Hello:
Who has the cabin/cottage as the second (retreat)home- and what are some rules/suggestions when unoccupied.
Let's say it's 6-8 months between visits. Example; do I need to keep the temperature at a constant?, think cold weather or any other climate for that matter.
Just want to know who's in this boat- and what works. What about that "nice neighbor" taking a peak inside? (yikes) :o
intelijoc
As far as keeping the temperature constant, that might be ideal, but a waste of energy resources. Plus if you were depending on a heater of some kind to protect the pipes from freezing, what would happen if there was a failure in that system?
Mainly we are concerned about freezing weather because of the damage that can occur with pipes freezing. Right now the temperature has barely been above freezing for an hour or two per day for the past couple weeks.
So my water supply pipes, when completed, will have provision for blowing out the pipes and fixtures using compressed air. There's a compressor on site at all times. As well I'll have some piping, like the shower, isolated with ball valves. That is so when we go up for just a day or two that section will remain dry. Just a little less to bother with when leaving.
The drain traps will be filled with RV antifreeze, or drained. There's no septic tank, just a gray water drain field and a composting toilet.
The toilet manufacturer says it's no problem to let the contents freeze.
Other than that we'll have shutters to cover the windows, mostly to prevent potential damage from falling tree branches. We have door locks to keep out the honest trespassers.
We have one neighbor a quarter mile a away. We check on each others place.
I also try to shovel the ashes and coals out of the wood stove before leaving so we don't have to bother with that task on the next return.
For winter we empty the refrigerator and turn it off. In spring/summer/fall we leave the fridge (propane) on and have never had a problem. We've done this same thing with the RV for years.
I set mouse traps in the RV and over the years have caught a few in the winter.
Dry foods we leave there are all in glass or metal containers. We leave some small containers of aseptic packaged milk up there (Horizon brand). Freezing doesn't harm it, they keep a good length of time on the shelf, and they are handy to have sitting there.
MountainDon;
Great stuff; rodent traps are something one would think common sense says to do but- "why didn't I think of that?" applies- thanks... also I've heard of the antifreeze but wasn't sure. The freezing lines: So, are you saying you know temperatures are coming which will freeze lines? Is this just a fact of life. Asking this because I have property at 11,500ft in CO-
11.5K feet in CO! Wow! At that elevation you would have freezing temperatures, overnight at the very least, for much of the year I would think. I've camped at 12,000 in CO in July/August and had ice outside in the morning. We're at 8800 in northern NM.
We can count on freezing temperatures for sure from October through March-April. But there is a delay between the exterior to interior drop. With the window on the south uncovered on sunny days the inside temperature rises. Then in the evening itcools, but not nearly as fast as the exterior. So what that means is I didn't see any freezing temperatures inside the cabin until early December this year. Even though the exterior temperatures dropped into the low teens overnight.
As for rodents, I'm hopeful that I took enough care in building the cabin to prevent their ingress.
This is our second winter leaving our cabin unoccupied, and are learning as we go along. One thing that sticks in my mind is the use of deadbolts. I have dreams of the door blowing open just as we leave in the fall, and the winter snow blows inside and makes 6' snow drifts against the kitchen table. d* [noidea' Weird maybe, but it will be on my list of things to do next summer.
Mouse traps are in use too!
Deadbolts... speaking of locks :D we always install a deadbolt lock on exterior doors. We also prefer solid doors, no windows in them unless it's something like a fan lite up near the top. No side lites either. That way I feel comfortable using a deadbolt with an inside thumb wheel in place of a keyed cylinder. If there's glass in or near the lock side of the door I don't like the thumb control as a burglar could break the glass and reach through and unlock the deadbolt. If you have a deadbolt that requires a key to open from the inside there's the danger of someone removing the key in the locked position and trapping someone inside.
We also do not like exterior doors with the usual automatic locking key in the knob lockset. I use a simple passage handset instead; like used on a closet, no lock. That makes it impossible to close the door and lock yourself out because you need the key to lock the deadbolt from the outside.
One thing I did on the cabin door was to leave out the heavy duty reinforcing plate that comes with any good deadbolt lock. My reasoning is that if someone does decide to kick in the door, I'll make it a little easier and maybe the door frame won't be damaged as badly. ??? It's so remote nobody is going to be close enough to hear a door being kicked in, or a chainsaw being used to cut a hole in the wall even. :o
Just some thoughts of mine.
