How to Close a Cottage for Winter in Canada
Closing well is cheaper than opening badly. Here's the order that keeps pipes from bursting and mice from moving in.
Closing a cottage properly is cheaper than opening one badly. The order matters — plumbing first, because a missed drain line is the difference between a normal spring opening and a burst pipe behind a wall. Budget one weekend, and do it before the first hard freeze — typically late September to mid-October in Ontario and Quebec, earlier further north.
Close in this order
- Drain all plumbing and add antifreeze to traps
- Pull the dock and winterize the boat
- Shut off utilities
- Pest-proof the interior
- Lock up the exterior
Plumbing — do this first, and do it on a warm day
- Shut off the water pump and drain the system
- Open every tap, hot and cold, and let the lines drain
- Flush all toilets, then add RV (propylene glycol) antifreeze to bowls and tanks — never automotive antifreeze
- Pour antifreeze into every sink, shower, and floor drain trap
- Drain the hot water tank
- Blow lines with compressed air if the layout has low points that won't drain by gravity
Antifreeze pours easier and traps drain faster on a warm day — don't leave this job for the weekend of the first frost.
Pest-proofing & exterior lockup
- Remove all food, including pantry items in cardboard — mice chew through it
- Store bedding and linens in sealed bins
- Set mouse traps in known entry areas, and steel-wool any gaps around pipes and wiring
- Cover the chimney and roof vents with wildlife screens
- Clear eavestroughs, store patio furniture, and insulate exterior taps
- Photograph the property in closed condition before you leave
Ask a neighbour to check the property once a month over winter, and leave your contact information in case anything looks wrong.
Turn this into a printable system
Every post pairs with a binder or checklist you can actually put on the fridge.
Take this with you: the free Cottage Closing Checklist
A printable PDF of the full checklist, emailed to you. Close the cottage properly so nothing bursts, freezes, or gets chewed over winter.
Frequently asked questions
Before the first hard freeze — typically late September to mid-October in Ontario and Quebec, earlier in the north.
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