Prepare Your Facility for Summer: Ventilation, Odor and Pest Control Tips
Whether your company is in healthcare, manufacturing, food service or another industry, it is important to start summer preparations before the heat ramps up. The specific steps your business will need to take depend on many factors, but there are a few that most industries require: ventilation, odor control and pest control.
Getting these squared away early makes for a much smoother summer, and lets your company tackle issues before they happen. If you’re looking to prepare your facility for summer, read our tips below.
Start with a thorough facility cleaning
Before even getting into the nitty-gritty of summer preparations, you want to be sure your facility has a solid cleaning routine. Besides daily cleaning, there are many things that slip through the cracks. These include:
- Lights, ceiling appliances, air vents, etc.
- Cabinet and drawer interiors
- Blind spots under or behind equipment and furniture
Remembering to keep these commonly overlooked areas clean can make a world of difference for your facility. Of course, not all of this needs to be done daily or even weekly, but these spots could allow mold to build up in the warmer months, so cleaning them right away creates a great foundation for summer.
One way to ensure you remember to integrate these into your company’s cleaning routine is to mark them on a calendar with the dates they should be completed. For example, if you clean behind an oven, count a few weeks or months out (depending on your facility’s needs) and write a reminder on the calendar to do it again. This way, you know exactly when it last happened and when it is scheduled to happen again!
Improve airflow and ventilation before temperatures rise
Now for the more complicated steps, starting with ventilation. Keeping the air fresh and cool in your facility is important year-round, especially during the summer months. Preventing heat stress and keeping humidity low inside will keep your employees safe. Some equipment also has the potential to degrade or not work properly if temperatures are too high, as well. As mentioned before, higher temperatures can lead to mold and bacterial growth, so preventing that is necessary.
Preventing odors during the summer months
Occasionally, workplaces will have unexpected odors. This is inevitable, but there are steps you can take to prevent most odors. Ensuring ventilation is working and cleaning or replacing air filters regularly are the first steps in preventing strange smells in your facility.
Sometimes, especially in the summer, having a lot of people in one place just naturally creates scents. Reminding your employees of a few things can help mitigate odors:
- Be sure that food is not left out after lunch, company potlucks, etc. and store it properly when in work kitchens
- Declutter desks or workspaces regularly
- Use hand sanitizer
If there are still lingering odors beyond these steps, using air purifiers or spray fresheners and opening windows to air out buildings and let fresh air in can also help.
Prevent summer pests before they become a problem
Along with odors, pests are another summer obstacle. With warm months come mosquitoes, ants and other insects. Making sure that the landscaping outside your facility is trimmed and neat is the first step to preventing these pests. As for the inside, freshly sealing doors and windows and checking that screens and foundations are intact can prevent insects from getting inside.
Keeping up with trash and food is also important to prevent flies and other pests from being attracted to come indoors. Spoiled food and trash that is not tightly sealed can attract insects more quickly in the summer months, so staying on top of this prevents pests and odors.
Prepare your facility for summer
Preparing for the summer can be difficult, but it is worth the work now to prevent issues from popping up later. Getting that spring cleaning and maintenance done before the heat builds sets a great foundation for your company to succeed this summer.
The M Conley Company understands the importance of balancing efficiency, cleanliness and day-to-day operations. By providing reliable products, equipment and practical guidance, they serve as a trusted resource for businesses looking to prepare their facilities for the summer months while maintaining smooth, productive workflows.