Camp Open/Camp Close

[cknight1]

I'm a new home owner and I'm wondering if someone has a list or can direct me to one concerning the steps of opening and closing a camp each season.

Thanks,

Chris

[Tallyho]

Hi Chris,
Depending on the type of camp that you have, the list could vary considerably. Is it more of a year round place, or just a cottage? Will you be using it in the winter?
When I had my camp, my first concern was the water system. The first thing I would do is shut of the water pump and open it's circuit breaker. Then I would do the water heater, mine was electric, so I shut of the breaker and tagged it, with "DO NOT TURN ON". ( If the power is turned on to an empty water heater, the heating elements will burn out). At that point, I would open the water heater drain, and then a faucet at the lowest point in the system to start draining. All faucets, hot and cold, should be left open to prevent any air locks. Then I would flush the toilet until the tank was as empty as possible, and then add environmentally friendly anti freeze to the tank and bowl. Depending on how extensive your water system is, it may need to be blown out with compressed air. After that I made the building as weather tight, and secure as possible, and shut off the power. If you have a gas water heater, or other equipment, I would shut off the gas at the tank. When you reopen your camp, I would have a gas company technician come and relight everything. If you have a dock, you need to remove it, or install circulating pumps, or something to keep it from freezing in the ice. I always removed the float from our mooring, and attached a light line to it, which I tied to something on shore. That way it would be easy to find and retrieve come spring. I also would take down any signs and put away any outdoor equipment, otherwise it may disappear.
That's about all I can think of at the moment, if you have any questions, feel free to ask them.

[BBS]

Here's a checklist that we use for closing the cottage in the fall. In the spring we just open the propane tank valve, replace the bleeder valves, close the hot water tank valve, turn on the water (cross fingers here ), turn on the main breaker and wait for the hot water tank to fill before turning on the breaker to the water heater. Much of this information was gleaned from suggestions by members of this forum.

Cottage Closing Checklist
1. Turn off breaker to Hot Water heater.
2. Place tape over the breaker switch (Visible notice to fill the water tank next spring before turning on the hot water breaker).
3. Unplug refrigerator and prop doors open. Remove crisper and ice cube trays.
4. Shut off water supply outside and return key to closet.
5. Open water taps.
6. Attach air compressor to hose bib and turn on at 50 psi.
7. Stop compressor, close cold water taps
8. Drain Hot Water tank, turn compressor back on to help drain tank.
9. Open all pipe bleeder valves.
10. Flush toilet - sponge out tank and most of water in bowl.
11. Antifreeze (2 cups) in shower drain.
12. Antifreeze in bathroom sink drain.
13. Antifreeze in toilet bowl to about normal level.
14. Antifreeze in the toilet tank to protect float valve.
15. Antifreeze in washing machine and pump to get it in the trap.
16. Antifreeze in dishwasher and pump to get it in the trap.
17. Turn off dishwasher cold water valve under sink.
18. Antifreeze in sink drains.
19. Remove batteries from clocks.
20. Turn off heat at thermostat and breaker.
21. Windows closed and locked.
22. Refrigerator off and open.
23. All liquids going home.
24. Lock front door.
25. Check crawl space door and cover A/C compressor with tarp.
26. Close propane tank valve.

[Blue Thunder]

Don't forget the icemaker valve in the refrigerator!!! The best way to winterize it is to remove it from the fridge and drain it. Leave it on the kitchen counter so it will remind you to put it back in the Spring.

BT

[Senter Cove Guy]

I'm sure I've read somewhere that you don't need to or even shouldn't cover an A/C compressor with a tarp. Do we have any "expert" opinions and rationale?

[jlrm73]

Hey BBS-
you forgot #27: PRAY!!!!

[Orion]

Don't forget the shower valves (including activating the tub diverter if there is one, to get the shower valve to siphon out).

Also, newer toilet valves are anti-siphon so you need to open the top of the toilet valve (inside the tank) to allow air in and water to drain out of the toilet valve. Usually just four phillips-head screws and lift off.

The two above items were the only casualties I've had in the past 5 years.....learning from experience.

[Rinkerfam]

I've had two master plumbers tell me to place a plywood square weighted down with bricks on top of my a/c compressor to keep ice and small rodents out of the fan area. Both told me that a tarp enclosure acts like a greenhouse which will cause premature rusting to parts of the compressor. Makes sense to me.

[cknight1]

hey guys,

thank you for all the posts. our house is on an island and we will close it up for the winter months.

thanks again,

chris

[phoenix]

given the time of year and your first time at this, I would get a plumber to shut the house down. will allow you not to worry in the spring about water problems

[Island Girl]

The furry little ones love empty camps... Dcon is a great way to keep they at bay.

I cover everything in the kitchen with plastic bags and leave the stuff on the shelves..

Cover the mattresses with plastic (I buy a huge roll every few years). Who wants to sleep on a bed where there were droppings?

Take home everything liquid, put rest into plastic bags.. I then put everything into a big rubbermaid tub with a tight fitting lid.

Pull down shades to keep out the snoops.

Some put phone on hold for the season and turn off the power. I leave septic pump power on and the phone and electrcity for the webcam.

We make a long check list so we do not forget anything... we are also on an island.

Take pictures of everything including foundation to compare in the spring.. to see if anything changed.

Leave bottles of water in case we come in the winter and need a drink... It will melt in the microwave easily. Also leave packages of dry snacks and other food goods.

Ditto on all the water stuff.

That's it for now

[Island Life]

Originally Posted by Island Girl

Leave bottles of water in case we come in the winter and need a drink... It will melt in the microwave easily. Also leave packages of dry snacks and other food goods.

At first I thought Island Girl was referring to the rest of us who might come into her house during the winter and I was thankful that others thought of this. My aunt used to leave water and packaged food on the counter with a note to "friends we haven't met" in the event that someone "needed" to break into her camp during the winter. I thought this was a joke until my dad's truck went through the ice one year. After climbing out of the frigid water, he made his way through the thick fog to the nearest island he could find. There, he broke into a camp (later paying for the damage) and was able to warm himself up and wait until the next day when the fog lifted and he could find and walk to the mainland. Emergencies happen. I'm just glad he survived and was able to find shelter and a little food and water.