The temperature is dropping, and the trees are bare. How much preparation have you done for the winter? Your workers will be out on your loading dock, loading and unloading product in all weather. Have you done everything you can to protect them from accidents and damage? Here we will highlight some upgrades to your equipment that will help keep the cold and wet on the outside of your facility
Preparing Your Loading Dock for Winter
The following APS Resource products are designed to cover gaps between the dock door and the outside and/or the truck that allow cold, wet, snow, and pests inside. Energy loss at the loading dock can be very expensive when the temperatures plummet. Pests are attracted to warmth and can cause damage and spread disease when they make their home in your plant. Damp contributes to both poor health and accidents. To prevent these Beuschel Sales recommends:
WeatherWall – Available in various sizes, this durable, synthetic EPDM airtight membrane can be added anywhere you would normally use a brush-style weatherseal. The EPDM rubber is encased in a layer of brush on both sides. Install it to keep out cold air, water, and pests either at the dock or around your door entrances. WeatherWall comes with a 1-year limited warranty.
Edge Sealr – Made of 22-ounce vinyl, the Edge Sealr is easily installed on most dock doors. It works to seal off any cracks at the bottom of the door. It’s available with or without center flaps. If you want an especially tight seal, use the Edge Sealr with the Door Sprag. The Edge Sealr is warranted for up to one year.
Dock seals and shelters – Dock seals and shelters provide cover over the dock door and seal the gap between your building and the truck trailer. Used together they help stop rain, sleet, snow, or cold from entering your facility and protect both workers and shipped product from the elements. Beuschel Sales offers a variety of seals and shelters to best seal up your dock. If you’d like to know what one is best for your plant, just ask us!
Lower Your Energy Costs
The above products also help lower energy costs. Any gaps around doors or the loading dock means your furnace will be working harder and you will be paying more to fuel it and eventually repair it. This winter may be mild, or it could be very fierce. You won’t know until it’s over. It’s better to pay a fixed cost that will keep the warm air you’re paying for inside rather than to continuously warm up air that will escape outside.
It’s not too late to prepare your facilities to meet the challenges of this winter. If you’d like to learn more about how Beuschel Sales can help make your facility more energy efficient now before it gets too cold, give us a call.