Winterizing Your Cabin or Cottage

The September long weekend has passed, and it’s time to start thinking about winterizing your cabin or cottage. Hopefully you’ll still get a few nice fall days to enjoy your vacation space; but, soon enough, it will be time to tuck your summer getaway in for the winter. This is especially important for your plumbing systems.

1.       Turn off power and water

To avoid heating water that soon won’t be there, it’s best to turn the power off to your hot water tank. Find the main water valve to your cottage or cabin and turn that off as well.

2.       Drain

Find and open all the taps and drain valves, inside and outside of the house, and open them up. Let all the water drain, ensuring it isn’t pooling under or too close to your property. Leave these open during the winter. Drain the hot water tank as well, attaching a hose if needed to make sure water isn’t draining next to your cabin. Flush the toilet to get as much water out as possible and empty the tank with a small cup to get the rest. You might also want to add some plumbing antifreeze to prevent the remaining water from freezing and cracking your toilet (as well as your sink, bathtub, and shower drains).

3.       Do a check around the property

Clean out your gutters, rain spouts and drainage systems. Check your foundation and any air vents to make sure they are clear. Check windows and doors and fix any leaks – cover in plastic or plywood if you expect a lot of snow. If you have an air conditioning unit, cover the condenser, or winterize the unit. Finally, turn off electricity to your property.

A little effort now will ensure that your summer property is still in good shape when the warm weather arrives again. And it will. We just have to get through winter first!