Your office needs to be a weatherproof environment, especially if you want to save money on your energy bills. With heating costs going through the roof across the UK, understanding the value of weatherproofing has never been more important for homeowners and business operators alike. You might think that winter is coming to an end so your troubles are behind you. However, this doesn’t acknowledge long-term realities, let alone the fact that summer can bring just as many weather-related energy bill issues.
Short of switching business gas suppliers to keep your bills down, it’s important to weatherproof your workplace for every season. This piece will offer some guidance on how to weatherproof your workplace whether working in an office or industrial site.
Weatherproof your workplace for all four seasons
Creating a weatherproof work environment is vital for every season of the year. Features like weatherproof roofing will help to protect the integrity of the building’s contents while also keeping your staff comfortable (and therefore productive). It’s worth considering and preparing for the challenges brought by every season.
Winter. Freezing temperatures will drive your heating bills up, while snow and ice can cause serious damage to the building envelope. This sort of damage can further increase heat loss and draughts, which can in turn cause industrial equipment to malfunction.
Spring. Those dreaded April showers, along with strong winds, can result in leaks, dampness and mould growth, all of which make properties harder to heat. Dampness can also result in increased energy bills through the use of de-humidifiers.
Summer. The hotter months of the year call for air conditioning, which naturally serves to drive your energy bill up. It’s not just the temperature in the air, it’s also largely about sun gain from light getting through windows.
Autumn. Autumn can bring with it a lot of the same dangers as spring, with falling leaves and natural debris clogging up already rain-laden gutters, potentially leading to water damage.
It’s important to consider each season carefully when weatherproofing your workplace.
Weatherproof insulation to reduce heat transfer
One of the best ways to avoid handing too much over to business energy suppliers or gas providers is to insulate your workplace properly. This will help to reduce temperature transfer all year round, whether that means keeping heat or out of the space. Steps to better insulate your workplace include:
- Properly insulating walls, roof and floors will minimise heat transfer, helping to limit energy bills
- Draught-proofing with weatherproof stripping on gaps, cracks and other openings will prevent draughts and heat loss
- Replacing windows with double glazing, while also using heavy curtains/blinds to reduce solar gain in summer and reduce heat loss in winter
Insulation is one of the important steps in creating a weatherproof environment, especially in terms of keeping energy bills to a manageable level all year round.
The importance of a weatherproof roof
While a draught in a door or window can be handled with a weatherproofing strip, the roof needs more care to withstand the elements all year round. It needs to be installed and handled with care, otherwise, it could suffer from leaks other potential damage. It’s important to regularly inspect the roof for clearing requirements, while green roof installations can also be viable to increase insulation (and add some environmental cache).
Creating your weatherproof workplace should start now
If you believe that your weatherproofing leaves something to be desired then there’s no time like the present to start putting some measures in place. By doing so you’ll be more able than ever to keep your energy bills down, while also preventing any more serious damage from impacting the workplace.