Heavy equipment can be challenging to maintain throughout the year. In the winter, when temperatures drop and snow starts to fall, it becomes even more difficult. In the immortal words of Ned Stark, winter is coming — and it’s expected to get worse as climate change continues to ravage our planet. If you keep a fleet of heavy machinery, what can you do to prepare it for the cold winter months?
1. Winterize Your Electrical System
All heavy equipment has one thing in common — an electrical system that handles everything from starting the engine to powering the lights and controls. Batteries, especially the lead-acid ones used in this kind of machinery, don’t respond well to cold weather. A battery that provides 100 percent capacity at 80 F might only deliver 50 percent at 0 F.
Take the time to winterize your electrical system. Batteries should be insulated, or removed entirely and stored at 40-60 degrees F. Check your battery’s electrolyte levels regularly. Each battery should be full, but don’t add too much water if the levels look a little low. This could dilute the electrolyte, reducing the effectiveness of the battery and increasing the risk of freezing at low temperatures.
2. Perform Daily Inspections
You probably already inspect your equipment once a month or even once a week when it’s part of the regular rotation. During the winter months, inspections need to become part of your daily routine. Cold weather can be detrimental to even the hardiest equipment, and problems that might not happen during the warmer months have a habit of sneaking up on you once the temperature drops.
Check everything you would typically check on your weekly or monthly inspections. Make sure you pay particular attention to tire pressure and battery health, which can both suffer during the cold months.
3. Be Prepared for Snow and Ice
Handling heavy equipment in the snow is just like driving — it takes practice and patience. Large machines might get better traction because of their sheer weight, but that doesn’t mean a nearly invisible patch of black ice won’t send you spinning.
If you are working in snowy or icy conditions, make sure that all your equipment is ready. Install chains, snow tires or other traction assisting equipment, and make sure all your drivers are prepared to move a bit slower and more cautiously over snow or ice.
4. Watch Out for Salt
Snow might be synonymous with snowmen and snowball fights, but it’s also synonymous with salt — more specifically, road salt that is used to lower the freezing point of snow and ice to keep the roads clear. During winter, the undercarriages of your equipment will likely be coated in road salt and other de-icing chemicals. These products can encourage rust on even the most well-protected surfaces if they’re left to sit for an extended period.
If your equipment is used on or near roads, or anywhere it might encounter road salt, take the time to hose off the undercarriage after each work day. This will keep the salt from accelerating the growth of any rust on your equipment.
5. Switch to Winter Formula Diesel
As diesel fuel gets cold, it starts to thicken. When temperatures drop dramatically in the winter, the diesel in your tank will turn into a gel and won’t flow through the injectors. Winter blend diesel, also known as diesel No. 1, includes kerosene in the formula. The blend is usually a mixture of No.1 and No. 2 diesel, and the exact ratio will depend on the location. In some areas, you may only find an 80/20 ratio of 2 to 1 because the ambient temperature doesn’t drop low enough in the winter to need any more kerosene in the blend. In very cold environments, you might find a 50/50 mix in the pumps when you fill up.
Switching to winter blend diesel will keep your equipment moving no matter how cold it gets outside.
6. Bring Equipment Inside
During this time of year, there’s a social media post that makes the rounds showing a shivering dog or cat in the snow, captioned with “If you’re cold, they’re cold. Bring them inside.” While your heavy equipment might not shiver or catch frostbite, that doesn’t mean you should leave it out in the cold when it’s not in use. If you have a warehouse or other indoor area, use it to store the equipment that will fit. Anything too large for your storage area should be covered when not in use.
The construction industry doesn’t shut down just because it gets cold outside, which means you will need to keep your equipment running in a variety of conditions. These steps can help prepare your machinery for winter so you can keep up with your deadlines and avoid costly downtime.