Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
November 10, 2026
Adirondack Winter Prep: Heat or Winterize?
TLDR
- Avoiding $50,000 burst-pipe disasters gives prepared Adirondack second-home owners a decisive edge over careless buyers.
- Winterizing drains plumbing and adds antifreeze, while keeping heat at 55 F or higher protects pipes and finishes.
- Proper fall preparation protects homes and gives new Adirondack owners peace of mind through safer, more secure winters.
- A toilet with trapped water can freeze and crack, and an unheated former church saw its kitchen tiles split.
Impact - Why it Matters
For many new second-home owners in the Adirondacks, the first winter is a crash course in property management. The decision to heat or winterize is not just a matter of preference—it can mean the difference between a few hundred dollars in preparation and tens of thousands in repairs. Burst pipes, ice dams, and cracked tiles are common and costly consequences of inadequate preparation. As climate patterns bring more extreme cold snaps, the stakes are higher than ever. Understanding the risks and taking proactive steps—whether hiring a professional to winterize, installing monitoring devices, or scheduling regular check-ins—can protect both the property and the owner’s investment. This guidance is especially timely as a wave of new buyers, many unfamiliar with mountain living, learn that an Adirondack house demands year-round attention, even when unoccupied.
Summary
As many first-time second home buyers in the Adirondacks prepare to close up their mountain properties for the winter, the most critical decision they face is whether to keep the house heated or have it winterized. According to Chase Jermano, broker of Tina Leonard Real Estate, the choice carries significant financial implications. Winterizing—draining plumbing and adding antifreeze—is typically the less expensive option, but a careless job can lead to costly damage. Jermano warns that even a small amount of water left in a toilet can freeze and crack it, so he advises hiring a professional or learning the process firsthand. For owners who opt to keep the heat on, he recommends setting the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit and installing a monitor that tracks indoor temperature and moisture, along with a remote water shutoff valve that can be controlled from a phone.
Older homes, many dating to the early 1900s, require a different calculation. Without recent plumbing updates, winterizing may cause connections to fail when water is reintroduced in spring, making heating the more cost-effective choice. Deep cold can also damage finishes, as Jermano saw when kitchen tiles cracked in a former church that was left too cold. Automatic fuel delivery is the safest arrangement, but extreme cold can burn through fuel faster than scheduled, turning a routine refill into an emergency. Jermano also stresses servicing the boiler or furnace before winter and arranging for snow removal from roofs and decks to prevent ice dams. A caretaker or trusted neighbor who checks regularly remains one of the most reliable safeguards.
The costliest first-winter mistake Jermano sees is burst pipes, which can cause $50,000 or more in damage within minutes if the heat is not set high enough. He recalls a home where pipes near an exterior wall froze and burst, flooding a finished basement two winters in a row. For older single-pane windows, storm windows or plastic film can reduce drafts and heating costs. And for owners driving up on winter weekends, Jermano’s first advice is to invest in good snow tires. As the article notes, the first winter teaches new owners how much an Adirondack house depends on fall preparation. For more information, visit tinaleonardrealestate.com.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content distributed by Keycrew.co. Read the original source here, Adirondack Winter Prep: Heat or Winterize?
