The short answer
Frozen water does the most damage to an empty property: it expands and splits pipes, fixtures, and water heaters, then floods the building when it thaws. The core of any shutdown is to shut off the main supply, drain every line and appliance, and protect the heating, power, roof, and entry points. Done in the right order and documented, a few hours of winterizing prevents most of the expensive spring repairs.
Key takeaways
- Shut off and drain all water before the first hard freeze, and blow out lines where the system design requires it.
- Decide early between leaving heat on, typically around 55°F (13°C), or fully draining and shutting down.
- Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses and faucets, and insulate pipes in unheated spaces.
- Clean gutters, clear the roof, and leave controlled ventilation to prevent ice dams and mold.
- Remove food and valuables, seal entry points against rodents, and lock down the site.
- Schedule periodic inspections or monitoring and leave a reopening checklist for spring.
Start with water: the highest-risk system
Most winter damage to a vacant property starts with a single overlooked pocket of water. When water freezes it expands and can crack metal, plastic, and ceramic, so a burst happens somewhere you cannot see until the thaw turns it into a flood. That is why every winterizing routine begins with the water supply and works outward.
Locate and label the main shut-off before you need it in an emergency, and make sure anyone who might be called to the property knows where it is. Pipes most likely to freeze are those near exterior walls, in crawl spaces, attics, and garages; insulate these with foam sleeves and seal any gaps that let cold air reach them.
- Label the main shut-off and confirm it works before freezing weather.
- Insulate pipes in crawl spaces, attics, garages, and along exterior walls.
- Seal gaps that let cold air reach plumbing.
Drain, blow out, and protect plumbing and appliances
Shut off the main supply, then open every tap, hot and cold, including outdoor faucets, and drain from the lowest point. Disconnect garden hoses and drain the short pipe run to each outside spigot. Drain the water heater, the toilet tank and bowl, and the washing machine and dishwasher, since each holds water that can freeze and crack.
Where the system design calls for it, blow out the lines with compressed air to remove water trapped in low spots. Add a plumbing antifreeze rated for potable systems to traps, toilets, and appliance pumps. For a larger site such as a campground, the same logic scales up: drain lines from high points to low points and winterize hookup pedestals, the pump house, the dump station, and washroom fixtures.
- Open all taps and drain from the lowest point after shutting off the main.
- Drain the water heater, toilet, and laundry appliances.
- Use compressed air and plumbing antifreeze where needed, especially for traps and pumps.
Heat or drain: the key decision
There are two safe approaches, and mixing them is what causes trouble. Either keep the heat on at a steady, low setting with someone checking regularly, or fully drain the water and shut everything down. A common recommendation is to keep the thermostat no lower than about 55°F (13°C), the figure used in some municipal winterizing guidance to protect plumbing.
If you keep the heat on, you need a plan for power outages: a neighbor, a property manager, or remote monitoring should verify the heat is still running after any storm. For a larger seasonal building such as a campground office or washroom, operators often maintain a higher interior temperature, around 18°C (64°F), and keep indoor humidity below about 40% to avoid condensation and mold.
- Keep heat no lower than roughly 55°F (13°C) if you leave water in the system.
- Arrange checks after storms and outages, since a dead furnace is the same as no heat.
- Keep larger shared buildings warmer and control humidity below about 40%.
Roof, gutters, and ventilation
Clean gutters before the freeze: leaves and debris hold water that turns to ice, adding weight and forming ice dams that can back water under the roof. Inspect the roof for loose or missing shingles and repair leaks now, because a small defect under snow can become a major interior problem by spring.
A sealed-up building is not the same as a healthy one. Leave a small amount of controlled ventilation, such as slightly open windows or intake vents, so trapped moisture can escape and mold and musty odors do not build up. Insulate walls and attic where needed and seal doors and windows with weather stripping to keep the cold out without locking moisture in.
- Clean gutters and downspouts and clear the roof of debris.
- Repair roof defects before snow loads arrive.
- Leave controlled ventilation while sealing drafts around doors and windows.
Pests, security, and site shutdown
Remove all food and anything that attracts animals, and seal gaps and holes rodents can use. Take valuables, documents, and portable electronics with you or lock them up. On a larger site, post closure signs at entrances, lock gates, and store ladders and tools where they cannot be used to break in.
Power down what does not need to run, but keep infrastructure power on for monitoring systems, cameras, or alarms. Shut off power to individual hookup pedestals and note any damage that needs repair before reopening. Take final meter readings and notify local police or your insurer of the seasonal closure if your policy or area expects it.
