For homeowners and cottage owners planning ahead, including anyone looking at agreements signed by March 31, 2027.
Mid-fall is a good time to tackle a few jobs that are much easier before the first hard freeze than after it.
Here's a practical checklist for your main home in Durham and, if you have one, a seasonal cottage in Muskoka, Haliburton, the Kawarthas, Parry Sound or Georgian Bay. It's general information, so always check your own manuals, your insurer and a licensed pro for anything specific to your property.
1. Get your heating ready before you need it
- Change or clean the furnace filter, then run the heat on a mild day to make sure everything works.
- Book annual service for fuel-burning appliances. The Province of Ontario recommends having fuel-burning appliances, chimneys and vents cleaned and inspected by professionals every year before cold weather sets in (Ontario.ca, Carbon monoxide safety).
- Clear outdoor intake and exhaust vents for the furnace, water heater, dryer and fireplace. Keep them free of leaves now and snow later.
- Open the registers and move furniture or rugs off them so warm air can circulate.
- If you use a humidifier, clean it and replace the pad or filter according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Test your CO and smoke alarms
Fuel-burning appliances work hardest in winter, and Ontario's rules changed this year.
As of January 1, 2026, if your home has a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, you need a CO alarm adjacent to each sleeping area and on every storey, including storeys without bedrooms (Ontario.ca, Carbon monoxide safety). The province also says to test CO alarms every month, replace batteries every year and replace the alarms themselves according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Smoke alarms are required on every storey and outside all sleeping areas, and that applies to cottages, cabins and seasonal homes too (Ontario.ca, Fire safety at home). At the cottage, the province suggests testing alarms each time you arrive and packing spare batteries.
3. Protect your pipes and stop the drafts
- Insulate exposed pipes near outside walls and in crawl spaces, the attic and the garage. Foam pipe covers from a hardware store work well.
- Find your main water shut-off and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is. If a pipe bursts, you'll need to turn the water off right away.
- Seal air leaks around windows, doors, dryer vents and where pipes and wires enter the house.
- During a cold snap, open kitchen, bathroom and laundry cabinet doors on exterior walls so warm air reaches the plumbing, and keep the garage door closed if water lines run through it.
- Never use an open flame or torch to thaw a frozen pipe. It's a fire hazard. The City of Toronto suggests gentle heat such as a hair dryer or heating pad, and a licensed plumber if needed (City of Toronto, Prevent or thaw frozen pipes).
4. Take care of the outside
- Clean the gutters and downspouts, and make sure water drains away from the foundation.
- Shut off and drain outdoor taps. Disconnect hoses, close the inside shut-off valve, open the outside tap to let it drain, and consider an insulated tap cover (Morison Insurance, Winterize your home while away).
- Clean the dryer vent and check that the outside flap opens and closes freely.
- Check walkways, steps and railings for loose spots before they're covered in ice, and stock up on salt or grit.
5. Closing up the cottage
Closing a cottage properly is about more than pulling the dock. Many cottage insurance policies include seasonal vacancy conditions, and how you close up can affect coverage for something like a burst pipe (InsureMyCottage.ca). Policies vary a lot, so call your insurer or broker before you close and ask exactly what yours requires.
Common close-up steps include:
- Shut off the water at the main valve, pump or wellhead.
- Drain the lines: open all taps, flush the toilets and drain the hot water tank and any pressure tank.
- Add non-toxic RV antifreeze (propylene glycol, not automotive antifreeze) to drain traps and toilets.
- Decide on heat-on or a full drain. Some owners leave low heat on, while others drain everything and shut the heat off. Your policy may set a minimum temperature, require regular inspections or require notice to your insurer, so pick the approach your policy supports (Morison Insurance).
- Shut off fuel and power you don't need: propane or gas at the tank or meter, and non-essential breakers. Empty and prop open the fridge.
- Arrange check-ins if your policy requires them, and keep a record of each visit.
- Document everything. Take dated photos of each room, the shut-off valves and the property itself. A record of what you did helps if you ever need to make a claim, and good photos of the cottage in fall colour are worth having if you might sell one day.
Not sure? Hire a plumber or cottage property-management service and keep the receipt.
Planning a move before spring?
If you're thinking about buying or selling with an agreement signed by March 31, 2027, getting your home or cottage winter-ready now means fewer surprises when it's time to show it or close.
Want the full checklist?
I'm putting all of this, plus a few extras, into a printable Winter-Ready Home & Cottage Close-Up Checklist. Message or email me at [email protected] and I'll send you a copy. And if you're thinking about selling your home or cottage next year, ask for a free Home Value Report. It's my opinion of value based on recent nearby sales, not an appraisal, and there's no obligation.
Andrew Persaud, Sales Representative, REVEL Realty Inc., Brokerage
200B – 1032 Brock Street S, Whitby, ON L1N 4L8
📞 416.220.7045
✉️ [email protected]
This article is general information only and isn't professional, legal or insurance advice. Requirements vary by property, municipality and insurance policy. Confirm with your insurer, a licensed contractor or plumber, and your local fire department. A Home Value Report is an opinion of value, not an appraisal. Not intended to solicit those already under contract with a brokerage.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, "Carbon monoxide safety" (updated Dec 30, 2025; rule changes in effect Jan 1, 2026): https://www.ontario.ca/cosafety
- Government of Ontario, "Fire safety at home": https://www.ontario.ca/page/fire-safety-home
- City of Toronto, "Prevent or thaw frozen pipes": https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/your-water-pipes-meter/water-related-help-advice/prevent-or-thaw-frozen-pipes/
- Morison Insurance, "How to winterize your home while away": https://www.morisoninsurance.ca/news/winterize-home-while-away/
- InsureMyCottage.ca, "How to winterize your Ontario cottage (and why it matters for coverage)": https://insuremycottage.ca/blog/winterizing-cottage-insurance-perspective/
