Closing a Seasonal Residence for Winter: A Checklist for Second Homes and Cottages

Closing a seasonal residence for winter comes down to four things: protect the plumbing from freezing, leave the interior clean and dry so nothing spoils or grows over the months, secure the house, and arrange for someone to check on it regularly. Done well, the house opens in spring the way it was left. Done in a rush, it opens with a burst pipe, a smell from the pantry, or mice in the linen closet.

Below is a working checklist, in the order it usually happens, for lake houses, ski chalets used only part of the year, summer cottages and second residences in the city that sit empty while the family winters elsewhere.

Decide first: fully closed or kept warm

Before anything else, settle whether the house will be winterized (water off and drained, heat off or at a minimum) or kept heated and occupied in name only.

• Fully winterized suits cottages with no winter access, older buildings without reliable heat, and properties where nobody can check in after a storm. The plumbing is drained and protected, and the risk of a freeze while empty goes down sharply.
• Kept warm suits city residences, ski properties used on and off through the season, and houses with fine finishes, art, wine or wood floors that do not do well in a cold, dry house. Heat stays on at a steady low setting, water usually stays on, and someone visits on a schedule.

Most of the steps below apply either way. The water and heating section is where the two paths split.

Water and plumbing

Frozen pipes are the most expensive way a closed house goes wrong, so this goes first.

If the house is being winterized:

• Shut off the main water valve and, for a well, the pump.
• Open every tap, hot and cold, from the top floor down, and leave them open until they stop running.
• Drain the water heater following the manufacturer's instructions, and turn off its power or gas first.
• Flush toilets to empty the tanks, then add plumbing antifreeze (the non-toxic, RV type) to toilet bowls, sink traps, shower drains and any floor drains so the trap water cannot freeze and crack.
• Disconnect and drain dishwashers, washing machine hoses, ice makers and water filters.
• Many owners have a plumber blow out the lines with compressed air. For complicated systems, radiant floors or a boiler on a glycol loop, that is worth booking rather than guessing.

If the house stays heated:

• Keep the thermostat at a steady setting; many owners choose somewhere around 12 to 15 °C (mid 50s to around 60 °F), but follow your heating contractor's advice for your building.
• Shut off water to exterior hose bibs and drain them from inside.
• Consider shutting off the main water when nobody is there and turning it on for each visit. It turns a burst pipe into a small leak.
• Ask about an automatic water shutoff valve with leak sensors near the water heater, washer and under sinks. It costs far less than one ruined floor.

Either way, have the furnace or boiler serviced before the house is left. A heating failure in January with nobody home is the scenario everyone wants to avoid.

Kitchen and pantry

A closed kitchen should contain nothing that can rot, leak or attract animals.

• Empty the refrigerator and freezer completely. Clean them, dry them, and leave the doors propped open so mould does not form. If the house is winterized, unplug them.
• Clear the pantry of open dry goods: flour, cereal, pasta, nuts, pet food, birdseed. Anything left behind feeds mice through the winter.
• Remove anything liquid that can freeze and burst in an unheated house: wine, sparkling water, cleaning products, olive oil, paint.
• Run a final dishwasher cycle, then drain it. Clean the range hood filter and the oven.
• Take out all garbage and recycling, and rinse the bins.

Bedrooms, linens and wardrobes

Textiles are where a house picks up musty smells, moths and pests over a winter.

• Launder every set of sheets, towels and duvet covers that was used during the season. Make sure everything is fully dry before it is stored.
• Store linens in breathable cotton bags or closed cabinets, not plastic, which can trap moisture.
• Leave mattresses bare with a protector on, or covered with a clean sheet, so they can breathe.
• Clean out closets of seasonal clothing that is staying behind. Wool and cashmere go into sealed storage with cedar, after cleaning, since moths go for worn fabric.
• Strip and clean guest rooms too, even ones that look untouched.

Bathrooms

• Clean every bathroom thoroughly, including grout and drains, so nothing sits for months.
• Remove toiletries that can freeze or spoil.
• In a winterized house, add antifreeze to the traps as above and leave toilet lids down.
• Prop open shower doors and vanity cabinets for airflow.

