Closing the cottage

The outdoor furniture has been washed and put in storage. Rowboats, canoes and pedal boats are away from the water. The lawnmower, hose, gardening tools, barbecue and bicycles are safe and dry. The flower bulbs are in the ground. All that’s left is to close up the cottage. Start by taking a walk around it to make sure there’s enough caulking on the door and window frames, and block all openings large and small, from chimneys to weeping tiles, to keep rodents and other small animals from moving in for the winter.

Indoors

In the kitchen, empty the pantry of any items that would attract insects or other pests. Pack up, and take with you, bottles of beer, wine and spirits that could lure intruders looking for a free party. Wash, defrost and unplug the refrigerator, and once it’s completely dry, prop the door slightly ajar using a block of wood.

Strip the linens from the beds, wash them, dry them well and store them in a cool, dry place. A cedar closet is ideal (make sure it shuts properly), but hermetically sealed plastic bins work well too. You can add a pouch of lavender or a sheet of fabric softener for added freshness. Many people recommend standing mattresses up against a wall to keep rodents off the beds.

After these tasks are completed, turn the heating down, or shut it off completely, which can cut costs by up to 70%.

A little warmth is good

If you’re worried about the pipes, however, you’ll want to leave some heat on: not only will this keep the pipes from freezing, it will also help prevent deterioration due to humidity. As part of its safety tips, the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec suggests leaving the thermostats on their lowest settings so as to keep the temperature between 5º and 7ºC, which will be enough to keep the cottage from freezing. 

In winter as well as summer, your cottage is never immune to a power outage. And if power is knocked out, the pipes may freeze and break, causing water damage. When the power comes back on, the pump will activate to fill up the water tank, but it won’t work. To prevent a flood and to limit damage, you must shut off the water inlet and the electrical power to the pump.

Shut everything down

If you do want to shut the heat off, set your thermostats to the “off” position. If you can’t switch them off completely, but can only leave them on their lowest setting, cut the power to the thermostats right at the electrical panel, by opening the circuit breakers or removing the fuses.

If you won’t need any electricity at all over the winter, and there’s no sump pump in the basement to keep water from backing up, you can shut off the power completely by turning off the main switch or breaker, which will be on or near the electrical panel. The Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec recommends that before you do this, you open the secondary breakers or remove the fuses.

Drain the plumbing system

With the power off, you now need to close the water inlet to keep the pipes from freezing and bursting. Before you do this, however, you must drain every water line in the cottage by opening all the taps and valves. If possible, you can blow compressed air into the pipes to make sure they drain completely. Open the bleed valve or screw near the pump to let the water in all the lines drain into a bucket or floor drain. Next, empty the hot water tank (after you have shut off the electricity) by connecting a hose to its drain valve, and drain the toilet tanks by pressing the toilet handle. Finally, drain the water pump.

Make sure there is no water left in the clothes washer and dishwasher, or in the “S” traps beneath plumbing devices. Next, put about two cups of antifreeze in traps that can’t be drained, e.g., under sinks, the bathtub, the shower, toilet tanks, washtubs and the dishwasher. If in doubt, get a contractor to do the work.

Ready for winter

Your cottage is now ready for the winter. Before you leave, draw the curtains – but leave them slightly open so that any potential thieves will see that there’s nothing inside worth stealing. Lock all the doors and windows and, if you have neighbours you can trust who live in the area year-round, give them your phone number so they can call you in an emergency, and leave them a key.