Maintenance and repair work on a summer cottage is a great opportunity to enjoy a hands-on activity with family and friends. However, it is important to remember that for certain maintenance and repair tasks, it is advisable and sometimes even necessary to call in the expertise of professionals.
The 24 Center is there to help you if something comes up during the winterisation of your cottage where your skills or tools are not up to the job. Remember, you can also turn to us when you're not quite sure how to deal with a new technical challenge. In sudden and unexpected situations, 24 Center is just a phone call away.
Our previous blog post, Annual Home Maintenance - An 11-point checklist, also applies perfectly to year-round holiday homes. In this article, however, we will focus specifically on summer-used second homes.
We've put together a 7+1 checklist of things you should at least consider when preparing your summer house for winter storage.
1. Clean the rainwater gutters, i.e. the gutters
It's a good idea to clean the gutters around your cottage twice a year, in spring and autumn, and especially in autumn before the autumn rains arrive. Cleaning is easy, either by hand or with a long-handled brush. Finally, you can spray with a garden hose or pour water into the gutter to detect any blockages in the downspout. If water cannot flow freely and in a controlled manner, it can cause moisture damage to the house structure. Also remember to check the condition of gutter fixings and seams.
2. Go through the electrical equipment
Go through all electrical appliances and their condition, and wipe away dust carefully. Don't forget to clean the areas behind the fridge and oven, where a surprising amount of dust accumulates and can shorten the life of appliances.
If you find faulty electrical equipment, it is recommended that you take it to a professional to have it repaired, as broken electrical equipment can pose a fire safety risk. Electrical equipment that is not fit for use should be taken to the SER waste collection.
Before leaving the cottage, turn off all electrical appliances and make sure all lights are off. In addition, consider turning off the main switch to prevent any electrical faults or risk of fire. However, it is important to consider the type of heating system in the cottage in this context.
3. Ensure tightness of windows and doors, also consider the need for maintenance heating
Check that windows and doors are closed tightly. This will prevent cold air, moisture and snow from entering the cottage. It depends entirely on the materials used to build the cottage, the water pipes and their location, and the equipment you keep in the cottage, whether you can leave the cottage cold during the winter.
A traditional log cabin is usually built so that it does not need a separate maintenance heating system. However, insulated cabins may require a small amount of maintenance heating to prevent moisture build-up and mould growth. In any case, a small amount of maintenance heating can help to prevent the build-up of damp during severe frosts, whether your cottage is a traditional log cabin or a more modern insulated cottage.
4. Clean and empty the water pipes
Clean water traps and floor drains to prevent them from smelling. Also remember to disconnect the water supply and drain the pipes of water so that when frost arrives, frozen water does not damage the plumbing.
5. Has the drainage been taken care of?
According to the Rescue Act, the owner of the property is obliged to ensure regular chimney sweeping. In addition to fire safety, regular chimney sweeping is necessary to ensure that the fireplace is working at a good heating capacity and the chimney is running properly.
The regulation on chipping was reformed at the beginning of 2019. As a result of the reform, rescue services are no longer obliged to provide chimney sweeping services on their territory, but property owners can order the work from a chimney sweeping contractor of their choice.
6. Don't attract rodents
Cooler weather is prompting mice and other small forest animals to seek shelter. Clear the kitchen cupboards of anything that can be milled, including oatmeal and other dry goods. Dry goods can also be stored in leak-proof boxes, such as glass jars.
7. Prevent a break-in and check if the lock is sufficient
Remove all valuable and financially significant items from the cottage. Also, do not leave alcohol in plain sight as a lure to potential intruders.
What kind of locking system do you have in your cottage? A traditional manual lock can be easy to break. Electronic locking offers extra protection, and electronic locking apps can help you get alerts about uninvited visitors, for example.
An electronic locking system also offers a lot of possibilities if you are renting out your cottage to, for example, autumn hikers. Would an electronic lock be the right choice for your cottage? Read the article on electronic locking systems.
+1 A checklist for spring
When you carry out your inspection and maintenance rounds, make a note of any issues that require servicing and repair. This way, you'll have a maintenance list ready in the spring, and you can make low-cost purchases throughout the winter, knowing your cabin's deficiencies and upcoming maintenance and repair needs.
24 Center helps with the maintenance of building services for your home and summer cottage
24 Center is a building services on-call centre that provides a high quality service for building services problems regardless of time and place. You can get help with one call for both urgent emergencies and unhurried everyday tasks. With our extensive network of contractors, you'll find the best building services professionals in your area. Find your nearest available plumber, electrician, locksmith or even a vacuum truck with ease - one call to 0100 2470 is all it takes, or you can make an order for unhurried work online order from hereä
