Closing Your Vacation Home for the Winter

The end of summer means closing up the vacation home –the beach house, mountain cabin, or family retreat—for the winter months. Your home is at greater risk for water damage, burglary and fire when it is unoccupied for long periods of time. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to mitigate the chances and severity of losses during the winter months. Some are simply good maintenance reminders and others are proactive suggestions to protect your investment.

Water Damage

Even a small water leak in an unoccupied home can cause major damage before it is discovered. Your best protection is to either turn off the main water supply or install a water detection system with an automatic shut-off feature.

• Turn off water at the main supply point, which is usually located in the lowest level of the home (basement or crawl space) and near the street side of the home.
• Drain all water lines, including appliances and exterior faucets, as a safeguard against frozen pipes.
• Detach outside garden hoses and disconnect washing machine hoses.
• If you leave the main water supply turned on, consider investing in an automatic water shut-off system. This will stop the water flow when a leak is detected, which can make the difference between a small claim and a major one. Contact your Account Advisor to see if your insurer participates in a vendor referral program, which may include a discount for purchase and installation.
• Set thermostat to 55 degrees to avoid frozen pipes in freezing weather.
• Add low temperature sensors to your central station alarm system so that you are alerted when freezing temperatures may lead to frozen pipes.
• Leave kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open so that warm air circulates around pipes.
• Winterize your roof by cleaning the gutters and making sure that the down spouts are tilted away from your home.
• Consider making arrangements with a local roofer to remove heavy snow or ice dams from your roof, if need be, during winter storms.

Burglary

Unoccupied homes are easy marks for burglars, so it’s important to do everything that you can to make your home a less-attractive target.

• Your best protection is a central station burglar alarm with infrared motion detectors.
• Be sure that you have adequate security lighting around the property.
• If you keep valuables at your vacation home, consider installing a safe that is bolted to the structure.
• When you are closing the home for the winter, take these steps to lessen the possibility of burglary:
• Set timers or use an internet-of-things app to remotely control lights. It’s helpful if you can vary the timing, so lighting is not predictable.
• If you have a caretaker or reliable neighbor, have them open or close the shades/curtains frequently. Combined with varied timing of lights, this is a great way to give the impression that the home is occupied.
• Store ladders, outdoor furniture, grills and large items (that could be used to gain entry to the upper floor or roof of your home) in a locked garage or storage unit.
• Close and lock all doors, windows and skylights.
• Lock all sheds, outdoor cabinets and garage doors.
• Notify the post office to stop all mail delivery.

Fire

The most common causes of fire in unoccupied homes are lightning strikes, older electrical systems, and poorly maintained chimneys, stoves and fireplaces.

• Your best protection is a central station fire alarm.
• As part of your annual maintenance, have your chimney, fireplace or wood burning stove professionally serviced. This will avoid creosote buildup, one of the main causes of home heating fires.
• Have your electrical system professionally inspected if you have any of these situations: recent improvements or new appliances that strain the system; an electrical system older than 40 years without recent updates; or aluminum wiring (instead of copper). Also, if you have noticed frequent dimming or flickering of lights, have an electrician check it before closing the house for the winter.
• When you are closing the house, take these steps to lessen the possibility of fire:
• Best Practice: Turn off all circuit breakers except to your central station alarms, security & timed lighting, and porch lights.
• Alternative Practice: Unplug all appliances, including the washer and dryer, to protect against lightning strikes and power surges.
• Best Practice: Turn off the gas supply to the home.
• Alternative Practice: Turn the water heater’s gas to “vacation” mode or turn it off completely.

General Maintenance and Loss Prevention Measures

• If you home is vulnerable to critter invasion during the winter months, check and seal entry points, paying attention to foundation cracks, crawl spaces, fireplace openings, attic, and eaves. Consider storing bedding and linens in plastic.
• Empty the fridge and kitchen cabinets of food, make a final garbage run, and store trash cans in a locked garage or storage unit.
• Drain and cover the swimming pool, and don’t forget to drain fountains and other outdoor water features.

The Good Neighbor Policy

• It’s always a good idea to have a caretaker or reliable neighbor check your home on a regular basis. Be sure they have your contact information for emergencies.
• Let the local police and fire department know that your home will be unoccupied, and provide your emergency contact information. They will often keep an eye on unoccupied homes, especially during the off season in popular vacation areas.

With a few proactive loss control steps and routine maintenance, you can lock the door knowing that your home is well-protected for the winter. And hopefully, there will be no surprises when you return in the spring—only expectations of another great summer ahead in your vacation home.

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