Our cottage goers are always excited about improving their spring to fall lake experiences, striving for the perfect cottage lifestyle, and we love that! But why limit to just three seasons? Our team at Gravenhurst Plumbing, Heating & Electric believes that the cottage life is something you can strive for all year round! With a few key investments, your temporary home-away-from-home on the lake surrounded by pines can become your winterized dream house amidst a winter wonderland! 

4 Key Steps to Consider When Winterizing Your Cottage

Step 1 - Improve Your Insulation 

• It is safe to say that our Canadian winters are COLD, and it is important to improve your insulation in order to keep that frigid air where it belongs - OUTSIDE! In this case, using a vapour barrier to prevent and protect your cottage from rot and mould should be your main priority. If insulation is not improved prior to further upgrades, it will actually cause the rest of your improvements to be counterproductive. 

Step 2 - Ensure Proper Heating is in Place 

• Once your cottage is properly insulated, it’s time to ensure that you have the proper heat source in place. Selecting the most appropriate heat source is important as it can affect the level of risk you are to the insurance world, but is also important to keep in mind that your choice of heating can have energy costs as well. Maximizing heat while minimizing energy, cost, and risk is vital.

Step 3 - Update Your Windows And Doors 

• In addition to insulation and having the proper heat source, it is imperative that your windows and doors are completely sealed. This will ensure that the heat you worked so hard to install remains in the building - Canadians can’t afford to heat the outdoors of course! 

Step 4 - Check-Up Your Utilities 

• All of your utilities play a key role in ensuring the proper functionality of your cottage - especially in the winter months! Since you will be having more frequent use of your electrical and plumbing systems, ensuring that they are properly upgraded will allow for your cottage to be operating in prime condition, no matter how cold it gets! 

TIP - Your plumbing should be placed within the warm side of your insulation, which will prevent your pipes from freezing or breaking. Our team can take care of this for you!

If you are interested in converting your cottage to an all year round experience and would like a quote, fill out our form or give us a call !