Owning a vacation cottage is lots of fun, except in the winter if you can't use it. If you have not winterized the cottage, then you can't head there to go skiing, snowboarding, or just relax during the cold part of the year. In addition to that, a house that has not been winterized needs to be prepped every year before it gets cold. You have to head to the cottage and turn the water off and drain the pipes, lest the water freeze and the pipes burst. This is a bothersome task. So, if you would like to have a cottage that is functioning year-round, then you should take the following steps.

Install A Furnace and Large Boiler

You need heat and hot water. This is the major improvement you will need to get done. The heat will make the cottage warm enough so that you and your guests won't freeze in the middle of the night. You will also need a boiler to heat water. Some cottages that are only used during the summer might only have a small electric heater for the shower. Or maybe they have no water-heating facility at all. The cottage might have been set up to pump well water directly into a holding tank, and that water could run directly to the faucets.

You will definitely need the boiler. Not only is it necessary so you can take showers and wash dishes, but the boiler will keep the water temperature above freezing, which will protect your pipes from busting.

Consider A Firewood (or Pellet) Stove

If your cottage is located in the woods, then you might like to add a firewood stove, or a pellet stove. These are a great way to heat the place, and they add a beautiful ambiance. You can have them set up in the living room, and then have firewood delivered and stacked outside so that you can use it when you visit. Alternately, if you don't like the idea of stacking or carrying firewood, opt for a pellet stove. These are designed so that you can store a barrel of pellets (which are the fuel) in your basement or outdoors. You can carry them to the stove in a pail.

Get Energy-Efficient Windows Installed

All of your effort in installing a furnace or a stove, will be greatly diminished if you have old, shoddy windows. Your cottage might have windows from when it was originally built. During the warm summer months, and even in the spring, this won't be an issue. But when the temperature outside drops down close to freezing, it will certainly be a problem. All of the heat will leak out of those old, energy-inefficient windows. But there is a simple solution.

Contact a window installer such as Fischer Window and Door Store and have them come in and fit new, double-pane, energy-efficient windows. These windows have two panes of glass, which creates a warm pocket of air. This pocket acts as extra insulation and helps to stop heat from leaking out. If you want to get fancy and go one step beyond double pane, you can get a double-pane, gas-filled windows. These windows have sealed compartments with gas inside. The gas is an extra measure and adds a little more insulating benefit.