Closing the Cottage? 4 Tips for Winterizing the Plumbing
Fall signifies the end of the cottage season for most people. The days at the lake, sitting by the fire pit at night, and enjoying a BBQ with family and friends has come to an end for the season.
One of the unfortunate parts of owning a cottage is closing it for the winter and completing all of the winterization tasks. A major part of winterization is making sure your plumbing is properly protected against the winter weather.
The winter poses a number of significant threats to your cottage plumbing with freezing pipes being at the top of the list. No one wants to open up the cottage next season only to find that the pipes froze and cracked over the winter.
You need to do things the right way in the fall to ensure there are no issues at the cottage once spring rolls around again. Also check out How To Prevent Ice From Being An Issue At Home This Winter
Here are the steps you need to take for winterizing the plumbing at your cottage:
- Shut off heating pumps and water tanks: If you are not stay at the cottage, you need to shut down all of your plumbing, starting with the heating pumps and water tanks. If there is water in any of the pipes, it can freeze, making the pipes prone to cracking.
- Drain the pipes: Make sure all the pipes and drains are free and clear of water. If necessary, use an air compressor to blow out any extra water that is in the pipes.
- Open the tabs: Open all the drain valves and taps inside and outside the cottage to ensure all water drains open.
- Use anti-freeze in the toilet and drains: Even after draining the pipes, water and moisture can still be in the pipes. Using anti-freeze and pouring some down the drains will help to fix this issue.
If you are still concerned about your pipes, consider wrapping your pipes with insulation to give them some added protection against the cost.
If you are new to cottage ownership or are not confident in your plumbing skills, call a professional to properly winterize your plumbing. The last thing you want to do is cause an issue that could have been avoided.
Are you a cottage owner? Do you winterize your cottage each year? On a scale of 1 – 10, how easy is it to winterize your plumbing at the cottage?