BRRRR…..
Winter is coming. Have you started preparing your parking lot for what’s to come? Heavy snows, snow plows, and salt can all cause damage if you do not prepare ahead of time!
Your parking lot is the place your customers see first when they park and last when they drive away. If you want to make the right impression, take these steps below to ensure your cart corral and parking lot stays looking great in the upcoming winter months.
FIVE STEPS TO PREPARE YOUR PARKING LOT FOR WINTER MONTHS
1. ALIGN YOUR CART CORRAL WITHIN PARKING LOT LINES
It can be as simple as moving your cart corral just a couple inches in order to avoid expensive damage to your parking lot assets. Cart Corrals are mainly constructed out of galvanized steel, and while they are sturdy- they are no match to a fast moving snow plow.
- Avoid damage from snow plows
- If you plan to snow plow, make sure corrals are not anchored
- Move corrals into different areas of your parking lot. If they are left in same spot for years they may cause damage to the asphalt.
2. REMOVE ALL DEBRIS & TRASH FROM PARKING LOT STALLS
You can get your parking lot looking great for the holiday rush just by dedicating a few minutes each day to pick up trash and debris around your facility. Trash always tends to find its way near cart corral stalls; you can avoid the clutter and mess by making it a priority to pick up every day for just a few minutes. The parking lot is the first and last place that makes an impression on your customers about your stay. Make it a good one.
- Looks tidy and well-kept for holidays
- Easier for shopping carts to enter and be removed
- Parking lot is the first and last place to make an impression on your customers
3. CHECK THAT ALL SIGNS ARE SECURE
High winds and damaging storms can come on quickly during the winter months. The last thing you want is a cart corral sign or store sign that comes loose during high winds and becomes a danger to everyone within distance. It is fast and easy to check your hardware and requires minimal tools to tighten.
- Check that all hardware on your sign is secure
- Make sure signs are visible and reflect the appearance of the store
4. REPAIR DAMAGED BASE PLATES OR RAILING ON CORRALS
If you are going into the winter months with damaged base plates and railings, you may want to consider getting them replaced. Going back to the importance of the first and last impression, you want to be sure your store looks its best during the holiday season and your highest traffic months. When a slow plow makes contact with a cart corral, the base plate and/or railing has the highest probability for damage. National Cart can quickly ship you a replacement that will make your cart corral look and perform like new again.
- If plows push around damaged corrals, further damage to the corral and your parking lot will ensue
- Base plates and railings have the highest probability for damage
5. CLEAN & PREP GALVANIZED RAILINGS
Are your railings looking less than fresh these days? It is simple and easy to give your cart corral railings an immediate face lift and extend the life your cart corral assets. Simply take a wire brush and gently brush the railing to remove any red rust stains. Then, you can use galvanized spray paint found at your local hardware store to make your railings shine and look brand new again.
- Wire brush any red rust, then spray paint with galvanized or silver paint
TIP: When your parking lot is treated with salt to melt ice, the salt can cause your galvanized railings to rust faster. When galvanized is touched up with spray paint, it will prevent rust and extend the life of your corral.
IT’S TIME FOR A COVERED CART CORRAL!
Do you have constant heavy snow and rain? Avoid the extra hassle and time to melt snow and dry your carts with one of our our covered cart corrals.
If you live in an area that has snow for the majority of winter or if you experience a higher amount of storms, you may want to consider a covered cart corral for your parking lot. A covered cart corral will keep your shopping carts dry and looking great during heavy storms. Avoid the hassle and extra time it takes for snow to melt off of the carts. You also reduce the chance of your wire shopping carts and casters rusting due to wet snow or rainfall. Below are some of our latest covered cart corral options that will keep your storefront and parking lot looking great.
We hope these five steps to prepare your parking lot and cart corral for winter months will help your store make the right impression during the holiday season. If you would like more information or would like to learn more about our cart corrals, you can contact us below and a member of our experienced team will be in touch with you shortly! For immediate assistance, please call us at toll free at 1-855-NCC-CART (1-855-622-2278).
