Cottage winterizing
Cottage Winterizing & Opening
Draining a cottage in October removes the frozen-pipe risk instead of managing it. Opening it in spring is the same job in reverse, with a leak check.
A cottage or chalet left for the winter has two choices. Keep the heat on and trust it, or drain the water out so there is nothing to freeze. Draining is the only one that removes the risk. Cottage winterizing is that draining, done in an order that leaves nothing behind.
What a cottage shutdown covers
- Close the main, or switch off the well pump at its breaker.
- Switch off the water heater, then drain it.
- Open every tap and drain the supply lines at the low points.
- Blow out lines that hold water with compressed air.
- Drain the pressure tank on a well system.
- Put plumbing antifreeze in every trap, toilet bowl and tank.
- Leave the sump pump powered, and test it.
Why October and not December
The first hard frost on this shoreline can arrive well before the season’s last visit. A shutdown booked in October is done before it. The shutdown timing note covers how to pick the date.
Opening a cottage in spring
De-winterizing is the shutdown in reverse: close the drains, refill slowly, bleed the air, refill the water heater before switching it on, and walk every line looking for a split that formed over winter. Refilling the water heater before power goes on matters most: an electric element run dry burns out.
Winterizing a chalet in The Blue Mountains
Chalets used for ski weekends stay heated and in use all winter, so they are not drained. The risk there is a heating failure mid-week. A low-temperature alarm on a cellular path, a known main shut-off, and somebody nearby with a key do more than any pipe insulation. The Blue Mountains page covers this pattern.
FAQ
Cottage winterizing — common questions
Is it better to drain the cottage or leave the heat on?
Draining removes the risk. Low heat manages it and depends on the heat staying on, which is what fails during the storm that brings the cold.
What antifreeze goes in the traps?
Plumbing antifreeze, the propylene glycol type sold for RVs and cottages. Never automotive antifreeze, which is toxic.
When should I book a cottage shutdown?
In October, before the first hard frost. Late bookings run into the weather.
Talk to a Collingwood plumber
Collingwood Plumbers needs three things: the town, whether the house is on town water or a private well, and what the water is doing. Those three decide most of the job, from who you should actually call, to whether the fix is a valve, a pump or a pipe.