Closing the Cottage Before Thanksgiving: A Muskoka Plumbing Winterizing Walkthrough
Closing the Cottage This Thanksgiving? Start With the Water. For a lot of Muskoka families, Thanksgiving weekend means one last turkey dinner at the lake... and then closing the cottage. This year, Thanksgiving Monday falls on October 12, 2026, and by then cold nights are already routine around Muskoka. That matters, because water left in a pipe, pump, toilet or water heater can freeze, expand and crack whatever it's sitting in. The worst part? You usually don't find the damage until May, when the water goes back on and starts coming out somewhere it shouldn't. The good news? Winterizing cottage plumbing isn't complicated. It's a sequence. Do the steps in order and don't skip any. Let's break it down. π‘ Important: Every cottage is plumbed a little differently. Use this as a general guide, follow the manufacturer's instructions for your pump and water heater, and if you're not sure how your system is put together, call a licensed plumber. π§° What Yo...