DIY guideCottage

Close the cottage for winter

Shut the place down in order: the water, the power, the food, the openings and the pests, then leave a note and a few photos.

9 steps

Tap a step to watch it again.

Shut the water off and drain every pipe, tap, toilet and the water heater, with antifreeze in the traps. The draining guide shows each step.
Switch off the breakers you won't need and unplug everything. Leave on only what has to stay on, like a sump pump or an alarm.
Take out all the food, wipe the fridge and freezer dry, and prop their doors open so they can't go mouldy.
Pack any food left in tins or glass, take out the garbage, and leave nothing in the cupboards a mouse can chew into.
Stuff steel wool into gaps round pipes where they come through the walls, and check the door sweeps.
Shut and lock every window, close the shutters, close the wood stove's damper, and bring in the outdoor furniture.
Ask your fuel supplier whether the tank's valve should be closed for winter, and let them do it.
Never close a propane valve unless the supplier says to.
Photograph each room, and leave a note of what's off and who has a key. Ask someone to look in after a big storm.
A leak you can't stop, a window that won't close, or a hole in the roof: ask Handyman for a pro before you leave.

Handyman says: Damage you can't fix? I'll find a pro.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.