
Winterizing Your Second Home During Snowbird Season
Owning a second home, be it a rental property or a cozy vacation retreat, is a dream for many. As we enter snowbird season, it’s essential to take steps to protect your investment from harsh weather conditions. Winterizing your second home is crucial to ensure its longevity and maintain its value. Read on to explore some expert-recommended tips to safeguard your property from the elements.
Insulate and Seal

Proper insulation is your first line of defense against cold temperatures during the snowbird season. Inspect your second home for gaps and drafts, especially around windows and doors. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), sealing gaps and adding insulation can save you up to 20% on your heating bill.
Maintain Heating Systems
Before the snowbird season begins, it’s vital to have your heating system inspected and maintained. If you use propane or fuel oil to heat your home, be sure your tanks are filled. A malfunctioning furnace can lead to costly repairs and potential damage to your property. Consider having a professional HVAC technician inspect your heating system regularly to catch minor issues before they become costly repairs.
Drain Water Systems
According to the Insurance Information Institute, water damage is the most common insurance claim, accounting for one out of every five claims filed with insurers. To prevent burst pipes and water damage during the snowbird season, drain the water supply lines in your second home before leaving it unattended for the winter. This includes interior and exterior water sources, such as faucets and irrigation systems. You can also pour some RV anti-freeze into your sinks, toilets, and traps to prevent trapped water from freezing.
Invest in a Smart Thermostat
A smart or programmable thermostat allows you to control your second home’s temperature remotely during the snowbird season. By setting a lower temperature when you’re away and increasing it before your arrival, you can save on energy costs while ensuring your property stays at a safe temperature. Smart thermostats that have earned the ENERGY STAR label are certified to deliver energy savings.
Keep Your Fridge Door Ajar
Keep the door slightly open to protect your appliances from microbial growth if you plan to turn off your fridge or freezer while away. Leaving the door ajar also allows air to flow inside and around your fridge or freezer, preventing the buildup of stale and musty odors.
Clean Gutters and Downspouts
Cleaning the gutters and downspouts is crucial during the snowbird season to prevent ice dams, which can cause water to seep into your home. This routine maintenance task can also help extend the life of your roof.
Remove Dead or Overhanging Tree Branches
Heavy snow and ice can cause trees and branches to fall, potentially damaging your property during snowbird season. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) advises regular tree maintenance to reduce the risk of property damage during severe weather. FEMA also recommends that your home be at least a full-grown tree’s height (about 40 feet) away from the base of any tree.
Secure Outdoor Furniture
To protect your outdoor furniture and prevent potential damage to your second home during the snowbird season, be sure to store or secure it properly for the winter. High winds and heavy snow can wreak havoc on outdoor furnishings.
Embrace Snowbird Season with Confidence
Winterizing your second home during the snowbird season is an investment in its long-term health and your peace of mind. So, whether you’re looking to save on energy bills, prevent water damage, or simply maintain your property’s value, these steps are essential for the winter months ahead. Take action now to safeguard your second home and enjoy a worry-free snowbird season.
call goettl for peace of mind
Knock a few of these tasks off your to-do list with expert help from Goettl. For professional HVAC and plumbing services that will keep your second home in top shape all year round, contact Goettl. Their team of experts can provide the necessary care and attention your heating, cooling, and plumbing systems need to withstand the snowbird season. Your home deserves the best care, and Goettl is here to deliver it.
Testimonials
What Our Customers Say About Us





I initially had a rocky start with one particular representative, but the Goettl team stepped up and made it right, which says a lot about their integrity as a company. Billy did an outstanding job and made sure my system was safe, fully operational, and gave me real peace of mind.
Thank you to management, Josh and Josue, for personally ensuring the job was completed to my satisfaction.





What stood out the most was their attention to detail and genuine care for customer satisfaction. They took the time to assess my system thoroughly, offered honest recommendations, and completed the work efficiently without cutting corners. My home is now noticeably more comfortable, and I feel confident knowing everything was handled by true professionals.
If you’re looking for reliable, top-quality HVAC service, I highly recommend Goettl. They truly live up to their reputation and exceeded my expectations in every way. Thank you Jose Carreon

Isaias was wonderful! He was professional, approachable, knowledgeable, kind, and timely. I highly recommend him!

