Do you own a summer cabin or cottage in the mountain resort communities of Lake Arrowhead,

Crestline, Running Springs, Blue Jay, or another vacation community? If so, your property needs

to be “winterized” each year. Even though temperatures in California have been seasonably mild,

don’t become complacent. One night of below-freezing temperatures can prove to be very

expensive! Here’s what you can do:

1. Drain your water heater and pipes.

2. After draining your cold/hot water lines, insulate them by wrapping them with

appropriate insulating material.

3. Drain water from handheld shower-head hoses and spray attachments to your sinks.

4. Flush your toilets and then remove excess water from bowls and tanks. Pour a cup of

environmentally-friendly antifreeze into toilet bowls and another one down overflow

tubes in toilet tanks.

5. Drain p-traps under tubs, showers, sinks, and toilets.

6. Turn off your water supply at your customer shut-off location.

7. Insulate your windows, doors, basement, crawl space, attic, and any built-ups.

8. Don’t turn off the electricity. Set your thermostat to approximately 50 degrees (or

whatever temperature is relevant to your part of the country.

Don’t wait until the mercury drops. Pipes will likely freeze and then thaw and end up costing you

thousands of dollars in repairs. Instead, be proactive and give your cabin some TLC. If you can,

it’s a good idea to visit your property at least once a week just to make sure everything is ok.

Need help? Wilhelm GW Construction, with offices in Lake Arrowhead, can provide handyman

service and next-day home repairs. If you lead a busy life, we can winterize your vacation home

for you. For more information, please contact us.