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Winter Weather Tips for Community Associations

By January 12, 2025January 13th, 2025Blog, Business Insurance, Business Protection

It’s a new year and, for some of us in the country, a cold one!  Property managers must be careful and consider outdoor items and weather that can cause issues inside and outside community associations.  Here are some winter weather tips to help keep your building and residents safe and keep your policy clear of losses:

  • Holiday lights and decor may be down, but you still need to be careful overloading extension cords and electrical sockets in case of a short circuit.
  • Always unplug your space heaters and any other plugged-in heat source, such as an electric blanket. Click here for a free PDF of space heater safety tips that can be distributed to building residents.
  • Snow accumulation, especially on flat roofs, can cause ponding, which can lead to leaks and roof damage. Excess snow needs to be removed as quickly as possible.  In addition, wear and tear and routine maintenance, which would be clearing off excess rainwater or snow, is not covered in your policy, as that is the responsibility of the insured to take care of.
  • Cover, weigh down, or remove any outside furniture to avoid damage and injury and prevent it from blowing into neighboring properties.
  • If you have a building super or snow removal company, make sure they keep logs documenting when they are salting the walkway and when snow removal is being done.  This can make a huge difference if there is a slip and fall that leads to a liability claim.

Check out our free Winter Survival Kit for more information and a snow removal log to use this season. As always, reach out to me with questions anytime!

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