Winters are all fun until the snow starts bothering you, and it gets so frozen that you can’t do anything. Be it staying home, going for a road trip, leaving the current house for few months in this season, or any other such activity, you need to be more prepared for possible issues that can occur. If you plan to close your cottage for a few months during winters, you need to be particular about a few things. If you have not done this before, then here are some tips on how to close your cottage for the winters;
Empty the Fridge
It is fair and good to store some food in the usual routine so that you do not have to go out daily in the winters to get the groceries and other stuff. However, if you plan to keep your house locked for a few months, then make sure that you empty the fridge, do not leave behind any food items, and clean the refrigerator properly to avoid the formation of fungus on it. This way, you do not have to worry about anything.
Possible Dangers
A locked house with no one inside is on its own a bit risky; there are chances of robbery or any other damage like fire. So make sure that you have it all safe and secured before leaving. To avoid fire, do not forget to clean all the chemicals and put away anything that has the risk of catching fire.
Keeping it Warm
If you have a furnace that keeps the house warm, make sure that the temperature is very low. This way, the house will not have any frost, the pipes will not be frozen, and at the same time, it will be warm. If not this, then maybe you should turn the system off completely to save maximum energy and see if you have made arrangements for the pipes to prevent freezing.
Turn Off the Appliances
When closing or locking the house, the best thing to do is turn off all the appliances. This way, you save energy and the damage that might be caused if the appliances are left unmonitored for a long time. Since you have some appliances or devices like the alarm system that need to be active when you are away, you can not completely turn off the main power supply. So to be on the safe side, turn the appliances off individually.
Gutters and Pipes
Closing the cottage means it won’t be cleaned for some months. This also means that if you leave the gutters uncleaned or clogged, they will be very messy and smelly at the same time. So before leaving the house, make sure that the gutters are clean. Apart from that, since the winters and the pipes are likely to get frozen, make sure to drain the pipes entirely and close the water supply to avoid any inconvenience later.
Leaving your home locked behind with no one there to look after frequently is very risky and also concerning. Ensure that you have completed all the arrangements mentioned above before you go on vacation or leave the house behind without any worry. Apart from that, make sure that your home insurance policy quote is up to date so that you have the coverage in times of need. This way, you can ensure the safety and security of the house. So stop procrastinating and start work now!
