Owning a seasonal/vacation property has different utility requirements than a property that is occupied full time. There are several things to take into consideration when opening/closing your property for the season.
Opening for the Season:
- If you need to reconnect utility services, make sure to set up these appointments well in advance. It can often take several weeks to get a reconnection appointment. Be aware that there are reconnection costs associated with this process.
- Do a routine maintenance check on your appliances to ensure they are in good working order. This includes water heaters, furnace, air conditioning unit, and all other appliances using electricity, natural gas or water.
- If your water service has been shut off, turn back on water services and check for any leaks. If you have a dishwasher or washing machine, you may want to run a load to ensure everything is working properly. The same goes for any bathrooms and sinks, make sure the toilets flush and the taps work properly. You may need to run the water for a little while to clear any build up in the pipes.
- If electricity and natural gas services are already set up, make sure to test your appliances and lights. Try the different light switches and check the pilot lights on any natural gas appliances.
Closing for the Season:
- Winterize all pipes to prevent freezing. This is a very important process. Not properly winterizing pipes can cause damage to property and be very expensive to repair.
- Unplug appliances you won’t need, including fridges, televisions, and air conditioners, among other items. Be sure to empty fridges and freezers if you are unplugging them for the season.
- Turn down your thermostat to a level that maintains a safe temperature through the cold winter season.
- Seal gaps around windows and doors to prevent cool air (and critters) from getting in.
- Turn off all lights. If you want lights to come on periodically in the off season for security reasons, consider installing motion sensing lights or setting up a timer!
Keep in Mind:
You have a few options to turn off the electricity and natural gas services to a property for a season. You can turn off the breakers and water at the main but leave the services running to the meter. This will end your consumption, but you will still receive a monthly bill for the non-energy costs.
The second option is to contact your retailer and have them disconnect the services at the meter. However, your property may be subject to idle billing charges. These charges are levied by the distributor to recover the costs to maintain the transmission lines and to keep the site connected to the provincial power grid.
Note: If your natural gas has been disconnected for more than six months, a gas permit may be required prior to reconnection. A bonded and licensed contractor must be contracted first to assess the gas line. This inspection can be costly and is the account holder's responsibility.
Salvaging a Site
If you don't want to pay idle billing charges, you can request the distributor to salvage the equipment at your property. This means the distributor will physically remove the meter, power poles and power lines, and your property will no longer have access to the power grid.
Salvaging a site is a lengthy and costly process that is usually only done when you have no plans to use electricity at that property again. There are costs associated with salvaging and reconnecting a site. These costs can be extensive and should be weighed against the costs of maintaining idle/non-energy billings.