That first crisp autumn morning hits differently when you own a vacation home. You know the one. The air smells like woodsmoke and change. And while your mind might wander to cozy winter weekends, a more pressing thought follows close behind: what needs to be done to protect your haven from the brutal months ahead?
Winterizing a seasonal property isn’t just about turning off the lights. It’s a ritual. A deep, protective sigh for a house that’s about to sleep. Get it right, and you’ll return to a dry, undamaged, and mold-free home come spring. Miss a step, and well… you could be facing a nightmare of frozen pipes and costly repairs.
Let’s walk through the essential winterization techniques, room by room, system by system. Think of it as a checklist from a friend who’s been there, frozen pipe and all.
The Heart of the Home: Plumbing and Water Systems
This is, without a doubt, the most critical system to address. A single, tiny droplet of water left in a pipe can expand with enough force to split steel. Your home’s plumbing is no match for that kind of power. Here’s your battle plan.
Drain Everything. And We Mean Everything.
Start by locating your main water shut-off valve. Turn it off. Then, open every single faucet—both hot and cold—in the house. Flush all the toilets. Don’t forget the outdoor spigots; disconnect hoses and let those run dry too.
The goal is to let gravity pull as much water out of the system as possible. But gravity can’t do it all. That’s where blowing the lines out comes in.
Blow Out the Lines (The Pro Move)
For a truly bulletproof setup, using an air compressor to blow out the remaining water is the gold standard. You attach it to your water system (often via a hose bib or the water heater drain) and use compressed air to force out every last bit of moisture. It’s the difference between mostly dry and completely dry.
If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, hiring a pro to winterize plumbing is honestly money incredibly well spent.
Don’t Forget the Appliances
Your water-using appliances are silent saboteurs. You gotta:
- Water Heater: Turn it off (for electric, flip the breaker; for gas, set it to “pilot” or “off”). Drain it completely through the drain valve at the bottom. An empty tank lasts longer and won’t freeze.
- Washing Machine: Run a short drain cycle to remove water from the pump. Consult your manual; many have a specific drain tube for winterizing.
- Dishwasher: Run a quick cycle to drain the pump, or simply sop up any standing water in the bottom with a towel.
- Toilets: After flushing, sponge out the tank and bowl. Pour a cup of plumbing antifreeze (the non-toxic, RV kind!) into the bowl and tank to block any trap water from freezing.
Guarding Against Moisture and Mold
With the water off, your next enemy is the ambient moisture in the air. A closed-up house in a cold climate is a perfect petri dish for mold and mildew. It smells… bad. Really bad.
Here’s the deal: you need to control the humidity.
- Set out desiccants: Those big, plastic buckets of DampRid or similar moisture-absorbing crystals are your best friends. Place one in every major room, especially basements and bathrooms.
- Leave interior doors open: This includes closet and cabinet doors. It allows air to circulate freely and prevents stagnant, moist pockets from forming.
- Give it a deep clean: Crumbs attract pests. Dirt holds moisture. A thorough clean—wiping down surfaces, vacuuming floors, and emptying the fridge—is a crucial step in winterizing a cabin or lake house.
- Fridge & Freezer: Unplug them, prop the doors open, and give them a good scrub. A baking soda paste works wonders for odors.
Heating, Ventilation, and Electrical Considerations
To leave the heat on or not? That is the common question. There are two schools of thought.
Option 1: The Full Shutdown
You shut off the main water, drain everything, and then also turn off the water heater and the furnace at the circuit breaker. This is the most energy-efficient and safe method. It eliminates any risk of a furnace malfunction causing a fire.
Option 2: The “Keep it Above Freezing” Method
Some folks prefer to leave the furnace on, set to a very low temperature—like 50°F (10°C). This can help keep the house a bit drier and is a safety net if any moisture remains. If you do this, you must:
- Have your furnace professionally serviced to ensure it’s safe to run unattended.
- Make sure the pipes are still drained! This heat is a backup, not the primary freeze protection.
- Consider a monitoring system that alerts you if the temperature drops or power goes out.
As for electricity, it’s generally safest to unplug all non-essential electronics to protect them from potential power surges. You can leave the main power on if you’re leaving a fridge or alarm system running, but consider shutting off breakers to individual circuits for outlets and lights.
The Exterior: From Roof to Foundation
Your property’s exterior takes the full brunt of winter’s wrath. A little TLC here prevents huge headaches.
- Gutters & Downspouts: Clean them out! Clogged gutters lead to ice dams, which force water back up under your roof shingles and into your home.
- Roof & Siding: Do a visual inspection. Look for loose shingles, cracks, or holes where critters might try to sneak in for warmth. A mouse thinks a 1/4-inch gap is an open invitation.
- Yard & Tools: Drain and store garden hoses. Shut off and drain exterior irrigation systems. Store patio furniture, grills, and tools. Trim back any tree branches that are hanging over or touching the roof.
- Security: This is a big one. A vacant property is a target. Make it look lived-in. Put timers on interior lights. Ask a neighbor or property manager to occasionally park in the driveway and pick up any flyers left at the door. Boarding up looks, well, boarded up. Solid, motion-sensor exterior lights are a better deterrent.
Your Final Winterization Walkthrough
Before you lock the door for the season, do one last walkthrough with this mental checklist. It helps to actually say it out loud.
- Water off and drained? (Check a faucet—nothing should come out.)
- Water heater drained and off?
- Furnace off or set to 50°F?
- Fridge and freezer cleaned, unplugged, and propped open?
- All food removed? (Unless you want to feed the local wildlife…)
- All trash taken out?
- Moisture absorbers in place?
- Doors and cabinets open for air flow?
- Windows and exterior doors locked and secure?
- Light timers set?
- Spare key with a trusted neighbor?
And that’s it. You’ve done it. You’ve tucked your second home in for a long winter’s nap. It’s a process, sure. But it’s an act of preservation. A promise to the structure itself that you’ll return when the sun is high and the days are long, and everything will be just as you left it—safe, sound, and waiting.
