Tips For Winter Construction

Winter construction can be challenging at best, whether it's building from the ground up or simply remodeling a place. Between the weather and less daylight, projects can often be delayed. The following tips can help your project progress at a decent pace.

Tip #1: Check your power sources

Chances are you are going to be running more electricity through a winter job, thanks to an increased need for lighting and heat. If you need to set up an outdoor work area, that doubles your electrical needs. Often, this can be too much for the existing electrical system to support without overloading. If you are concerned, rent a generator to run some of the equipment or to at least power the outdoor work area.

Tip #2: Use extra lights

With the sun setting nearly at four o'clock on the shortest days, it gets dark inside the worksite early. Hopefully there is sufficient lighting to avoid a problem, but if not, you can always rent work lighting. Get decent lights on adjustable stands to use both indoors and outdoors. Flood lights, in particular, are a good outside choice.

Tip #3: Manage weather damage

Snow and ice can ruin the interior of the building once it is to the stage of finishing it out. Make sure the floors are protected with tarps or painter's dropcloths, which are taped down so that there is no tripping hazard. Boot scrapers should also be available at each door along with roller mats. Roller mats have a grid-like surface and an opening beneath so that snow and ice falls between the rollers and a puddle doesn't form at the entryway.

Tip #4: Provide sufficient heating

On the coldest days and for the workers outside, heat is the most important thing to provide. Get a rental heater to use on site for the duration of the construction. Outdoor areas may require more than one heater, although a canopy over the work area can help contain the heat while still allowing air circulation. Rental heaters may also be necessary indoors if there isn't sufficient heat in the building yet. Rental heaters come in a variety of styles from gasoline powered heaters for sites with no electrical access to those that plug directly into an outlet.

You can rent most of the equipment you need to create a safe winter work environment, such as from a tool rental or HVAC rental company like PHVAC.


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