Winterizing Your Luxury Summer Home

October 04, 2019

The time has come, as much as we hate to see summer go, these cooler temps that are showing up at the Lake are reminding us that winter is coming. Vacation homes at the Lake of the Ozarks can be vulnerable if there isn’t a plan in place to care for them. Many luxury homeowners can make the task simple by hiring a company to come in and care for their home, make sure that everything is functioning properly, and even clean while they are away. Whether you have hired someone to take care of your luxury vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks, or you plan to care for it yourself, here are a few things that need to be checked before winter sets in.

Check Your Insurance Policy

First and foremost, one thing you should do before winter sets in is to make sure your home owner’s insurance is covering what you need it to. Some policies will not cover you if you leave your home unoccupied for a long period of time. The exact length of absence you’re allowed will vary by region and provider. It could be important to look into a separate policy that covers an unoccupied home if you haven’t already.

Protect Your Plumbing

Whether your insurance covers it or not, there are some hassles that are just irritating to deal with - and water flooding is definitely one of them. Burst pipes can cause some really big issues, so be sure that you take measures to protect them. You can leave your heater on a timer to ensure that your property never gets too cold, as well as turn off the water to your property. Don’t forget to turn off the water outside as well, to areas like you sprinklers, drainpipes and others that are even more at risk of freezing.

Unplug the Appliances

Avoid unnecessary charges to your electric bill by clearing out and unplugging appliances in your home. This can also protect the electrical if there was a pipe problem. If you have a landline in the home, you can redirect it to your cell or primary residence phone. You can also contact cable or satellite TV providers to see if they offer a pause on your subscriptions for longer periods of time.

Deter Intruders

It’s obvious that you want to make your home look lived in by using light timers, but having a good security system can also be a must. If you are leaving your home vacant for several months (as many do at the Lake of the Ozarks), investing in a security system that allows you to control it from afar can be helpful. You can then turn on lights when you want, or turn them off, to keep things looking even more lived-in than just a timer.

Protect From Furry Friends (or Foes?)

Winterizing your home isn’t just about protecting from water, but also those four-legged intruders. If you have a working fireplace, consider installing a gaze over the chimney to keep out nesting birds and other small creatures. You can also lock any cat flaps or small entrance passages to avoid the risk of mice.

Don’t Forget About Your Dock

This is a specialized issue for the Lake that you may not have with other vacation homes - your dock. Our waters are not protected from freezing over, so if you have a dock, you want to make sure that there is some way it will be cared for through the winter. This can involve de-icers to keep the water stirred up, as well as possibly someone coming to check on your dock throughout the winter or after some really cold temperatures. Frozen docks can be a really big issue, so don’t forget about this important aspect of winterizing!

Looking for a Luxury Home at the Lake of the Ozarks?

If you don’t have a vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks, now is still a great time to buy! In fact, this is an incredible time to purchase a home, as we near the end of the year for tax ride-offs and the interest rates have been doing really well. If you are interested in purchasing a lakefront property at the Lake of the Ozarks, Luxury Lake Home is here for you. Visit our website to see what we have available, or schedule an appointment with us when you are in the area next. We look forward to showing you the beauty of the Lake!

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