When winter comes, you never know how harsh it will be. That’s why it’s vital to secure your summer property. If you take the right approach to protecting your cabin or vacation home, you won’t be facing any unpleasant surprises next spring. Let’s find out about smart and effective ways to protect your property.
- Install Rolling Shutters
Rollshutters don’t just protect your house from hurricanes ,they are also a wonderful way to keep your cabin or summer residence secure during the winter. By installing the rollshutters once, you won’t have to worry about protecting your doors and windows again. Giving you peace of mind over the winter months. During the summer, you can easily roll the shutters into an overhead box and forget about them until the next winter.
Rollshutters come in all shapes, colors and sizes and are custom made for your project. You can find suitable models to fit all your doors and windows. You can also choose motorized shutters so you don’t have to worry about operating them manually.
- Drain The Pipes
If you are not planning to heat your summer home during the winter, you have to get rid of the water inside the pipes. Hiring a plumber to drain the pipes is much cheaper than heating your home all winter long.
Make sure to check that the plumber drains all the appliances that use water, such as sprinkler systems and that they use an air compressor to get all the remaining water out. Even an insignificant amount of moisture can lead to frozen pipes.
- Prepare for the Rodents
All the small living creatures, such as bugs and rodents, look for a place to stay during the winter and your cabin or vacation home is the perfect option. In order keep the rodents out, make sure you close all the possible openings. Don’t forget the chimney, dryer vent, and gaps under the doors.
Ensure you discourage the bugs; don’t leave any food inside the house. Place mothballs or other anti-insect remedies to keep the unwanted guests away. Talius Habitat Screens can be a good option in deterring bugs from entering your patio.
- Check The Territory
If you have some outdoor furniture or other items you usually keep outside during the summer, take it all inside. Even if it seems as if “nothing will happen” to the chair or table, it will. Moisture coupled with freezing temperatures can ruin many items. Meanwhile, wildlife and thieves may pose an even bigger threat to your belongings. Anything you can lift and carry should end up inside the house.
- Turn Off All Appliances
The best way to protect all your appliances is to shut the electricity off completely. This will prevent damage during unexpected power surges. If turning the power off is not possible, make sure all the appliances are unplugged. Don’t forget to cover your outdoor air conditioning unit, if any. If you have a refrigerator, defrost it before unplugging.
Take one final look around your vacation home or cabin before locking up. Ideally, have someone else check the property in order to make sure you didn’t forget anything.
