Winterize your winter home every time you leave
Having a second home in the Colorado mountains, close to all the winter sports action, is an incredible luxury. But it also comes with great responsibility. Those hardwood floors in your winter cabin are part of the charm of a classic mountain home, but one burst pipe and you’re looking at an awful, moldy, expensive mess.
There aren’t a lot of threats to hardwood flooring. If installed and treated right, they can last a lifetime and withstand most wear and tear. And, if they get a little worn down, all you have to do is sand and finish, and voila, your floors are as good as new. But, a burst water pipe and a flooded home are one of the few things that your hardwood floors may not be able to survive. Make sure you winterize it every time you close it up.
Turn off the exterior water main and empty all pipes and drains before you leave.
If you are letting renters, friends, or family use your cabin when you are not there, make sure to give specific instructions on how to properly close up the house before they leave. The Colorado winter is unforgivable, so you want to give your home (and your hardwood floors) the best chance to fight the frost and stay dry until you visit again.
Winterizing your Colorado mountain vacation home:
- Turn off all the water lines
- Drain all the toilets, faucets, showers and make sure there isn’t water in the pipes
- Close the sink, shower, and tub drains
- Drain the dishwasher
- Defrost freezer and remove water from refrigerator
You’ll be turning off the electricity in your winter home, so make sure you’ve defrosted the freezer before you leave again.
You want to make sure that all water pipes are empty. You can even pour antifreeze in your pipes to prevent them from freezing up and bursting. Antifreeze could be especially important in your toilet trap as you want water to remain in there to prevent gasses from entering your home. Anti-freeze will prevent the water from freezing, expanding, and bursting your water traps and pipes.
A flood can cause severe damage to your entire home, not just your floors. In the case of flooding, take steps to drying out your home as quickly as possible, and then contact your homeowners insurance agent and cross your fingers that you remembered to add flood insurance to your policy.
Free hardwood flooring consultation in Denver and Evergreen, Colorado
To repair, or replace damaged hardwood floors, talk to our hardwood flooring craftsmen about the best hardwood flooring solutions for your winter vacation home.