It's official – winter is coming! Long gone are the summer nights spent underneath the pole barn porch, watching your children ride their four-wheelers around the property. Cooler temperatures and shorter days are here to stay, no matter how hard we try to ignore them.
As Midwesterners, we take several precautions to prepare ourselves for heavy snowfall, ice accumulation, and blustery winds.
For instance, we stock our vehicles with snow scrapers, blankets, extra clothes, and miniature survival kits. After all, you never know when you might get stranded alongside the road.
Around the house, we clear the gutters, check the pipes, and ensure the furnace runs without a hitch.
Prepping your post-frame building for colder weather is just as crucial as prepping your stick-built home. This article explains how you can winterize your pole barn in five easy steps.
Neglecting your post-frame building can compromise its structural integrity. As a result, harsh winter conditions can cause pole barn damage and building repairs.
Here are five easy ways to winterize your post-frame building before the cold weather moves in:
Track your progress with our FREE "Pole Barn Winterization Checklist."
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, energy-efficient landscaping provides, on average, enough savings to recoup the initial investment in less than eight years. That's impressive!
However, forgetting to prune shrubbery and trees can pose a significant threat to your pole barn.
For instance, overgrown branches can scrape your steel siding. These scratches allow water molecules (or moisture) to access the chipped paint. Red rust causes the metal panel to expand, placing significant stress on the post-frame building.
Plus, ice and snow can weigh down tree branches. Some limbs may not withstand the load; they snap and collapse onto your metal roof. Then you're left with a gaping hole in the roofing system or, worse, bowing/broken trusses.
Moreover, high winds can push neglected branches into your windows, which could break a pane or two.
Overall, pruning your pole barn landscaping can save you future headaches and money on building repairs in the spring.
Gutters can collect broken twigs, fallen leaves, pesky pine needles, fine sediment, and other miscellaneous debris.
The buildup will clog your gutter system, preventing it from functioning properly.
Problems can arise when rainwater or melted ice and snow have nowhere to go. Excess water will find its way onto the roof and wreak havoc. Drip, drip, drip!
Again, pooling water can cause rust, especially alongside the fasteners. Corroded nails and screws are less effective.
Not to mention, what will happen to the excess water when the temperature falls below freezing? It'll turn into ice and cause further damage to your gutters (e.g., holes and subsequent leaks). If the ice dams are heavy enough, they can detach the channel from the post-frame building.
If so, fall is the perfect time to inspect or prepare your post-frame building for insulation. This material is the primary defense against heat loss through the building envelope.
Upfront costs may seem daunting, but insulating your pole barn is an investment in itself. Your monthly utility costs will decrease considerably based on the material's R-value.
Are you wondering which type of insulation is right for you? Download our FREE "Ultimate Guide to Pole Barn Insulation" for more information.
Once your pole barn is fully insulated and tightly sealed, the structure must have adequate ventilation. During the summer months, you can prop the doors open and crack the windows.
But what are you supposed to do in the winter? Eave, ridge, and sidewall ventilation play a crucial role in regulating air circulation within your post-frame building.
Mechanical ventilation can be used when natural ventilation isn't enough. In this case, you'll want to consider installing a ceiling fan.
Do you need a reliable fan manufacturer? We recommend checking out our "Top Pole Barn Fan Companies: 4 Installation Advantages" blog.
First things first, make sure your preferred heating system is serviced and ready to go. No one wants to work in a chilly farm shop or pole barn garage because of bad wiring and ductwork.
You must assess the type of lighting in your post-frame building. Check for burnt light bulbs and consider replacing them with LEDs for greater energy efficiency.
The days are getting darker earlier, and you'll be thankful for having bright lights when you need to spend late nights in the pole barn.
Furthermore, monitoring your plumbing system during cold weather is critical. Frozen pipes can burst, leaving you with a bigger leak (and headache) than you bargained for.
As long as your post-frame building is adequately heated, you shouldn't have a problem with frozen pipes. We recommend letting cold water drip from the faucets.
It's easy to adopt the mindset of "I'll get it later when I have more time." Next thing you know, your children keep you busy with extracurricular activities. Or work demands your undivided attention.
The seasons come and go. Yet, your pole barn damages are still there. Sure, the weather may be mild, but we all know Midwestern winters are unpredictable. All it takes is one storm to worsen matters. So stop putting your pole barn repairs on the back burner.
Contact your post-frame builder so their construction crews can restore your structure to its former glory. By taking the time to make a quick phone call, you can rest easy knowing that your pole barn will be repaired and ready to go for winter.
Fall is coming to an end, and now is the perfect opportunity to winterize your pole barn. It's time to take advantage of the "warmer" temperatures before they dip, and you'd much rather stay bundled up inside.
Before you go into hibernation mode, we recommend downloading our FREE "Pole Barn Winterization Checklist."
Once the brutal chill appears, you'll be thankful you didn't procrastinate on prepping your post-frame building for winter.
Plus, who doesn't like to check things off their to-do list? So satisfying! Plus, you're building with confidence—an even better feeling.
Do you have more questions about pole barn winterization that aren't covered in this article? If you need help designing and planning, please contact FBi Buildings at 800.552.2981 or click here to email us. If you're ready to get a price, click here to request a quote, and a member of our Customer Engagement Team will determine the next steps of your project.