Living areas, finishes and contents

• Do a full clean before closing rather than after reopening: vacuum upholstery, dust high surfaces and light fixtures, wash floors, and clean fireplaces.
• Close the fireplace damper once the ashes are cold and removed, and cap the chimney if it is not already screened.
• Draw blinds or curtains in rooms with direct sun to protect rugs, upholstery and art from fading.
• Cover furniture with breathable dust sheets if the house will be closed for months.
• Move valuable items away from exterior walls, windows and below plumbing runs. If a pipe does fail, the art in the room under the bathroom is the one at risk.
• For art, wine, instruments or collections, ask the people who care for them about temperature and humidity. A fully unheated house is often the wrong place for them.

Exterior and grounds

• Bring in or cover outdoor furniture, cushions and planters. Clay and ceramic pots crack in a freeze.
• Drain and store garden hoses. Shut off and blow out the irrigation system.
• Close the pool or hot tub following its maintenance schedule, or book the pool service.
• Clean gutters after the leaves fall so melt water drains away from the foundation.
• Arrange snow removal for the driveway and walkways if anyone will visit, and for roofs in areas with heavy snow loads.
• Walk the exterior for gaps where animals could get in: vents, soffits, under decks, around utility lines.

Security and utilities

• Lock every door and window, including basement windows, and check the garage.
• Set timers on a few lamps if the house is kept heated and powered.
• Make sure the alarm system is armed and the monitoring company has current contacts.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries before leaving.
• Hold or forward mail and newspapers. A full mailbox in December tells anyone driving by that the house is empty.
• Unplug electronics and small appliances that do not need power.

The insurance and inspection question

Home insurance policies often treat an empty house differently from an occupied one. Many policies include an unoccupancy or vacancy clause that requires regular checks while you are away, or that the water be shut off and lines drained if the house is left unheated, as a condition of coverage for freezing damage. The exact terms vary by insurer and province or state, so read your wording or ask your broker before the house closes, not after a claim.

That is also why the checklist does not end the day the door is locked. Somebody needs to visit on a schedule, walk every floor, check the heat, look for leaks and signs of animals, run taps if the water is on, and send you a short written note each time. After a major storm or a long cold snap, an extra visit is worth it.

Who does this work

For a single cottage, many families do it themselves over a long weekend with a plumber booked for the water. For larger residences, or households with more than one property, closing a seasonal home is usually handled as part of estate support: one person coordinates the housekeeping, the plumber, the pool service and the snow contractor, works through the same written list each year, and handles the visits through the winter. The same list, run in reverse, becomes the spring opening and arrival preparation.

If your residence is in Greater Montréal, see our page on housekeeping and estate services in Montréal, and for Ontario properties the Toronto page covers the same services.

Frequently asked questions

When should a seasonal residence be closed for winter?

Ideally before the first sustained hard frost, which in much of Québec, Ontario and the northern US means October or early November. Closing late puts the plumbing at risk on the first cold night. If the family plans a last visit for the holidays, a partial close (kitchen, linens, exterior) can happen in the fall and the water and heat steps after that final stay.

Should I turn the heat off completely in an empty house?

Only if the house has been fully winterized, with the water shut off and the lines drained and protected with antifreeze. Otherwise keep the heat on at a steady low setting and have someone check that it is working. A heated house without visits can still freeze if the furnace fails, which is why most policies and most estate managers expect regular inspections.

How often should someone check on a closed second home?

It depends on your insurance wording, the weather and whether the house is heated, so check your policy first. Weekly or every two weeks is a common rhythm for a heated house in winter, with extra visits after storms, power outages and cold snaps. Each visit should cover every floor, the heating system, signs of water and signs of animals, with a written note sent to the owner.

What should I do with food and wine left in a cottage?

Remove anything perishable and anything in an open package, since dry goods attract mice. In a house that will be unheated, take out all liquids, including wine and spirits, because freezing can crack bottles and push out corks. In a heated house, wine can stay if the storage area keeps a steady, cool temperature, but a cellar or proper storage elsewhere is safer for anything valuable.

Plan the close and the winter visits

If you have a seasonal residence or second home to close, open, or keep an eye on this winter, send us the details through the form. Tell us where the property is, whether it stays heated, and what needs handling, and you get a written reply with the options and a free quote.