Winter in the mountains is different from winter in town. Temperatures drop fast after sunset, snow piles up against walls and vents, and a power outage on a back road can last much longer. Homes and cabins there also tend to sit empty for weeks, so a small problem can grow before anyone notices.
Getting your plumbing and heating ready before the first hard freeze is the simplest way to avoid that. Here is a practical, season-long approach.
Start With a Walk Around the Outside
Before you touch anything inside, take a slow lap around the building on a dry fall day. You are looking for the places where cold air and water meet.
● Outdoor taps and hose bibs. Disconnect hoses, shut off the inside valve if there is one and open the tap to let it drain.
● Exposed pipes. Check crawl spaces, garages and any pipe running along an outside wall. Foam pipe sleeves are cheap and easy to fit.
● Vents and exhaust pipes. Note where your furnace, boiler and water heater vent. These outlets need to stay clear of snow all winter.
● Gaps and cracks. Seal openings where cold air can blow onto pipes, such as around dryer vents or where lines enter the house.
Take photos as you go, so you remember where things are once they are buried in snow.
Plan for the Power Going Out
In many mountain areas, the bigger winter risk is not the cold alone. It is the cold combined with no power. Most modern furnaces and boilers need electricity to run, even if they burn gas or propane. When the power goes, so does the heat, and pipes can start to freeze within hours in a cold snap.
A few steps make a big difference:
- Know where your main water shutoff is, and make sure everyone in the household can reach and turn it.
- Keep a basic emergency kit with flashlights, batteries, water, blankets and food for at least three days.
- If you use a generator, run it outside only, well away from doors and windows, and never in a garage.
- Have a plan for a long outage. That might mean draining the water lines if the house will be without heat for more than a day.
The Government of Canada’s Get Prepared site has clear guidance on building an emergency kit and making a household plan for winter storms and power outages. It is worth reading before the season starts, not during the first storm.
Give Your Heating System a Fall Check-Up
Your heating system works hardest when it is least convenient to fix it. A fall service visit is far easier to book than an emergency call on a snowy weekend.
During a check-up, a qualified technician will usually:
● Inspect burners, filters and safety controls on a furnace
● Check pressure, valves and circulation on a boiler
● Look at the water heater for leaks, corrosion and proper venting
● Test carbon monoxide detectors, or remind you to
Between visits, change your furnace filter on schedule and keep the area around your equipment clear. If you notice odd noises or uneven heat, call someone before the cold settles in.
Getting a Part-Time Property Ready to Sit Empty
Cabins, chalets and rental suites that sit empty for stretches need extra care. With no one there to notice a drip or a cold room, damage can build quietly for days.
Here is a simple checklist before you leave:
| Task | Why it matters |
| Set the thermostat to a steady, safe temperature | Keeps pipes in outside walls above freezing |
| Open cabinet doors under sinks | Lets warm air reach the pipes |
| Shut off water to washing machines and outdoor lines | Limits damage if a hose or valve fails |
| Arrange for someone to check the property | Catches problems early |
| Consider a remote temperature or leak sensor | Sends an alert to your phone |
Some owners choose to drain the system fully if a place will sit empty for a long time with no reliable heat. That process is more involved than it sounds, especially with a boiler or water heater, and it is easy to miss a low spot where water collects. In the Sea to Sky corridor, for example, Spearhead Plumbing & Heating is a Whistler-based company that works on boilers, furnaces, water heaters and frozen pipe repairs for homes and businesses in Whistler, Pemberton and Squamish. Wherever you live, it makes sense to have a local plumber’s number saved before you need it.
What to Do If a Pipe Freezes
Even with good preparation, a deep cold snap can catch a pipe. Signs include a tap that only trickles, frost on a visible pipe or a strange smell from a drain.
If you suspect a frozen pipe:
- Turn off the main water supply right away, in case the pipe has already split.
- Open the affected tap so water can flow once it starts to thaw.
- Warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer, a heating pad or warm towels.
- Never use an open flame, such as a torch or lighter, on a pipe.
- Watch for leaks as it thaws, and call a plumber if you see water where it should not be.
If you cannot find the frozen section, or the pipe is inside a wall, call a professional.
Make It a Habit, Not a Scramble
The households that come through mountain winters with the fewest problems are rarely the ones with the newest equipment. They are the ones that follow a routine: a walk around in the fall, a heating service before the first freeze, an emergency kit on the shelf and a clear plan for empty weeks.
Pick a date each autumn, perhaps the weekend you put on winter tires, and run through the same list. It takes an afternoon. A burst pipe in January can take months to put right.
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