Being in Florida, winterizing the cottage is required as many of the plumbing and pipes in older homes are not updated or insulated.
Don't worry, winterizing is fairly easy and straight forward.
When to Winterize
- When the outdoor temperature is predicted to go below freezing (32°F) for a day or an extended period.
What to Winterize
- Exterior: Hoses should be disconnected from all outdoor faucets (by garage and in front of house). If a hard freeze warning is in effect, ensure that each outdoor faucet is left to drip overnight to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting. A steady stream of 1-2 drops per second should suffice, but a small, unbroken stream, is best.
- Interior: While not entirely necessary, leaving the indoor faucets to drip is a safe, precautionary measure to ensure not pipes freeze or burst within the walls or under the house. Leave each faucet (kitchen sink, bathroom sink and bathroom shower) to drip overnight.
That's it!
Note regarding heater: The HVAC unit is a dual heat exchange and gas furnace. The system automatically uses the heat exchange for all heating, but when are expected to get below 32°F, the furnace will kick off to heat the house if it goes below 40°F.