As your house’s Game of Thrones fans know, winter is coming. (The HBO series just confirmed new episodes won’t run until next summer, because they need to film in colder weather.)
Like the show, you’ll soon have to wait until next summer to enjoy your South Dakota cabins again. As you steal away those final weekends along the Missouri River or on beautiful Lewis and Clark Lake near Yankton, you should be starting to prepare for cabin winterization.
On top of the winterizing steps you should take in your home, cabin winterization requires attention to all the threats and concerns your property could be subject to when you aren’t there to check in. Here’s a rundown of the action you need to take room-by-room:
General Utilities
Okay, so the first “room” may take you to several rooms, but here are the general actions you should take first to get the house ready.
- Replace the batteries in all smoke detectors.
- Remove fire hazards and combustibles like fuel, turpentine, household cleaners, paint, and anything that might have been saturated or contaminated by flammables.
- Make needed repairs, or set a reminder on your phone of anything that needs attention this spring.
- Transfer any plants home that you’ve successfully kept alive. Dump the contents of any you haven’t.
- Don’t make your cabin a target for thieves.Lock doors and windows, remove all valuables, and, if you have a security system installed, make sure it’s working.
Living Room and Bedrooms
Imagine that you’re cleaning your home to sell it:
- Clean every room in the house, drying surfaces as you go.
- Take care of common summer stains.
- Wash and dry any clothes that will be staying.
- Consider putting natural cedar balls with them to keep things fresh and protected.
- Thoroughly clean out fireplaces, wood stoves, and anything else with a build up of ashes.
If you aren’t rocking hardwood floors, throughout the house, a deep clean of your carpets is vital to cabin winterization in South Dakota. Even families that kept up with regular vacuuming may want to consider a deeper scrub to make sure you return to a fresh space after winter.
Kitchen & Bathrooms
Found signs of water damage? Let us know!
The name of the game here is eliminating moisture. Get everything you clean dry as you go so you aren’t dealing with mildew and mold next year. Your nose and wallet will be grateful.
Plus:
- Give your tile floors a good scrub
- Clean off all appliances and dishes
- To be safe, remove all food, cosmetics, and liquids that you aren’t positive can withstand the freeze
- Flush all the toilets, and empty flush tanks
Revisit the Utilities
All right, you had your last bathroom break and you don’t need water for anymore cleaning. Time to take those big steps to ensure your cabin is winter-ready.
- Turn off the main water line
- Drain the pressure tank
- Cut off the water supply to the washing machine and dishwasher
- Unplug everything
- Drain water heaters, water softeners, and anything else that has water in it
Not sure if your pipes will freeze in the winter? Consider getting a professional involved when it comes to cabin winterization of the plumbing.
Outside
A big part of winterizing is making sure the property will be safe through the year, and not giving the winter a chance to capitalize on any maintenance that got away from you in the summer fun.
- Get anything you don’t want battling the elements inside, and wipe down excess moisture
- Be sure to safely store grills and propane tanks
- Clean out the gutters so they can direct water away from the cabin
- Disconnect hoses and drain them
- Cover outdoor faucets in insulation
Final Walkthrough
Run back over this checklist and make sure you didn’t miss anything. Pay attention to anything that stands out as a fire hazard, or anywhere that water could get in.
- Close all openings to your South Dakota cabin
- Set mousetraps in any areas they might find their way in, but don’t bait with anything that can’t sit all winter
- Forward your mail
- Ask a neighbor to check the cabin from time to time, or add a few checks to your calendar
Whew. That can get to be a lot, especially when you’re trying to wring the last bliss out of summer. Let us know if we can help ease some of the burden by cleaning carpets, floors, or ducts, or address any mold or water damage you find in your winterization.
Just click below or call us at (605) 332-3006.
