How to Winterize a Seasonal Cottage on Keuka Lake

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Last reviewed: October 9, 2026. General information only. Every cottage is plumbed differently. If you’re unsure about draining your system, hire a licensed plumber, and read your insurance policy’s vacancy and freezing terms.

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Closing a Keuka Lake cottage for the winter is a fall ritual. Done well, you come back in spring to a house that’s exactly as you left it. Done badly, you come back to split pipes, a flooded crawl space, a cracked water heater, mice in the mattresses, and an insurance claim that may not be paid.

This guide covers the two basic approaches (heat it or drain it), a step-by-step closing checklist, wells and septic, insurance, and opening up in spring. If you’re thinking about living in the cottage year-round instead, see our guide to converting a seasonal cottage to year-round use.

Why pipes break

Water expands when it freezes. The American Red Cross’s frozen pipes guidance explains that this expansion puts enormous pressure on pipes, metal or plastic, and can burst them. The pipes most likely to freeze are those exposed to severe cold (outdoor spigots, sprinkler lines), pipes in unheated spaces like crawl spaces, attics, garages, and under-sink cabinets, and pipes along poorly insulated exterior walls.

Many cottages check all those boxes: plumbing in a vented crawl space, a kitchen on an outside wall, and an outdoor shower.

Two approaches: heat it or drain it

Option 1: Keep the heat on

If the cottage has a reliable heating system, you can keep it heated over the winter. The Red Cross recommends leaving the heat at no lower than 55°F when you’re away in cold weather.

Keeping the heat on has risks: a furnace failure, a power outage, or running out of fuel can lead to frozen pipes when nobody is there to notice. If you go this route:

  • Have the heating system serviced before winter.
  • Set up automatic fuel delivery and keep the driveway and tank path plowed. See our propane guide.
  • Install a remote temperature or freeze alarm that alerts your phone, and consider a water leak sensor or an automatic water shut-off.
  • Arrange for someone to check the house regularly, especially after storms and outages.
  • Shut off the water to outdoor spigots and drain them.
  • Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls.

Option 2: Drain the system

If the cottage won’t be heated, the safer approach is to remove the water from the plumbing so there’s nothing to freeze. This is the traditional camp approach, and in many cottages it’s the only realistic one.

Draining fully is harder than it sounds. Water hides in low spots, traps, appliances, and fixtures. If you’re not confident, hire a plumber. Many local plumbers offer seasonal opening and closing services, and some use compressed air to blow out lines.

Closing checklist: draining a cottage

Adapt this to your cottage. Write down what you do so next year is easier (and so a plumber or caretaker can follow it).

Water supply

  1. Shut off the water where it enters the house, and turn off the well pump or lake-intake pump at the breaker.
  2. Open every faucet, hot and cold, including showers, tubs, and outdoor spigots.
  3. Open the lowest drain valves on the system to let water run out. Leave the faucets open.
  4. Drain the pressure tank if you have a well or intake system.
  5. Flush toilets and hold the handle down to empty the tank, then remove remaining water from the tank and bowl with a sponge or wet vac.
  6. Blow out the lines with compressed air if you have the equipment and know-how, or have a plumber do it.

Water heater

  1. Turn off the power or fuel to the water heater first. Never heat an empty tank.
  2. Let the water cool, then drain the tank through the drain valve at the bottom.
  3. Leave the valve open, or close it and note that it must be refilled before the heater is turned back on.

Traps and drains

Sink, tub, and shower traps hold water that can freeze and crack. Plumbers commonly empty traps or add non-toxic plumbing antifreeze made for this purpose. Ask your plumber what’s appropriate for your system. The Red Cross warns against putting antifreeze in pool or sprinkler supply lines unless the manufacturer or installer directs it, because antifreeze is harmful to people, pets, and wildlife.

Appliances

  • Dishwasher, washing machine, ice maker, and refrigerator water lines all hold water. Follow each manufacturer’s winterizing instructions.
  • Unplug and prop open the refrigerator so it doesn’t grow mold.