Thank you
Dave and Kathy Halvorson






Not thrilled about the cost. But I think it was fair.

Nick, Julian, and Josh were at my home for four days. They did a meticulous job, cleaning up every day with no debris left. They were responsive to my questions and took pride in their work. They explained the work to be done in great detail.
The work team was terrific, and I would have no hesitation in using them again or recommending them.





Did a great job. Answered all of my questions and showed me how to take care of my equipment. They talked to me not at me. Thank you both of you.
Patty 🤗🌷🌵



And no, they didn't "invent" a problem. They solved it.



Added: Brayan was also exceptional. He and his Coworker were very professional, courteous and timely. I couldn't have asked for better service!



Thank you







5 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟



Update on 1/10: Ashton was very helpful and informative. He did a good job and gave good communication!






Ashton was a great tech. Jumped right into the maintenance check ensuring our systems were up and running as should be. Following his tune up and inspection, Ashton thoroughly went over all his findings before cleaning up.
Nate is a fantastic Goettl tech. Came out to fix one problem but quickly realized the diagnosis was not correct. Stayed at our house, relentlessly working to figure out the issue all while in a house with no A/C, registering indoor well above 90. Thanks to Nate, David and Goettle for getting us back up and running and taking care of us and making the invoice total right. Great customer service in this experience.
12/21/24
Jeremy was fantastic. They were able to get us in earlier than scheduled. He remembered the house and was able to due the maintenance tune up and test the system in no time. Great experience.
12/26/24
Francesco is a top notch plumber. On time and got right to work. Did all his inspections and was in and out in no time. Stuck around after his inspection to talk about what he found and made some minor recommendations. Awesome experience.









A BIG THUMBS UP!!!!!👍

The estimate for the duct cleaning was presented transparently, with clear explanations of the process and pricing, making it easy to understand. Highly recommend.









I called so many companies before this, and no one took the time, care, or patience that Josue did. His customer service was outstanding, his knowledge was impressive, and he genuinely cared about making sure I got the right solution, not just a sale. I was honestly surprised by how detailed and honest he was.
If you want things done the right way, I 100% recommend Goettl and especially Josue to have in your home. Truly top-notch service!

My issue is that service was for the morning and ended up at 3pm. This has been a problem for multiple service/maintenance appointments to include two cancelations. As a working professional, timing is very critical in my daily scheduling.

We discussed options and agreed that a detailed lcleaning and sewing of all the ducts should eliminate this problem. He discussed financing and, and returned the following morning to make all the arrangements. He also advised us not to continuously run the A/C fans when the unit was not cooling, which seems to have helped with the humidity already, even though the duct work isn’t scheduled for a few days hence.
It was a pleasure to work with a knowledgeable A/C technician who could quickly isolate the cause of our problem and arrange a solution.

Kudos to Frank Soto 👏

Goettl provides fast and professional air conditioning repair services. Their technician sam was knowledgeable, prompt, and efficient, ensuring that systems are back up and running quickly. The customer service is friendly, and they offer clear communication throughout the process. Highly recommended for quality HVAC repairs.












Julian and his team (Joey, Jeran, and Alonso) are extremely knowledgeable, efficient, and worked hard to get us back up and running as quickly as possible. Upon completion they send a detailed email with pictures.






Thank you!

Update: 1/7
Stacy excellent service excellent job well done professional communication excellent explain everything on the up to date stuff I need to do in the future appreciate your service have a nice day thank you


2 thumbs up 👍🏽 👍🏽













Update 01/05/26 Stacy was here to evaluate duct system clean and did a fabulous job and helped with dryer vent cleaning and other questions!

This January's visit with Kevin

I am very satisfied with my Goettle services, their employees, including the scheduling staff, and highly recommend this company.


