It all makes us think: how can we make winter living easier? That’s when we realized that keeping a building winter-ready is like keeping ourselves winter-ready. Here are some of the ways.

Make sure your exterior is ready for all types of weather

We provide a lot of services to make sure buildings can withstand the elements, from waterproofing, caulking to detecting and closing up leaks.

Similar to buildings, we’ve got to make sure our bodies can handle the elements, too. That means wearing appropriate clothing for whatever winter can throw at us. This includes proper gloves, boots, pants and thermal pants, jackets, scarves and hats. When the temperatures go below zero, make sure you don’t leave any body part uncovered for too long. That includes your face, wrists and ankles – make sure they’re covered up so that you don’t risk frostbite!

Be ready for surprises

When it comes to buildings, you need to make sure the infrastructure is stable enough to handle whatever the world throws its way. From blizzards to record snowfall, buildings roofs need to withstand hundreds of pounds of added weight, and external fixtures need to be able to withstand fierce winds and precipitation.

Similarly, you need to be a stable force against whatever Chicago winters throw your way. If there’s a blizzard and your car stalls, you need to have the proper winter emergency car kit – with jumper cables, flares and emergency food – to get help and back to safety. You also need to make sure you’re eating well and taking care of your physical health so that you can shovel sidewalks, withstand the freezing weather and simply make it through the work week.

Don’t let the temperature get too low

We insulate buildings and waterproof them to help make sure the piping doesn’t freeze and break. That principle applies to us, too – our cars and our bodies.

If you let your car’s engine get too cold, it will be difficult to get it to start in the morning and it may stall on you when you need it to work the most. Similarly, if you allow yourself to get too cold by not wearing warm enough clothes or staying outside too long, you can cause yourself to get a cold; or, worse, you can seriously risk hypothermia – a condition that can turn deadly if you’re not careful.

If you’re like us, you’re counting the days until spring. But until then, follow these tips and contact us on our Web site or by email for all your building and masonry restoration needs.