, Raven Mechanical LP is a family owned and operated commercial specialty construction company. Raven provides a wide variety of plumbing, HVAC, utility and specialty piping projects. Located in Houston, Raven Mechanical services Harris County and the surrounding areas with plumbing, leak detection, sewer & drain, and slab leak repairs. For more information, call Raven at 281-987-1618 or visit their website at https://www.ravenmechanical.com/.

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Heather Ripley
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SOURCE Raven Mechanical