Cold weather is coming; see this list for maintenance reminders to prepare your building for winter.
1) Exhaust fan
A) Clean the inside of the fan and blinds with a broom or compressed air to remove dust and dirt.
B) Seal the fan to prevent cold air from entering the enclosure. There are many ways to do this: replace the blinds with insulated panels, place plastic sheeting in front of or behind the blinds, etc. Reusable fan shrouds are one of the best ways to seal large fans. These covers are mounted on the outside of the conical barrel and are secured with bungee cords.
Lightweight fan shrouds keep out cold air
2) Roof pit fan
A) Unlike the blinds of summer fans, the dirt on the pit blinds needs to be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water.
B) Check and seal the gap between the pit pump cover and the concrete wall. The gap short-circuits the air instead of being pulled out of the pit.
Adjust the ropes and cables on the drive inlet to close any gaps
3) Air intake
A) Adjust the weight of the gravity inlet to increase resistance and replace any missing or damaged bezels.
B) Place the drive inlet in the closed position and adjust the ropes and cables to eliminate any gaps.
The cost of the drive system is higher compared to the gravity inlet.
4) Curtains
Repair the small holes on both sides with curtain tape
Three years of new and three years of old, and another three years of sewing and mending
A) Raise the curtains and adjust all ropes to correct any sagging.
B) Adjust the curtains until the top overlaps the opening by 10-15 cm.
C) Reinstall all loose curtain bags. Repair any holes or tears with curtain tape or glue.
D) Adjust the emergency lowering device to limit the stroke length.
E) You can do this by adding Tempshield
(a lightweight, bubble-type insulation) to increase the R-value of non-insulated curtains
F) Grease the curtain machine and large angle pulleys.
5) Heater
A) Open the access door and purge the inside of the heater with compressed air.
B) Inspect the supply hose and regulator by applying soapy water with a spray bottle and looking for bubbles that indicate a gas leak.
C) Start the heater, check the ignition and confirm that the hot air has been discharged.
6) Building structure
A) Sweep the soffit of the building from dirt and debris.
B) Seal any cracks or openings in the building structure with spray foam.
7) Evaporative cooling and cooling system maintenance
Evaporative cooling and cooling system maintenance
The key point here is to drain all the water out of the system to prevent damage during freezing weather. Even if freezing isn't an issue in your area, the water left in the system can contain dirt, bacteria, and algae.
First, turn off the water supply to the house system. Next, open the drain on the lower chute and start the pump, removing water from the sewage tank and system piping. Open the ball valve on the distal end of the distribution line and on the filter to complete system drainage.
Loosen the fitting connection of the jet pump or sump pump, remove it and store it in a warm place. Stuff some steel wool into the pipe openings to keep insects, rodents, and lizards out of the PVC distribution system.
8) Rodent bait
Complement rodent baits and sites. Bait rotation is a key bait station for rodent control to improve rodent control.
In addition to the list of basic maintenance tasks, there are several other items that need to be checked when a building is vacant between batches.
1) Tighten the floor fasteners on the pen divider.
2) Check the slats and beams for cracks and pitting.
3) Completely empty the feed line. Check the oil level in the auger gearbox and lubricate the anchor bearings.