Cold weather is hard on the equipment that keeps a self-storage property running. Snow and ice block gate travel, plows hit posts and keypads, cold batteries lose capacity and roll-up doors get stiff. Winter problems also tend to show up at the worst time: early morning, after a storm, when tenants are trying to get in and help is busy.
A little preparation in the fall can head off many of those calls. This is general guidance for facility teams. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your specific equipment, and leave inspection and adjustment of operators, springs and electrical components to a qualified technician.
Entry gates
- Mark the gate path and equipment. Snow stakes or reflective markers near the gate, operator, keypad post and loops help plow drivers avoid them. Walk the property with your snow contractor before the first storm.
- Plan where snow goes. Snow should not be piled in the gate's travel path, against the operator or over photo eyes. On slide gates, the track and the area the gate slides into need to stay clear.
- Watch for ice. Ice on the track, on hinges or under a lift or pivot gate can stop the gate or make the operator work harder. Use de-icing products that are appropriate for your pavement and equipment, and keep them out of the operator cabinet.
- Check battery backup. Batteries lose capacity in the cold, and winter storms bring power outages. Ask your service provider to check backup batteries as part of fall maintenance.
- Schedule a preventive visit. Fall is a good time for a technician to check drive components, limits, safety devices and heaters (if your operator has one) before the weather turns.
Roll-up and swing doors
- Clear the bottoms. Water that collects at door bottoms can freeze the door to the slab. Keep drains and the area in front of doors clear, especially on exterior units.
- Note stiff or noisy doors. Doors that are hard to lift, uneven, or noisy in the fall usually get worse in the cold. Report them before winter instead of after a tenant cannot get in.
- Leave springs to professionals. Door springs are under high tension. Tenants and staff should not try to adjust them. If a door will not stay up or drops quickly, keep it closed and call for service.
- Check latches and locks. Latches that are out of alignment can freeze or fail to catch. Note any unit that does not latch cleanly.
- Hallway and building doors. Make sure closers and weatherstripping are in good shape so interior hallways stay as dry as possible.
Keypads, readers and access control
- Protect the keypad. Make sure the housing is intact and sealed so water cannot get in and freeze. Cracked housings and open seams are worth fixing before winter.
- Keep it reachable. Tenants need to reach the keypad from a vehicle. Make sure the post is solid, the keypad is not blocked by snow piles and the area is lit.
- Check the loops. Freeze and thaw cycles can make existing pavement cracks worse. Look at the pavement over vehicle loops in the fall and report new damage.
- Confirm the software. Make sure the access control system's date, time and schedules are correct, and that staff know how to let a tenant in manually if the system has a problem during a storm.
Cameras and lighting
- Check that cameras covering the gate and drive aisles still have clear views after leaves fall, and that lenses are clean.
- Confirm the recorder is recording and that you know how to pull footage. Winter incidents such as vehicle damage to gates are much easier to sort out with video.
- Replace failed exterior lights before the long nights. Good lighting at the keypad and gate helps tenants and cameras.
Have a storm-day plan
Write down a short plan before the first storm so staff are not guessing:
- Who clears snow, and in what order: gate area first, then drive aisles and door fronts.
- What to do if the gate will not open or will not close, and how to secure the entry.
- Where the operator's power shutoff is and who is allowed to use it.
- Who to call for gate, door and access control service, with phone numbers posted at the office.
When something does fail, report it with the equipment type, what happened, when it started and photos if you can take them safely. Clear information helps a service team plan the visit and bring what they need.
Start early
The best time to prepare for winter is while it is still mild outside. A fall walk-through, a list of anything that looks worn, and a preventive maintenance visit put you in a better position when the first hard freeze arrives.