MachineryLink

In the past, when I have written about winterizing farm equipment, all the typical bullet points (clean equipment, repair items, store properly, etc.) were included.

I was thinking the other day, "What about the building all of this equipment is stored in?" If the structure protecting your machinery investment is not sound, all the winterizing of the equipment may not have been worth it.

According to the Acadia Insurance website, there are two major concerns that have to be managed to winterize farm buildings.

The first concern would be a building collapse because of wind or the weight of snow/ice. The collapse of a farm building is often accelerated due to the building not being structurally sound.

The insurance company recommends farm storage buildings should be inspected annually for "signs of decay and for structural defects." Special attention should be paid to roof leaks. Unrepaired roof leaks can lead to the decay of the roof and the rafters.

The frame of the building also needs to be inspected. Support posts and footings need to be examined to ensure they are sound. They suggest you look for long splits in weight-bearing or support posts.

You would think newer buildings would be built correctly and not subject to these types of problems, but that may not be the case.

We had a lot of snow one winter several years ago here in eastern Nebraska and the roofs of several newer metal storage buildings caved in from the weight of the snow and ice. One I know was a fairly newer milking facility and the roof fell in, killing several cows.

The other winterizing process for buildings would be taking steps to prevent fire, the insurance company said.

"Many farm buildings contain highly combustible material such as wood, straw and hay, animal bedding material and dust," the report said. "All of these materials can lead to an accelerated and more intense fire if one starts."

The cleaner the building, the less of chance of fire, the report stated. Cobwebs will collect dust and this could start a fire. Flammables should also be stored outside.

Light bulbs are a major factor in barn and storage building fires. The company suggests farmers use light covers. These wire cages or heavy duty glass casings will greatly reduce the chance of combustible material coming in contact with a hot bulb.

Electrical wiring is also subject to starting fires. Encasing electrical wire in metal conduits will reduce the risk of animals or rodents chewing on the wire and causing a fire with a spark.

Winterizing farm equipment is an important step in managing a farm but also making sure the building machinery is stored in is structurally sound and safe from fire is also key.

(CZ)