If your place at the Lake sits empty from fall until spring, the heating system is the thing standing between you and frozen pipes. Here's how to leave it so it keeps doing its job while you're gone. When spring comes, our lake house opening list covers the other end.
Leave the heat on, at 55 or higher
Turning the heat off saves very little and risks a lot. Set the thermostat to 55 degrees or higher. Before you go, open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so a little warm air reaches those pipes.
Get the system checked before you leave
An empty house is the worst place for a weak igniter or a tired capacitor to finally give out, because nobody is there to notice. A fall furnace tune up or heat pump check before you close up catches most of those parts while they're still working.
Fresh filter, clear vents
Put in a new filter on your last visit. Make sure supply vents and the big return grilles aren't covered by furniture, rugs or stored boxes.
Sort out your fuel
If the house heats with propane, check the tank level before you leave and confirm your delivery plan with your supplier. A tank that runs dry in January means no heat until someone notices.
Give yourself a way to know
A Wi-Fi thermostat that sends an alert when the temperature drops is worth having in a house that sits empty. So is a neighbor or caretaker who can walk through after a hard freeze. The goal is finding out in hours, not weeks.
Leave the outdoor unit uncovered
Heat pumps run all winter, so don't cover one. Clear leaves away and keep about 2 feet of space around it.
Renting it out over the winter?
Leave a note by the thermostat with the settings you want and our number. If guests lose heat at 2am, a real person answers (573) 693-8863 any time.
If something goes wrong while you're away
Call 24 Hour Heating and Cooling. We cover Osage Beach, Lake Ozark, Camdenton, Sunrise Beach and the rest of the Lake area, and we'll tell you straight when we can get there.
Need a repair today or a new system this season?
Call for a service call any hour of the day, nights and weekends included. Planning a new furnace, heat pump, AC or mini split? Estimates on new systems are free, with no obligation to book.
Call (573) 693-8863Want a call back?
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In a hurry? Call (573) 693-8863.