The great Canadian summer pastime: Heading out to the cabin for a weekend away.
Whether your cabin sits empty for the long winter months, or is used as headquarters for your cold weather activities, when the temperature starts to rise, you’ll want to think about seasonal maintenance.
We’ve compiled a list of the must-dos when opening your cabin for the summer season, including a few things most people forget about.
Before you leave, don’t forget the essentials
On your first trip out to the cabin, you’ll need cleaning supplies, tools, batteries and filters, a fresh first aid kit, propane, and food. Don’t forget to check your cabin’s insurance.
Outdoor spaces: Decks, docks, and grills
During the summer months, your cabin’s outdoor space is arguably more important than the indoor. Start by checking your deck, dock, and any outdoor wooden structure for rot or damage. You don’t want anyone slipping through the cracks, so to speak.
Besides checking your dock’s ladder and structure, pay attention to small things like missing or protruding screws. Your deck may be in need of some seasonal maintenance, too. After checking for rot and damage, assess your restaining needs.
If you're anything like us, you’ll want to eat most of your meals off the BBQ. But, before you do, make sure you give your BBQ a checkup, cleaning and looking inside the grill (including the venturi tubes) for any stowaway creatures before you fire it up. Thoroughly check your propane tanks for leaks, levels, and dent.
Managing your indoor space
After you take care of the obvious things like your water supply, electricity, and water heater, you’ll want to thoroughly comb through your cabin. Take a look at the batteries in all of your smoke detectors and the expiration date on your fire extinguisher — safety first for the potentially dry summer months.
Check your freezer! If you’ve left food over the year, chances are it’s time to throw it out. You would also be surprised at the places where animals decide to hide. Don’t stop at your freezer, take a look into all of your appliances.
Unfortunately, mice can often be a part of your cabin life, especially if you aren’t using it year-round or you have an older build. Don’t be discouraged — the best thing you can do is try to manage them. Stuffing steel wool or copper wire into small openings will help keep the mice from getting in in the first place.
The fun stuff
Planning a day on the lake? While you’re getting your cabin ready, get your boat ready, too. After checking you have the necessary insurance and safety equipment, head to your local Co-op to grab snacks and supplies. Here, you can fill up with premium fuel which can save you from unnecessary boat maintenance.
If it’s a weekend of ATV and dirt biking adventures you’re after, you can follow in the footsteps of Ricky Forbes, and fuel up with Co-op!