Quote from: MountainDon on December 27, 2008, 07:50:25 PM
It's so remote nobody is going to be close enough to hear ........ a chainsaw being used to cut a hole in the wall
Not very subtle are they?
I saw it done, or after it was done, back home to a half dozen or so lake cabins in northern Manitoba.
Post the following sign on the door:
Notice to burglars:
This house is protected by shot gun traps.
Please have name and address of next of kin
on person before entering.
Thank you
OHHHhhhhh -- but that makes it premeditated... [scared]
In today's society the criminal is always right I believe...
You can fix that.. I have made a modification to the sign
Notice to burglars:
This house is owned by my old and forgetful mother who may, sometimes, but not limited to, occasionally, accidently left the shotgun attached to the door in a manner that may cause injury to any persons entering this domicile. Please exercise caution before attempting to enter this home. Not responsible for any loss of life or injury by entering this domicile. By attempting/possibly succeeding to enter this home, you agree to waive all of your rights to any lawsuits brought on by the unsuccessful attempt should my mother have been in the house last, which she does frequently.
Please have name and address of next of kin
on person before attempting to enter.
Thank you
You'd have to post it in Spanish too. ;D
Things like that, even if tongue in cheek should not be carried through with, that's for certain. It's fun to think or talk about, but I'd even be careful about that.
Security off the remote location cabin has been mentioned in a topic or two on here before. It is an issue that's for certain. FWIW, keeping a list of the serial numbers of anything with them might help with recovery in some cases. Police here recently arrested a thief/burglar and found merchandise from a host of burglaries. Many people got their stuff back. Of course, you then have to pay the insurance company back.
Spanish.....Wow,, Don strikes a joke before Glenn... Glenn, you are SLIPPING!!!
As for do's. hiding anything of value is probably the best solution.
There was an old man up here who fed the evidence to his hogs... it actually worked for him and the trespassers worked for the government, but I would not suggest that --- we are in a different sort of area around here....
Phalynx, forgive me --- I am sleepy and listening to head banger music -- makes it hard to think...if only I'd turn it down... d*
QuoteI set mouse traps in the RV and over the years have caught a few in the winter.
[mouse]
[mouseno]
Don is right folks. What I said was tongue in cheek and not meant to imply that you would really set up shotgun traps.
The intent of it was to give the burglar something to think about in the hopes he would change his mind and go elswhere.
But it is sure fun to think about it.
Bruce
Back home I had a friend, or rather my friend's Dad, who had rigged up a falling block mechanism that fired a 12 gauge shotgun shell if the back door to the workshop was jimmied. He used shells with the shot removed; he simply wanted to scare the bejeebers out of anyone who broke in. He had been bothered by quite a few break ins.
One unlucky would be burglar jimmied the door, the shell fired, scared him so badly he ran lie heck for the front street when a cop car almost ran him over. The short ending to the story is the guy had his day in court, the judge sent him to jail for breaking and entering. The judge also warned my friends Dad that he should dispose of the shotgun shell "alarm" as it contravened some law or another, but at the same time he was somewhat sympathetic.
They did away with the shotgun shell apparatus and replaced it with a very high DB electric horn hooked up to the same door.
I've had a good chuckle- and I may add that in Ecuador, at least in Quito, I saw as a theft deterent, broken glass shards, embedded atop concrete walls 6ft-8ft; this sharp glass was a poor man's barbwire- I quess, nonetheless, jumping into someones backyard would prove formidable. ;D
The broken glass seems to be popular all over the world. People take used bottles and embed them and then shatter them or shatter and then embed.
intelijoc They would also do that to prevent "wall sitters". Anything to make it uncomfortable for someone to utilize their property as a bench.
We never locked ours. Just didn't leave any valuables in it. Always tried to leave enough wood by the stove to get a fire going in winter. No one ever bothered it till the roof got blown off by a tornado. Then the vandals broke all the windows out.
mmm . some pretty sutle humor at work there ???
I had always been told the broken glass on the top of walls was to prevent birds from roosting and thus, "painting" the walls. Works either way I guess.
