Fall Facility Readiness: HVAC Filters, Gutters, Leaf Control & Cold-Weather Prep

As temperatures drop, a proactive fall program protects your building, budgets, and brand experience. Below is a practical, facility-manager-friendly guide you can roll out across one site—or hundreds—without disrupting operations.

1) HVAC: filters, settings, and a quick heat check

• Swap or upgrade filters. Move to the fall/winter cadence based on run hours and MERV rating. Inspect return grills and ensure filter racks seal properly to prevent bypass.

• Test heating early. Run the heating cycle for 15–20 minutes before the first cold snap. Listen for belt squeal, confirm gas valves/ignition, and verify supply temps.

• Economizers & ventilation. Confirm dampers open/close smoothly and sensors are calibrated so you’re not over-ventilating on cold days.

• Thermostats & BMS schedules. Adjust seasonal setpoints (occupied/unoccupied), update holiday calendars, and check deadbands to reduce short cycling.

• Coils & drains. Clear condensate lines and clean coils to improve heat transfer and indoor air quality.

Want these tasks tracked by site with photo verification and close-out notes? ServiceSync provides real-time work orders and reporting, giving you a clear audit trail on every HVAC PM and repair. It also supports Not-To-Exceed (NTE) amounts for budget control.

2) Roofs, gutters, and downspouts: keep water moving

• Clean gutters and leaders now, then again after peak leaf drop. Blocked gutters back up under shingles or parapets and can leak into ceilings and walls.

• Check roof drains and strainers. Clear debris at scuppers and internal drains; verify positive slope to keep water from ponding.

• Downspout discharge. Confirm splash blocks or extensions send water away from foundations and pedestrian paths.

If you need help coordinating multiple trades (roofers, maintenance techs, window cleaners), System4 acts as a single-source provider with one point of contact and one invoice—so you spend less time scheduling and more time managing.

3) Leaf control & exterior safety

• Grounds & parking lots. Plan a cadence for leaf removal (often 1–2x/week in heavy-canopy areas). Pair with sweeping to keep slips and clogged storm drains at bay.

• Walkways & entries. Keep steps, ramps, and landing zones clear; wet leaves are as slick as ice.

• Windows & glass. Consider a fall window wash for visibility before winter storms.

• Landscaping & irrigation. Winterize irrigation lines, protect backflow preventers, and prune branches away from roofs and lights.

System4 can bundle landscaping, window cleaning, power washing, and parking-lot maintenance alongside your janitorial program for fewer vendor handoffs and better sequencing.

4) Cold-weather prep: snow, ice, and interior floors

• Snow removal readiness. Confirm your scope (trigger depths, de-icing products, priority paths, and after-hours coverage) now—before the first event.

• Matting & floor care. Increase entry mat coverage to 15–20 feet where possible and update your floor care schedule (auto-scrub, interim, and restorative) to combat sand and salt.

• Loading docks & emergency egress. Verify heaters, door seals, and lighting; keep salt bins stocked at doors, stairs, and docks.

• Generators & life-safety. Test under load, confirm fuel levels, and update call trees.

• Plumbing protection. Insulate exposed piping and set minimum space temps in mechanical rooms.

Need a provider who can coordinate janitorial, floor care, snow removal, handyman, and general repair under one umbrella? That’s our everyday.

5) Timeline & budget tips (multi-site friendly)

• Weeks 1–2: HVAC filter changes and heating test; roof/gutter cleaning; order floor mats and ice melt.

• Weeks 3–4: Irrigation winterization; exterior window cleaning; parking-lot sweeping and line touch-ups; finalize snow scope and contacts.

• Ongoing: Weekly leaf/sweep service; entryway mat care; adjust BMS schedules with weather trends.

To keep spend predictable across locations, we set NTE amounts by trade and track everything through online work orders updated in real time, so you see exceptions fast and approve only what you need.

How System4 makes fall simple

• One contact, one invoice, no long-term contracts. Streamline your AP and reduce vendor management overhead.

• Consolidated services & reporting. Manage cleaning, floor care, snow, landscaping, and repairs with ServiceSync’s dashboards and reports.

• Budget control with NTEs. Avoid surprise invoices during storm season.

• Built for multi-site. Single point of contact and consolidated invoicing across all locations.

• National coverage. We operate in 60+ U.S. markets, servicing thousands of locations.

At-a-Glance Fall Readiness Checklist

• Replace HVAC filters; run heating test; calibrate thermostats/BMS

• Clean gutters, downspouts, roof drains, and scuppers

• Schedule weekly leaf removal and parking-lot sweeping

• Winterize irrigation; prune trees near roofs and lights

• Confirm snow & ice scope; stage mats and de-icer

• Boost entryway matting; update floor-care frequencies

• Test generators; inspect door seals; stock salt bins and PPE

• Verify emergency exits, lighting, and signage

Ready for a quick walkthrough?

System4 can complete a fall readiness walkthrough and build a site-specific action plan—then manage all vendors and work orders in ServiceSync with clear NTEs, a single point of contact, and one consolidated invoice.