Your Cottage Opening Checklist
It’s that wonderful time of year when Canadians return to their cottages, cabins and other homes away from home. As you open your cabin or cottage, we have some helpful tips to make sure you get the season off to the right start.
Tips To Consider
Before kicking off your shoes and cranking up the music, here’s a handy checklist of things you might want to do as you settle back into cottage life.
- Check the perimeter of your property. Look for winter damage to the grounds or outside structures, like fences, gazebos, etc., and make a repair list.
- Inspect the exterior of your cottage, including the roof, eavestroughs, the state of your deck and other things you might overlook before stepping inside.
- Check for possible rodent or insect invasions and other uninvited animal guests, both in and around your cottage.
- If you have a basement, head downstairs to ensure there hasn’t been any flooding since you’ve been gone.
- See that your water is running correctly and that your water lines are in order. (Even in the summer, no one wants to be caught without hot water.) Little things like checking your water colour and level of pressure can tip you off to potential problems.
- Has it been a while since the last time you emptied your septic tank? Get your cottage season off to a fresh start by pumping your tank.
- Check to see that all your important cottage-specific insurance documents are up to date. This can include things outside your cabin too, like recreational vehicles, such as boats, RVs, ATVs and bicycles.
- Have a tool kit handy. Don’t have one? It doesn’t take too long to prepare your own.
- Bug spray is your friend. So is sunscreen. Pack accordingly.
You’ve waited all year to get back to the cottage, and just a little bit of preparation can help you get the most out of your relaxation time.