As Canadians, we’re proud of our ability to face the cold head-on! But just because we’re used to low temperatures doesn’t mean we want to deal with them all the time, especially when we’re trying to work. If you manage a business or other organization with employees, one of your greatest challenges will be keeping the workplace warm enough for everyone to stay productive. The following strategies will help you and your staff stay warm during the depths of the Canadian winter, setting the stage for comfort and productivity all year long:
Improve the Insulation
Imagine there’s a gaping hole in the side of your building; would you have any hope of keeping the office warm if that happened? Well, poor insulation has the same effect as a hole in the wall. Without insulation, your heating system has to work harder, raising your energy bills. It also lowers the chance that you’ll be able to fully heat the building even with this extra energy.
To improve insulation, start by replacing any traditional windows you have with double-pane units. Double-pane windows contain argon or krypton gas caught between two panes; the gas prevents heat from moving through the windows and out of your building. Then, inspect your walls to make sure the insulating material inside them is up to date and in good condition. If you use fiberglass or other outdated materials, you may want to replace it with spray foam insulation. Through these insulation improvements, you can make your building warmer while saving energy in one fell swoop.
Heighten the Humidity
Even with full insulation, your heating system will still need to work hard to keep the air warm when it’s freezing outside. In the process, it could end up removing all the moisture, thereby lowering air quality while causing damage to your flooring, wallpaper, and furnishings. To keep this problem to a minimum, purchase a humidifier and use it to keep the air between 40 and 60 percent humidity. This way, you will be free to raise the temperature as high as you need to stay comfortable without any reduction in air quality.
Clean or Change Your Filters
Besides warming the air, your heating system uses filters to catch pollen, dust, aerosols, and other threats to air quality. But over time, these filters get dirty. If you don’t change or clean them on a regular basis, not only will they fail to purge the air, but they will prevent it from circulating effectively and warming everyone. Thus periodically during the winter, you should check the filters, make sure they’re clean, and change or wash them if they are not.
Closing Off Empty Rooms
If there are rooms that you rarely use, keep the doors to them shut during the winter and close the heating vents inside. Fewer rooms to heat means your heating system can focus on the places you and your employees occupy, making it more effective and efficient.
To learn more about keeping your staff warm and healthy in any season, contact F.A.S.T. today.