Outdoor plumbing

The Red Cross recommends draining and storing hoses, closing the inside valves that supply outdoor spigots, and leaving the outside spigots open so any water left in the pipe can expand without breaking it. Drain outdoor showers and irrigation lines according to the manufacturer’s or installer’s directions.

Lake intake lines

If your cottage draws water from the lake, the intake line and any in-lake foot valve may need to be pulled or drained before ice season. Treatment equipment (filters, UV units) holds water too. See our drinking water guide.

Septic systems over the winter

A septic system that sits unused all winter can freeze, especially shallow lines in a winter with little snow cover. If your system has a pump tank, decide whether to leave power on (so the alarm and pump work) or to shut it off after making sure the pump tank is low. Ask your septic provider what’s right for your system. If you’re in Zone 1, check when your next KWIC inspection is due. See our septic guide.

The rest of the house

  • Fuel and heat: If heat stays off, shut off fuel to appliances you’re not using, following manufacturer instructions.
  • Electricity: Decide what stays on (sump pump, alarms, freeze sensor, heat tape) and turn off the rest.
  • Rodents and pests: Remove all food, seal openings, and store bedding and linens in sealed bins.
  • Moisture: Prop open interior doors, cabinets, and the refrigerator. Clean up anything that could mold.
  • Roof and gutters: Clean gutters and check for loose shingles before snow arrives.
  • Docks and boats: Arrange dock and lift removal or ice protection, and boat storage. See our dock rules guide.
  • Security: Lock up, store valuables, and tell a trusted neighbor you’ve closed for the season.
  • Driveway: If someone needs to check the house, arrange plowing. See our winter access guide.

Insurance: read the vacancy and freezing terms

Many homeowners policies limit coverage when a home is vacant or unoccupied for an extended period. Many standard forms cover freezing damage only if you took reasonable care to maintain heat in the building or to shut off the water and drain the system and appliances. Those terms vary by company, so read your policy and ask your agent before you close up, and keep a record (photos, a dated checklist, or a plumber’s invoice) of what you did. See our insurance guide.

Opening in spring

  1. Walk the house and crawl space looking for damage, leaks, and pests before turning on water.
  2. Close drain valves and faucets you opened, and reinstall anything you removed.
  3. Turn the water on slowly and watch for leaks at every fixture and under the house.
  4. Fill the water heater completely (run a hot faucet until water flows steadily) before turning on power or fuel.
  5. Flush lines by running each faucet.
  6. If you’re on a well or lake intake, test for bacteria before drinking the water. New York DOH recommends testing private wells at least once a year, ideally in late spring or early summer (Test Your Well).
  7. Restart the septic pump and test the alarm.
  8. Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

What to have on hand

A few inexpensive items make closing up, and checking in from away, easier. Links go to Amazon search results so you can compare options:

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should I leave my cottage at over the winter?

If you keep it heated, the American Red Cross recommends no lower than 55°F. A remote temperature alarm and regular checks reduce the risk of an unnoticed heating failure.

Is it safer to drain the cottage or keep the heat on?

If no one can check the house regularly, a properly drained system usually has less to go wrong. If you keep heat on, back it up with automatic fuel delivery, remote alerts, and someone who can respond.

Should I use antifreeze in my cottage plumbing?

Plumbers commonly use non-toxic plumbing antifreeze in traps. Ask your plumber what’s right for your system. Don’t put antifreeze in pool or sprinkler supply lines unless the manufacturer or installer says to.

Will insurance cover frozen pipes in my closed cottage?

It depends on your policy. Many require that you maintained heat or drained the system, and many limit coverage for vacant homes. Read the policy and ask your agent.

Do I need to test my water when I open up?

It’s a good idea. New York DOH recommends testing private wells for bacteria at least once a year, and spring opening is a natural time.

Official sources

Related on Living on Keuka: Seasonal to year-round · Winter access · Insurance · Septic systems · Older homes

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