Winter weather can create challenges for even the most prepared housing organizations. When temperatures drop quickly, everyday tasks can become more difficult, and small issues can escalate into significant risks for residents, staff, and buildings.With extreme cold sweeping across the country, now is the time to assess your winter readiness plans to ensure your community stays safe, warm, and protected throughout the season. This guide brings together key cold-weather resources in one place to help your team plan ahead, prevent common winter losses, and maintain smooth operations when temperatures drop.
Build a strong winterization plan
A strong winter readiness plan begins before the first freeze. Inspect heating systems early, test generators, clear gutters, and stock up on salt, sand, and shovels. Verify that emergency contact lists are up to date and that residents are aware of the process for reporting maintenance issues promptly.
Even small steps can prevent large losses, and starting early helps staff stay ahead of weather-related challenges rather than reacting to them under pressure. If you’re preparing for the colder months, our guide, 5 Essential Steps to Winterize Your Housing Organization, outlines what to focus on before temperatures drop.
Strengthen plans for winter storms and seasonal hazards
Once your plan is in place, turn your attention to larger seasonal threats. Winter weather impacts go far beyond a single snowstorm. Prolonged cold can strain heating systems, freeze pipes, and lead to power outages. Developing an organizationwide plan that accounts for communication, staffing, and supply chain interruptions is key to reducing disruptions and ensuring essential functions continue even during prolonged cold or severe storms.
Consider adding these items to your winter emergency checklist:
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Identify essential personnel who can respond after hours.
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Review vendor agreements to ensure access to snow removal and repair services.
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Designate warming areas or backup shelters in case of heating system failures.
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Communicate with residents in multiple languages to ensure critical updates reach everyone.
For more guidance on protecting your properties, residents, and staff throughout the season, read Preparing for Winter Storms: Protecting Your Properties, Employees, and Residents.
Improve your snow and ice removal strategy
Slips, trips, and falls are among the most common winter claims, often resulting from inconsistent snow removal practices or unclear procedures during storm events. To reduce risk:
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Establish a snow and ice removal plan that defines who is responsible for clearing surfaces and when.
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Document contractor agreements and monitor performance.
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Mark uneven pavement, stairs, or curbs that could become hidden under snow.
Consistency matters. Routine inspections and recordkeeping can help defend your organization against liability claims. Learn more in our Housing Risk Guide: Snow and Ice Removal.
Clear, well-documented procedures are just as important as day-to-day snow removal efforts. Whether your team handles snow removal in-house or relies on a contractor, setting expectations up front helps ensure safety standards are met and tasks are completed consistently during storms. To make this process easier, we offer two sample policies you can adapt for your organization: an in-house snow removal policy template and a contracted snow removal policy template.
Take steps to prevent frozen pipes
Frozen pipes are a leading cause of winter property damage, and many incidents begin in unoccupied or poorly insulated areas, making routine walkthroughs and early intervention especially important. Fortunately, prevention is simple with the right maintenance routines. Keep buildings warm, even in unoccupied units, and ensure that pipes in vulnerable areas, such as basements or attics, are properly insulated.
Remind residents to:
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Keep cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate.
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Drip faucets during extreme cold.
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Report leaks or loss of heat immediately.
Find more practical prevention strategies in Preventing Frozen Pipes: Best Practices for Multifamily Housing.
Help staff and residents prepare for winter driving
Winter driving hazards extend beyond highways and parking lots. Maintenance vehicles, staff cars, and resident transportation all face increased risk when temperatures drop. Before the season begins, inspect tires, brakes, and wipers, and keep emergency kits stocked with blankets, flashlights, and road salt to ensure staff and residents are prepared for unexpected delays or hazardous conditions.
Educate employees and residents on safe driving techniques, such as reducing speed, maintaining a safe following distance, and braking gently on slippery surfaces. Review your fleet safety plan with our Housing Risk Guide: Driving in Winter Weather.
Keep mechanical rooms and heating systems operating safely
As temperatures fall, heating systems and generators work overtime, increasing the likelihood of mechanical strain or failure if routine maintenance is overlooked. Routine maintenance and regular staff training are essential to preventing fires, mechanical failures, and costly disruptions.
Start by reviewing Beyond the Boiler: 3 Key Strategies for Mechanical Room Safety, which covers essential maintenance practices for multifamily properties and includes a short video on mechanical room safety. The guide outlines how to prevent hazards, maintain compliance, and establish clear inspection schedules.
Generators also play a critical role in keeping residents safe during power outages, especially in larger multifamily developments where continuous heating and lighting are essential. Emergency Generator Safety Tips for Multifamily Housing Providers focuses on the permanent backup systems that power essential building operations. It explains how to properly inspect, test, and maintain these units to ensure they start when needed and operate safely under load.
For housing organizations that rely on smaller, portable units, our housing risk guide on portable generator safety provides best practices for temporary or supplemental power use. It covers safe placement, ventilation, fuel storage, and other precautions to prevent fire, carbon monoxide exposure, or electrical shock.
To reinforce these safety practices, our short video on mechanical room maintenance offers a quick, visual walkthrough of key inspection steps and fire prevention measures for boilers and heating systems. It’s a great training tool to share with maintenance staff or include in your annual safety refresh.
Winter safety begins with preparation
Each action your team takes now, no matter how small, helps protect residents, preserve property, and strengthen your organization’s resilience. Winter may be unpredictable, but preparation is always within your control. Strengthening communication, reinforcing maintenance routines, and planning ahead not only protects your physical assets but also builds trust with residents and support staff during peak-demand periods. Together, we can keep housing communities safe, warm, and ready for whatever the season brings.
Need help preparing?
Your HAI Group risk control consultant is here to support you through severe weather. Reach out if you need tailored recommendations, winter safety guidance, or assistance reviewing your plans as temperatures continue to drop.
This article is for general information only. HAI Group® makes no representation or warranty about the accuracy or applicability of this information for any particular use or circumstance. Your use of this information is at your own discretion and risk. HAI Group® and any author or contributor identified herein assume no responsibility for your use of this information. You should consult with your attorney or subject matter advisor before adopting any risk management strategy or policy.
HAI Group® is a marketing name used to refer to insurers, a producer, and related service providers affiliated through a common mission, management, and governance. Property-casualty insurance and related services are written or provided by Housing Authority Property Insurance, A Mutual Company; Housing Enterprise Insurance Company, Inc.; Housing Specialty Insurance Company, Inc.; Housing Investment Group, Inc.; and Housing Insurance Services (DBA Housing Insurance Agency Services in NY and MI).
