Closing a seasonal camp or cabin for winter

The goal is to remove all standing water from every line, fixture, and vessel that could freeze. Partial drains fail; water expands approximately 9% when it freezes, and even a small pocket of water in a trapped line will split fittings.

1. Shut the main water supply at the main valve
2. Open every fixture (all faucets (hot and cold), showers, outdoor taps) so air can enter as water drains down
3. Flush every toilet once; hold the flush lever briefly to drain as much from the tank as possible
4. Pour RV antifreeze (propylene glycol, the pink kind, not ethylene glycol which is toxic) into every drain trap, toilet bowl, and toilet tank. The trap holds water specifically to block sewer gas; it refills from the drain side, so antifreeze poured in will stay in the trap through the winter
5. Drain the water heater via the drain valve at the base; allow it to cool fully before draining to avoid burns; close the cold water inlet to the tank
6. Disconnect or drain the ice maker supply line if applicable
7. Run the dishwasher through a very short cycle with no soap to drain the pump sump, then pour a cup of RV antifreeze into the base of the tub

Compressed air alternative: A compressor at 50 PSI with a blow-out fitting at the main inlet can clear supply lines without antifreeze. Works well for main and branch lines but can't dry P-traps or toilet bowls; those still need antifreeze. You can't blow them dry.

Outdoor fixtures: Disconnect and store garden hoses. Close the interior shutoff valve feeding each exterior hose bib, then open the hose bib to drain the line. The hose bib itself should be left open (or fitted with a frost-free model) over winter.

Generator (if the property has one): Generators with liquid-cooled engines need the same treatment as any small engine. Drain the coolant if it's old or concentration is unknown, flush the cooling system, and refill with antifreeze mixed to the correct concentration for your climate, or run straight propylene glycol through the cooling circuit for the storage period. For air-cooled generators (the majority of portable and standby residential units), cooling system freezing is not a concern, but do fog the cylinders and treat the fuel the same way you would a boat engine: top off with ethanol-free fuel and add stabilizer, run for 10 minutes to circulate, then shut down. This is often skipped at cabin close and is one of the more common reasons a generator won't start reliably in an emergency.

An empty pantry is not enough. Mice enter to explore, not to eat; they'll establish a nest before they've found the food. The goal is a building with no food sources and no entry points larger than approximately 6-7mm (the diameter of a pencil).

• What needs to leave: All food including canned goods (mice won't usually breach cans, but they'll go through everything around them), pet food, bird seed, cooking oils, flour and grain products, anything in cardboard or thin plastic bags. Cardboard is not a barrier. Thin plastic is not a barrier.
• What gets forgotten: Bird seed "left for the birds," boxed crackers in a guest bedroom closet, a half-used bag of dog food in the mudroom, cooking grease built up on the stovetop, crumbs in the toaster tray, residue in the microwave. Walk every room specifically to find food.
• Sealing entry points: Common points are gaps around pipe penetrations through walls and floors, dryer vent terminations with failed flaps, deteriorated door sweeps at exterior doors, gaps under garage or outbuilding doors, and foundation vents with damaged screening. Fill gaps with steel wool packed tightly, then seal over with expanding foam. Mice will not chew through steel wool.
• Traps, not poison: Set snap traps along walls and behind appliances in the kitchen, utility room, and anywhere you've seen previous activity. Check and reset at opening. Avoid poison bait inside the building; mice that consume poison bait often die inside wall cavities or insulation, which creates odor problems and decay that are difficult to address.
• Deterrents that don't work consistently: Mothballs, peppermint oil, ultrasonic emitters, and dryer sheets are all popular and all unreliable as primary exclusion methods. Sealing the building is the only approach that works consistently.
• If you return to find rodent activity: Dead rodents and droppings require hantavirus-safe cleanup: gloves and an N95 respirator, disinfectant spray dampened on droppings before touching anything, no dry sweeping or vacuuming. See the Pest and Rodent Inspection section of the Cabin Opening guide for the full protocol, and the CDC Hantavirus guidance for detailed cleanup instructions.

Most standard homeowner's policies contain a vacancy clause; coverage is reduced or suspended after the property has been continuously unoccupied for 30-60 days. The threshold and exact exclusions vary by policy and province or state. A cabin closed for the winter will typically exceed this threshold by several months.

• Before closing up, call your insurer: Ask specifically whether your policy covers vacant property, and for how long. Ask what is excluded during vacancy (vandalism and pipe freeze are common exclusions). Ask about a vacancy endorsement or seasonal property rider if the base policy falls short.
• Seasonal property policies: Specialty insurers offer policies designed for properties occupied only part of the year. These typically don't penalize for off-season vacancy and are built around the specific risks of seasonal absence. If you hold a standard homeowner's policy on a seasonal cabin, it may be worth comparing.
• What's commonly not covered during vacancy: Vandalism (often excluded after 30 days unoccupied), water damage from frozen pipes (may require documented winterization to be covered), theft of items left inside.
• Rebuilding cost vs insured value: Construction costs increase every year. Coverage based on an assessment from three seasons ago may be 15-25% short of what it would actually cost to rebuild today. Review your coverage limit annually, not just when there's a problem.

Resources covering insurance vacancy clauses, fire safety, septic winterization, and seasonal property coverage. State insurance commissioners are the authoritative source for policy disputes and consumer rights in your jurisdiction.