Tips For Winterizing Your Vacation Home

Winterizing your vacation home, in essence, is preparing to close it down in time for winter. Shutting it down, however, is not as easy as it sounds. You need it to be meticulously done, otherwise, you will go back home to a place of broken pipes, rodents, and a number of damages come post-winter season. But although it’s kind of a meticulous task, winterizing your vacation home can be quite manageable if you follow some tips.

Clear the gutters and surrounding area of your vacation home.
Remove all the leaves and other debris from the gutters so that melting snow and ice can freely flow and do not create ice dams in the structure. You can have your gutters covered with a screen, if leaves and other debris seem to be a problem while you’re away. Next, prune trees and plants that can potentially cause property damages if snow storms and winds occur. Then, clean your lawn, so when ice and water accumulate, no rodents will take residence in it. Also, cover your chimney with protective cap, and other possible entry points for that matter, to keep rodents, pests, and foreign objects from entering.

Shut down water system.
Never leave the vacation home without turning off the water pump, because failure to do so may cause the water trapped in the lines to freeze and the pipes to break and burst. Now, once you shut off the pump, drain the water pipes. Do this by turning the faucets on until all residual water comes out. Use a compressor to make sure there is no more water remaining in the lines.

Winterize the toilet.
Empty the toilet tank to avoid cracks. The bowl, on the other hand, should be drained by scooping out as much water as you can. Add antifreeze solution to the remaining water to prevent it from freezing. Antifreeze solution should also be added to sinks and shower traps.

Insulate the house.
Install insulation in the attic to prevent heat loss. The same should be done in the basement so as not to cause pipe breaks.

De-clutter your house.
Eliminate all products, such as medicine, cosmetics, beverages, and food items, that may rot and freeze in the winter months. You can dispose them of or bring them to your main house. Your refrigerator should also be unplugged, emptied, cleaned, and propped open all through winter to prevent the development of mildew and unpleasant odor. All other appliances should as well be unplugged.

Keep outdoor furniture and appliances inside.
To prevent them from winter damages, all outdoor furniture and appliances—from stools to barbecue equipment—should be kept indoors. Tools should also be stored in the garage. Should keeping them indoors is impossible, cover them with protective sheets, like plastic.

Turn the heating system on.
Some homeowners prefer to turn it off, while others like to leave their heating system in a working order. It works best for them, especially if they worry about going back to a vacation home infested with mold and mildew. If you prefer to keep the heating system on, keep a minimum heat of 62ºF. This way, you can continue winterizing your vacation home while you’re away.