
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
After note. Cameron came back by a day later to check on readings he wasn't able to get on first appointment. I have high confidence in his work. I'm very likely to work with them again
Brayan and Marcos did an awesome job on the new ac installation. Installed with no issues and has been on ever since. Perfect time with summer coming up. Walked through and job was very clean and organized. Great work ethic. Great guys.
Good Customer Service is terribly undervalued. GREAT customer service is almost unheard of nowadays. That above all, when paired with truly quality work will always ensure not only a return customer, but also brand loyalty.
Update - our air conditioner went out today (10/26/23) and JEHAD showed up to repair the issue but the issue was bigger than expected. Tomorrow we will have a brand new system! Goettl is an EPIC firm that treats customers right. Thank you again JEHAD for going above and beyond.
Goettl is the epitome of what excellent customer service is! Our Drain King, DAREAN, addressed all of our questions and concerns and not only unclogged our drain but went above and beyond to show us our drains leading to the street were free and clear of any other issues. Thank you Darean and thank you Goettl for a great experience!
Update: great experience with Edgar Loredo who kept it real with us and was very transparent. I appreciate his honesty and recommendations. Will be requesting him as our technician in the future if we choose to use Goettl
2/15/23
Thank you, Jorge G. Again for being so honest about our unit issues.
Kathy
H. Navarro
Frank Soto, plumber was very thorough in his assessment of the problem. Provided options and was patient in waiting for our decision. We are very pleased with Frank's knowledge plus his warm personality was a plus. Thank you Frank.
H. Navarro
Jeremy Ortega service tech did an excellent job removing, cleaning and reinstalling the flame sensors along with servicing the HVAC blowers. We are set for the next 2 years. Thanks again Jeremy.
H. Navarro
Thank you!
09/19/2024 - Husam Ismail did an outstanding job!!! Very personable and honest, so far with my experience with
Goettl he is the best technician that i have encountered.
02/11/2024 - Josh L. did a fabulous job!!! He was very personable and fast. Great experience, I would recommend Goettl to anyone.
Today is 21 July Sam stopped by and service was excellent 👌. Ralph was excellent, great customer service
Thank you goettl
Explain testing and clarified cost.
I was impressed.
Brayan, Jason, and Christian were the three techs who installed the unit and new ducts. They showed excellent work ethic. They cleaned up all debris, and most importantly, the system works perfectly. Today Ignacio came and inspected the work, and found no problems at all. The entire team has earned 5 stars.
November 6, 2024. The team Brayan, Christian and Jason worked awesome in replacing our whole A/C system and air ducts. They were respectful of our property, answered our questions without hesitation. They all did a fantastic job. We thank ya'll for your services and definitely recommend your business. We appreciate you.
November 7, 2024: Ignacio inspected the newly installed air condition and duct system. He was very knowledgeable, and good expertise. He listened and answered our questions and concerns..he helped us to install our Sensi a/c and heater app..
Fe Alexander
Leticia and Ed Baca
We had an blockage in our sewer line.
Tyler Leija was dispatched the same day, and found the blockage using a camera tool.
He cleared the blockage temporarily.
The actual fix would require digging up and replacing the bad area of pipe.
Paulo "Adrian" Dado and his crew came out the next day with backhoe, dug up the area, and replaced the section of pipe.
The next day, after inspection, Adrian and his crew filled in the hole and then cleaned up the area.
This is a brief description. There was A LOT of work involved.
Very professional work.
Our tech Jorge that came out the day before helped quickly assess the situation and get us set up for a new system and water heater. Jorge was very friendly, would highly recommend!
Frank did an excellent job at explaining every thing in terms that were understandable to both myself and my wife. This greatly assisted in making the right decision to look at all options on either repair or update/purchase for the future and in the long term, saving money.
Will definitely call and use
Goettle again and I will ask if Darrean could help again.
Couldn’t be happier. Came all the options