- Remove food and valuables and seal rodent entry points.
- Lock gates, post closure signs, and secure tools and ladders.
- Keep power only for monitoring, cameras, and alarms, and record meter readings.
Inspection schedule and reopening plan
A winterized property is not a finished task; it is a schedule. Assign someone to check the property on a regular cadence, such as every other day during the coldest stretches, to catch a failed furnace, an opened door, or signs of a break-in before they escalate. Photograph the condition of the property as a baseline for insurance records.
Leave a reopening checklist that records exactly what was drained, turned off, or filled with antifreeze, so spring startup is fast and safe. Note the location of the main valve and any taps left open, and list which items went into storage. This documentation is also what lets you hand the property to a contractor or caretaker with confidence.
- Schedule regular inspections and a photo baseline for insurance.
- Record what was drained, shut off, or filled with antifreeze.
- Leave a reopening checklist so spring startup is fast and correct.
Put it into practice
Winter shutdown checklist
Work in this order, because water is drained before the building is powered down and locked. Check off each item and note any exceptions.
- Main water supply shut off and labeled; all taps opened and the system drained from the lowest point.
- Hoses disconnected; outdoor faucets shut off and drained; pipes in unheated areas insulated.
- Water heater, toilet tank and bowl, washing machine, and dishwasher drained.
- Lines blown out with compressed air and plumbing antifreeze added to traps and pumps where required.
- Heat left at a steady low setting with outage checks arranged, or the system fully drained.
- Gutters and downspouts cleaned; roof inspected and leaks repaired; controlled ventilation left open.
- Food and valuables removed; rodent entry points sealed; doors and windows weather-stripped.
- Power shut off to unused circuits; monitoring, cameras, and alarms left powered; meter readings recorded.
- Gates locked, closure signs posted, tools and ladders secured, police or insurer notified as required.
- Inspection schedule set and a reopening checklist left for spring.
Questions people ask
What temperature should I leave a vacant property at in winter?
If you leave water in the system, keep the thermostat no lower than about 55°F (13°C), a figure used in municipal winterizing guidance to protect plumbing. Larger shared buildings are sometimes kept warmer, around 18°C (64°F), with humidity below about 40%. Whatever the setting, arrange for someone to confirm the heat is still running after storms and outages, because a dead furnace is effectively no heat at all.
Should I drain the water or leave the heat on?
Both work, but not together. Leaving heat on keeps pipes from freezing but depends on uninterrupted power and regular checks. Fully draining and shutting down is more reliable for a property that stays empty for months, because there is no water left to freeze. Choose one approach and complete it fully, rather than draining some lines while leaving others full.
What should I do with outdoor faucets and hoses before winter?
Disconnect garden hoses and drain them, then shut off and drain the short pipe run that feeds each outside faucet. This is often the spot that freezes first because it sits just inside an exterior wall. Insulate exposed pipe and seal any gaps where cold air reaches the plumbing.
How do I keep rodents and pests out of a closed property?
Remove all food and anything that attracts animals, and seal the gaps and holes they use to get in, including around pipes and vents. Clear clutter that gives them hiding places. On larger sites, post closure signs, lock gates, and store ladders and tools where they cannot be used to gain entry.
How often should someone check a winterized property?
During the coldest stretches and after major storms, checking every other day or so is a common recommendation so a furnace failure, an opened door, or a break-in is caught before it escalates. A less frequent schedule can work for a fully drained and unoccupied building, but regular checks still catch roof damage, leaks, and vandalism early.
Do I need to winterize a seasonal business site differently from a home?
The same principles apply but at scale. Drain water lines from high to low points, winterize hookup pedestals, pump houses, dump stations, and washroom plumbing, shut off power to unused pedestals, and secure every building. Businesses also need to handle stored customer property through written agreements and keep monitoring and alarm systems powered during the closure.
Sources and further reading
Sources were checked when this page was generated. Confirm changing dates, rules and prices with the original publisher.
- Winterizing Your HomeCity of Black Diamond, Washington
- Preparing Your Home and Car for WinterMaryland Department of Health
- Best practices for closing down your campground for the winterNorthbridge Insurance
- How to Close Your Campground for Winter Without Losing Next Year's BookingsPitchCamp
- Как подготовить дачу к зиме: чек-листРБК Недвижимость
- Сколько стоит подготовить дом к зиме: цены подрядчиков и что можно сделать самомуДвижение.ру