Protecting building sites from cold weather.
The majority of the UK has been put on either Yellow or Amber cold weather alert. The last few winters we have seen a rise in the severity of cold weather conditions with roads and transport being affected and Protec has also experienced its construction clients also having to prepare against the ice and rain with various temporary protection materials on the building site.
With increasing snow risk and plunging temperatures it may be of value to consider some specific protection solutions against snow.
Unlike weather such as rain snow is insidious often sneaking in overnight and disrupting the building site through requiring clearing of access ways and, when coupled with wind, finding its way into buildings, melting and subsequently causing possible water damage to floors.
Temporary protection materials can help prevent snow entering anywhere it shouldn’t, protect building materials and speed up any jobs clearing the snow away.
- Make sure all opening are covered. Protec supply various forms of plastic sheeting such as 500 gauge Polythene, Proscaff Scaffold Sheeting or Barrier Sheeting which can be secured over openings (doors, windows and vents that are yet to be completed). They are all strong, waterproof and durable protection materials that will withstand wind, sleet and snow. This can be fixed in place using a strong adhesive 100mm Cloth Tape or with staples if possible. To be extra sure Proplex Window & Door Sill protectors can be butted up at the bottom of a door to stop anything blowing beneath it.
- Cover all materials and work. Large format protection coverings are ideal used indoors and outdoors to cover any work or materials being stored. Barrier Sheeting or Promesh HD are both supplied in 4m x 50m rolls so a large area can be covered and protected so that if there is any snow fall anything beneath will remain snow-free.
- Ice Reduction. Protec Handrail Protector and Protec Bubble wrap are great for wrapping around external handrails so as to provide a non slip surface that snow and ice can be brushed off easily.
These simple tasks should help time spent battling snow and ice on a building site and help protect any valuable building materials. We are very enthusiastic in hearing any clients’ new ideas to help construction sites in cold weather so please let us now any tips or call us if you need any advice on any other issues brought up by cold weather on site.
Our next few blogs will also address some other weather issues a building site may come up against so keep your eye out to find out how to protect your site in the wet and windy months ahead.
Previous Protec blogs have already covered winter weather and snow but only in general detail, in light of increasing snow risk and plunging temperatures it may be of value to consider some specific protection solutions against snow.
At Protec the onset of winter conjures up numerous protection requirements and the differing ways in which the protection products we offer can be used on site. The inclement weather can provide a multitude of problems such as damage caused by the weather (water, wind and snow) along with more conventional problems of extra mud and water being walked over newly finished floors.
Now that the autumn/winter months are almost upon us, all construction works become just that little more difficult. Our customers tell us that more attention needs to be paid to covering up brickwork, weatherproofing unfinished openings and windows on buildings.