We have known our water heater was at the end of its life. Goettl came in to do maintenance. Brent S. was our technician. He was very kind and knowledgeable. He explained the different options and we ultimately decided to replace our water heater with his help.
We were able to get it replaced same day. The crew who replaced it Zach C. (and I think Darrius?) did a great job replacing the water heater. Happy with everything!
Was having AC issues and a technician was able to come out the same day we called. Chris Rios did a great job showing and explaining in detail the problems we were experiencing with our unit. In the end, it was best for us to replace the entire unit. A crew was actually able to come out the next day to install the new unit. Juan and Carlos did the installation and did a great job! They were on time and were thorough. Happy with the entire process!





Goettl plumbing supervisor, Craig Cooper, arrived to survey the problem. Craig determined the valve had been incorrectly installed during the previous water system installation. Craig immediately contacted water mitigation supsrvisor, Ethan Gray at Quick Restore LLC.
Craig coordinated with Ethan the construction, drying of walls/carpet and services for the boxing and storage of our personal property. The reconstruction and repair work was done professionally and in an outstanding time frame for me to undergo major spinal surgery.
I wish to thank Craig for his outstanding integtity and attention to detail for this undertaking. He arranged for Goettl to cover all the costs involved for the work, boxing, moving, storage and water mitigation.
We are so very grateful to Goettl for their wonderful work ethic, technicians and supervisors. We absolutely continue to use and wholeheartedly endorse Goettl for all our AC and plumbing services! Thank, you again Craig!







Parker was very pleasant, knowledgeable and respectful of us and our home.
You’ll be in good hands with Parker and Goettl







Update: I accepted your proposal and wow, three days later my house has heat and air. Installation time was a little over five hours with breaks, and all the time your crew worked efficiently and professionally. Nothing left undone. A big THANK YOU for you guys.
Update2: Goetti set up the building permit appointment with the county, and attended the inspection, which past with no issues. Other companies that I have dealt with have not done so much. Furthermore, I did get multiple estimates, and all the other companies had convenient add-on's which proved by the inspection were a unnecessary expense, thus making Geotti price the lowest and most honest of them all. By the way, the heater and a/c have work to perfection and are both very quiet.
Follow up: A home inspection showed a small issue with my new furnace, so I called Goettl. Next day service and they determined there was an issue with the furnace they installed. Two days later (Christmas Eve) a brand-new furnace was installed. No debate, new questions asked, no cost to me, they insisted. This was quit the contrast to what I experience with other HVAC companies I have dealt with in my forty years in Reno.





Highly recommend Goettl Air Conditioning and Plumbing!!!


A short history. A few years ago, we had four seasons put in a new furnace. After checking around and getting tons of estimates, there was as much as a $10,000 difference between all of the estimates. Four seasons came in at the best price. Unfortunately, I ordered an 80,000 BTU furnace and when the guy was done, I looked at the furnace and saw that it was a 60,000 BTU. I showed the guy the invoice and basically his response was ‘ Oh crap’ so I talk to the manager and he assured me that 60,000 BTU would heat my home sufficiently since it was a high-efficiency unit.
I was ready to have them tear it out and put the right one in, when the manager guaranteed the furnace and gave me the price for the 60 KBTU with a substantial discount. I did the regular maintenance and service service with four seasons.
When Goettl took over, I’m not sure if they just change the name, or bought four seasons, but everything changed after that. First I was informed of a membership called Sadie which is basically a yearly/monthly fee that allows us to get a lot of benefits. Free service calls, free, free preventative maintenance and discounts on non-covered items.
The first thing that I noticed was Josh came in to do a service, check the pressure and saw that the original installation guy did not convert my furnace to propane. Apparently none of the other service people ever checked the pressure. He had to return with the correct parts and changed out the valve. He also helped me out with a bathroom heating duct that was ripped. The price was great and he said he felt bad that we had such issues with the previous company.
A few months later (last Saturday) we stopped getting heat. I called Goettl let them know, and they were at my house within two hours. When it’s freezing outside or going to be subzero it’s really important when they respond so quickly.
Chris was the technician and he found the problem, however, the plumbing supply company was not open till Monday morning. Two days with sub, freezing temperatures scaring me a bit. Chris said that he would check with Dispatch and see if they had a couple of space heaters. When he was leaving, he noticed we had a bunch of firewood on the front and he offered to help bring firewood in. I told him no problem we had it, he said he was happy to help us. Make sure we had enough firewood to get through two days.
These two offers, were above and beyond in something you really wouldn’t expect from your HVAC people. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any space heaters at Dispatch, so we went to Home Depot and got some radiator heaters and then yes 24 hours a day kept a fire going.
Chris showed up Monday about 11 AM with the parts and it took him about 2 1/2 to 3 hours to fix all of the problems. I’m not savvy with all of the HVAC terms, but something about condensate water bill backed up through the system blah blah blah… we now have heat. lol.
Getting the Sadie member membership/club was the best thing we decided to do. They call us regularly to schedule our summer and winter maintenance. They are responsive. And they are very polite every time I call them.
I really would recommend you contacting them and get on that membership before you actually need them. Thank you, Josh and chris and unfortunately, I cannot remember the name of the female technician that came out and changed our filters but she was awesome also!






