Blog – Mountain Boomers

Whether you are living in the mountains full-time, or part-time for the summer season, when the temperature starts to drop below 30F in the morning, it's time to start prepping your home for the winter. Staying? Winter for Full-Time Mountain Dwellers Hopefully, those of you who have a wood-burning stove, have been stockpiling firewood for the winter weather. If you have a pellet stove, you should have a pallet of bags in your garage or shed. If you use propane to heat your home, you’ll want to keep that tank full because deliveries can be interrupted by severe weather conditions. What is the best way to heat a mountain home? The most common ways to heat your home for winter are electricity, oil, propane, cordwood, and pellet fuel. Conditions will vary so choose the heat source that is best for your area. Electricity is the most efficient because the thermostat maintains room temperatures accurately. It is also the most convenient, and (depending on your location) is cheaper than propane. But Electricity is reliant on the power staying on. Mountain towns can experience several power outages during the winter. If you can afford it, a whole-house generator will keep you warm and illuminated during a power outage. Propane wall units are nice and have manual thermostatic control. Find a good setting and mark it on the dial so you know where to keep it most of the time. Be aware that propane can leave a film on windows and mirrors in the house. And they tend to make clicking noises going on and off all night which can be annoying if it is near your bedroom. But they put out great heat. Warmer than electric heat. The cheapest way to heat a cabin through the winter season is a good wood stove. They are cozy and comforting and – if you are lucky enough to know a lumberjack – the fuel is cheap, especially if you live in a heavily wooded area, and can harvest wood from your own land. Pellet stoves burn nice and clean, but hauling and storing the bags can be cumbersome, especially if you are tromping through several inches of snow. You will usually want to buy a pallet at a time to save money, and they will take up a lot of space in your garage or shed. A little extra precaution for new residents. Be aware of carbon monoxide buildup when you are heating your home. A CO detector is inexpensive and could save your life. I like to keep a few high windows cracked for ventilation too. It helps. Most Important Things to Keep in Mind: Shopping. Always keep at least 2 weeks of food and household supplies on hand. Depending on the snowfall in your area, you may be stuck on the mountain for a week. Icy roads and winter storms are no fun to drive when you need groceries. With heavy snowfall, road closures will happen. Keep your car stocked with blankets, water, and a first aid kit. Snow tires and four-wheel drive vehicles are a must. Fuel: For your vehicles, and for your portable generator. Small mountain towns may not have a gas or fuel station. Store the gas cans away from your home, but out of sight. Keep extra on hand because – guaranteed – a mountain newbie on his first winter will need to borrow gasoline. Power outages: They will happen. Stow flashlights all over the house, and keep candles and matches where you can find them. Emergency lights are awesome. They are battery-powered and will turn on when the circuit is interrupted. A sudden power outage can catch you unaware, so having a light come on will allow you time to gather flashlights, start your portable generator, or set candles around. Frozen water pipes: Leave a drip on overnight. As a general rule of thumb, in order for your home’s water pipes to freeze, the outside temperature needs to be below 20 degrees, for a total of at least six consecutive hours. A small, constant drip in one of your sinks will keep water moving through the meter, and keep the outdoor pipes from freezing. Your pipes inside the home are protected by the heat, but the distance from the water meter box out by the road, to your yard spigot, and then where it connects to the house is vulnerable to a hard freeze. Keep an eye on your weather forecast, they will let you know when there is a hard freeze in your area. Worried about ‘wasting’ water? Contact your local water company, the cost of 100 gallons of water is probably less than $1.00. Clothing: If you are new to mountain living, you will be glad you read this next line. Snow pants. Nothing worse than wet clothes in freezing temperatures. You can pull them on over your jammies to run outside and grab some wood. Waterproof boots that you can slip on and off easily make a huge difference. Warm clothing is a no-brainer. And if you are inspired to go on a winter hike on a cold day, think of extra warmth. Beautiful blue skies don't necessarily mean warm days, especially in higher elevations. Mother nature don't play. Things to buy BEFORE you get snowed in. Rock salt (or kitty litter works in a pinch). Flashlights with lots of batteries. Pet food. A good bottle of Scotch. Leaving? Winter for Part-Time Mountain Dwellers It’s been a great summer, but it’s time to head back to the city. Or – you’ve been back and forth to the cabin all season, but the National Weather Service lets you know that it’s turning cold and your city home will be more comfortable during the winter months. Whatever your situation is, if you are going to be away from your mountain for any length of time, you need to winterize your cabin before you close it up. The first thing to do is Protect your water pipes. Leaving water sitting in your pipes in a cold house over the winter is going to break them. The water freezes and expands inside the pipes, then the pipes crack, and when it warms up again, you get leaks that cause water damage. One way to avoid cracked water pipes is to keep your empty house heated all winter. Expensive. So take about half an hour and drain your pipes. To drain your water pipes, go out to the water meter and close the shut-off valve between the meter and the house. Now, go inside the house and open all the faucets until they run dry. Close the faucets, and leave the meter shut off. You might even want to put a padlock on it, so nobody messes with it while you are gone. Make sure all windows and doors are sealed. Weatherstripping is your friend. Felt strips for doors are easily installed and removed, and they will last a couple of years. Window inserts can be set in and removed easily. Sealing up your home will keep the dust and pollen out while you are away. For permanence, caulk around your windows and doors, and check them yearly for cracks. Caulk is harder to remove, but makes the best seal, and lasts for years. Unplug your major appliances. Again with the power outages, something to remember – when the power is restored, there will either be a surge, or you will have (what we call) a brown-out. A brown-out is when only partial power is restored. This will burn up the motor in your refrigerator, trying to keep it to a set temperature. A surge may fry your TV, stereo system, or computer. Fire Safety. Yes, forest fires can happen during the winter months, although they are not as common. Power lines break under the weight of snow and can ignite random fuel around the house. Lightning has no shame, it will hit anything it is attracted to. Be sure any dry vegetation and brush are cleared at least 100 feet around your home, trim tree branches that are near the roof, and for goodness sake, do not leave stacked firewood on your porch. Not only is it fuel, but critters will take up residence there and try to get into the house.