How to preserve a bathhouse for the winter

If the bath is located in a summer cottage, which is rarely visited in winter, it must be properly prepared for the cold weather. We will tell you what needs to be done in the bathhouse so that it will stand calmly throughout the winter season and be ready to hospitably open the doors to the owners who have returned in spring.

There are many reasons why the bathhouse has to be preserved for the winter. Firstly, it can be located in a summer cottage far from home, every weekend you can’t run over. Secondly, in winter it is much more difficult to light a bathhouse, it takes a lot of firewood. Thirdly, the water supply system can be mothballed for the winter, so getting water is also not easy..

In any case, when you are preparing the cottage and the plot for the cold weather, the bath should also be given your attention. Of course, in the spring, after your long absence, the bath complex or sauna will still have to be tidied up, preparing for the summer season. But proper preparation for the winter will allow the bath to avoid such troubles as a tank torn apart due to frost, rot on the walls, leaky taps, and so on..

So, we present you with a list of things to do while preparing the bath for the winter season and temporary downtime:

1. Start with a general cleaning! It is advised to wash the bath after each use, but before cold weather it is necessary to clean all surfaces. For example, over time, a very unpleasant plaque can form on the shelves, which can only be removed with a coarse brush or skin. Use regular soapy water, pay special attention to the dirtiest place – under the bath shelf. Do not forget to rinse the hot water tank, which may have accumulated a lot of scale and even rust during summer use. Pour bowls, watering cans with boiling water, dry. Hang the brooms in a dry place, or even better, on the eve of spring, stock up on new, fresh and fragrant ones. It will not be superfluous to treat wooden surfaces with antiseptics after cleaning, which will prevent the appearance of mold and mildew;

2. Heat the stove well for the last time this season to dry out the bathhouse after the general cleaning. Then you need to thoroughly clean the ash from the firebox itself and the blower. We recommend using wood ash as fertilizer in the beds. If the weather is still good, you don’t need to heat the stove in vain, not waste a supply of firewood, but simply open all windows and doors, arrange a draft to dry the bathhouse after a general wash;
3. Clean your chimney after summer use. Yes, over the winter, even if you have a hood installed, debris and dust can still get into it, as without them. But in the spring there will definitely be less work;

Important! Leave the valve fully open so that it does not freeze over the winter and in the spring the stove can be easily melted.

4. Water must be drained from everywhere – from the water supply system of a bath, a toilet bowl, tubs and other containers. Check everything carefully and leave the taps in the bath open for the whole winter;

• Everything that can attract mice and rats must be removed from the bath. For example, they will gladly gnaw candles and soap, so it is better to take such things with them or just throw them away so as not to attract pests. For fidelity, you can decompose the poison and arrange mousetraps, but then in the spring it is possible to search for sources of a very unpleasant odor in the room;
• Turn off the power supply to the bath, unplug all electrical appliances from the sockets;

7. Insulate the sewer pipe. At least in the place where it goes into the ground. If the bath has its own septic tank, it should also be given attention – it should be drained by three quarters, insulated from above, remove all electrical devices, including the pump, from which water must be drained;
8. Check the roof of the bath, if necessary – carry out current repairs;
9. Clean and repair gutters if necessary to cope with autumn showers and spring melting snow;

10. Bath windows are very desirable for the winter to be securely closed with shutters, roller shutters. If not, use a regular plastic wrap. It will not allow moisture to enter the room..