Like most people, I typically search for the cheapest service I can find, and I end up having other plumbers come out to check out issues with my tankless water heater, who run their mouths, upsell parts (that don't seem to be causing the problem), and generally don't really know enough about tankless water heaters. This time, I decided to go with an experienced company with a good reputation, and I am glad that I did - Goettl's prices are very reasonable and worth the service they provide.
Juan, was very knowledgeable, patient, and persistent. Even better, he was careful and humble enough to acknowledge that he didn't know everything and checked with the manufacturer at every step. Juan spent a great deal of time helping me diagnose the problem (which always seems impossible to ascertain quickly with machines like tankless water heaters), and went above and beyond to ensure that my guests and I had hot water tonight.
Juan never got frustrated; he handled everything carefully and made sure to clean up after himself when he was done. If I can have Juan take care of all of my plumbing or AC issues in the future, I will. And if you're reading reviews to decide whether to call Goettl for your issue, I would encourage you to trust their service and experience. My experience with Juan was definitely memorable.
We now have hot water again. Can I get a "hell yeah"?


We had a concerning plumbing issue, and Geo was able to diagnose the problem with impressive speed and accuracy. What I really appreciated was that he took the time to clearly explain what was wrong, showed me what he was looking at, and gave me honest, practical advice on the best solution.
He had the issue resolved in no time at all. The whole experience was seamless, from the quick scheduling to the efficient and high-quality work. It’s so refreshing to find a technician who is not only a master of his craft but also a genuinely kind and trustworthy person.
A huge thank you to Geo and the entire team at Goettl. You have a customer for life! If you need a plumber, ask for Geo—you’ll be in the best hands






I have seen Goettl vans all over town and so I called them.
Got appointment right away and the Technician, Jef Eusepi, took care of our problem.









Thank you,
Greg Sanches





















This past week our service technician was Andrew Morgan and he is such a friendly, knowledgeable, and skilled technician. He spent time making sure the job was done correctly and he explained it in terms that I could understand. Not only is our unit functioning even better than before, I also gained knowledge of how the system works.












I highly recommend Goettl as this is the second time l've used them in less than a year. (2 seperate issues)... and I highly recommend them..anytime and anyday.
They have exceeded to top any expectations I could have ever had with any company.






The company is installing a tankless heater and the customer service is outstanding.
I recommend Geottl to all!


They made sure my carpet was covered and when they were all through they cleaned up perfectly
I would recommend your company to anyone looking to put in a new air conditioner.
Thank you so much for all you did for me.
Sincerely, June Jones

And I would highly recommend the company and the quality technicians like Jarod.
Jarod is the go to if you want excellent
Customer service and communication for any AC related issues. He is very knowledgeable, personable and trustworthy. I am grateful and satisfied.





They listened to my issue, were very through, checked for leaks, etc. I’ve lived in Lakeway for 30 years, used MANY local plumbers - but Goettl will definitely get all my business moving forward. HIGHLY recommend!
Ty, Wil & Adrian!
