Your Lake of the Ozarks Mortgage Lender: Tips for Protecting Your Vacation Home During Freezing Temperatures

Owning a vacation home at Lake of the Ozarks is a privilege. You've got a prime destination to vacation to during the Spring/Summer months. However, if you leave your Lake home unattended during the Winter, it's wise to ensure it's prepared to handle the frigid elements. In this week's blog, the best mortgage lender at Lake of the Ozarks, Michel Lasson, is here to give you a few tips to keep your home protected during the offseason.

Winterizing Your Home: Pipes & Indoor Maintenance

You'll want to ensure that your home is well insulated. Checking for any drafts and sealing holes or cracks with some form of insulation (foam works wonderfully), weather stripping, or caulk. You should also add insulation or a source of heat around areas of the home with piping. You can utilize heat tape, or even blankets to help insulate these areas to prevent pipes from freezing. To go a step further, keep a small trickle of water running from faucets; this allows water to continue to flow. Be sure to check the thermostat before you head out, keeping it set between 55 - 60 degrees. You could also consider installing a water leak detection system to notify you in the event of a leak.

Outside Maintenance

Clear your gutters of any debris to prevent ice dams on your roof. Installing gutter screens or "helmets" can prevent leaves and other items from clogging your gutters while your away. It's also advised to trim overhanging limbs from trees in case they fall under the weight of snow or ice. Damage sustained from large branches falling on your home is a costly and unpleasant ordeal. Doing preventative maintenance now could save you a lot of headaches later on. To help prevent your outdoor plumbing fixtures from freezing, we recommend disconnecting and storing any hoses, as well as shutting off the water to these sources. Be sure to drain the lines and hoses as well to prevent any existing water from freezing within them.

Warding Off Pests

Discard any food that is not in an airtight glass or metal container. Empty, clean, and defrost your refrigerator/freezer to prevent mold or other bacteria from forming while your away. Inspect the foundation of your home to ensure there are no openings for animals seeking shelter from the cold to enter into. Trimming overhanging branches also helps mitigate any pest problems. Animals aren't the only things that could be lurking to get inside your vacation home. Asking a local home service company or neighbor in the area to keep an eye on your vacation home is also a proactive way to stay ahead of any non-animal pests seeking shelter or a quick buck. Of course, installing a security system and displaying signs of surveillance on your property are also good deterrents.

Photo Credit: FunLake

As we mentioned, owning a second home at Lake of the Ozarks is a privilege, but it also comes with some extra requirements to ensure that it is safe during the colder months when you're not around as much. We hope that these tips have provided you with additional insights to keep your home safe while you're away. Having peace of mind that your home is safe and will be ready for use once the Spring/Summer season rolls around is a wonderful feeling.

If you don't yet own a home at the Lake but are interested in making 2021 that year, give Team Lasson a call! We'd be happy to help you secure a mortgage at Lake of the Ozarks with our award-winning service and great financing options!

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