Winterize Your Vacation Cabin

No doubt your vacation home has brought you hours of enjoyment over the last year. But because you don’t live in it year-round, sometimes it’s hard to remember that even vacation homes need routine maintenance. To get your cabin in the woods (or by the lake) ready for winter, check these important systems and structures.

Insulate the Pipes

Cabins and log homes Tustin MI are no strangers to burst pipes. The problem is you may be weeks away from knowing it happened. Make sure all your outside pipes are properly insulated even if you expect to be back by the next freeze because plans, and Mother Nature, change.

Close Cracks and Holes

Mice love to sneak into the tiniest holes while you’re away, so complete a thorough check for cracks and holes. Plug small apertures with masonry repair material. Check the seals on your garage and attic doors as well. Remember that mice won’t have anything better to do besides chew themselves a door.

Service the Heater

Right before it gets cold is a great time to service the HVAC system and water heater in your vacation home. There is nothing worse than arriving for the holidays and finding either one broken with snow blowing outside. Set the thermostat at 65 to keep the indoor pipes from freezing and so the system won’t have to work too hard to heat the cabin when you arrive.

Replace Batteries

Before you head home, replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Clean the Gutters

Gutters filled with leaves and water have the potential for freezing and causing damage to the gutters themselves or the roof if they build up. Leaves may fall while you’re away from your vacation home, but it’s better to start the season clean.

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The best feeling is arriving at your cabin with nothing to do but unpack and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa while you watch the snow falling. Don’t ruin the start of your vacation with chores you could have done at the end of last season.