Assume that your next trip could find you in an emergency (or near emergency) situation. Have the stove ready to light, extra wood, generator fueled etc....
Assume that next trip you could be taking a new guest that prefers clean sheets.
Mike
Regarding the fireplace- any precautions needed for the flue/
You guys know about these right?
Shotgun blank alarm tripwire firers
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=119252555#PIC
(http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/119252000/119252555/pix1187343140.jpg)
Those are pretty cool, but I don't think I'd want to use them on property against trespassing.
Keep in mind that with booby traps, they can be found and used against you. I would hate to have some vindictive person take that blank device and locate it at head level pointing down a trail. I'm just paranoid about that sort of thing. I think I'll stick to cameras.
Do put alcohol in the traps of your sinks to keep them from freezing. (not Jack Daniels Glenn)
Yes the discussion of devices for protection of your home can be interesting to talk about but the legal standard is only for homes that you are in at the time. If you are not there and any device causes injury or death you can (and many people have) go to jail for assault or manslaughter. The purpose of causing injury under the law is only to protect injury to yourself or others. If you or your family are not there and have no chance of being injured, you are doing it simply to protect possessions. Taking a life for your tv is not usually a recognized legal standard.
My personal fear is that someone might need to break in for a reason. Many cabins are in remote areas and there may actually be an emergency people are trying to overcome. Such as if there is an accident and someone needs a phone or shelter from the weather. I would do the same thing with full intent on paying the owner for whatever damage I may have caused. Not a good time to slit your wrist on broken glass shards or get a shotgun blast.
How about cardboard cutouts taped to a running railroad set? ;D
Wasn't that used in the Steve Martin movie: The Lonely Guy?
Maybe Soomb. I got the idea from "Home Alone" :)
same concept, different generation.
About 8 years ago, a group of use were skiing in CO.,when finished-- we were "near" my property and the group said "sure let's see it" - got up to the property in a 4wheel, saw the lot (snowed in) and was about to get downoff the mountain- I decided to make a run through a "fluffy" snowed over road- not good 6 of us got stuck. Up to me to dig us out- no shovel- walked to the nearest cabin, commandeered a plastic snow shovel (one of those stupid plastic flat blade things)- began to dig out the stuck 4x4; broke shovel, returned broken shovel, to front porch, with a crsip, new 20$ that I was about to put into the mailbox- actually it was like a large wooden box for a package of some crap and I heard someone yell, "Don't F**ing Move!." Ok, dude came around the corner with a double barrel aimed at me. Said he wanted to blast my ass when I took his shovel but I was off his property by the time he got his go-go gun. When He saw the 20$ his mood changed- slightly. He actually dragged our sorry asses out of the mess. Over the past 6 years I have become "coridal" to crazy Jake. Jake eventually told me that he had a tripline with a "banger" near his well? but that he got rid of it when an accidental discharge damn near burned down his garage.
I have used solar powered Red and blue lights hung in the trees around my cabin to keep away vandals at night.
Worked very well, so well infact It kept away family that didn't know about them heh
On our last cabin, I slopped all of the water lines to the basement and put valves there. When it was time to go, just unplugged the water pump, opened the sink valves, flushed the toilets, drained the lines (took just a few seconds), put anti freeze in the traps of sinks and toilets and left. Had a heater in the small utility room downstairs so that the the pump, holding tank and hot water tank wouldn't freeze. On arrival next trip, start the fire, get the place warmed up, close the sink valves and go plug in the pump. I love insulation so had the place packed like mad.
Great question by the way.
Bill in the U.P.
Quote from: Whitlock on December 29, 2008, 11:56:45 AM
Do put alcohol in the traps of your sinks to keep them from freezing. (not Jack Daniels Glenn)
I'd never put Jack Daniels in the sink. [crz] [hungry]
B Houghton; ever been to Picture Rock or Big Bear Dunes?
Quote from: intelijoc on December 30, 2008, 08:39:14 AM
B Houghton; ever been to Picture Rock or Big Bear Dunes?
Intelijoc,
My dad (gone now) was a photographer and owned a post card company. We were often to those spots taking pictures for cards. Our only family vacations were trips for such things. We have some old pictures of Pictured Rocks before the erosion and the platforms and fences that are there now.
Thanks for asking. Nice stroll down memory lane.
Bill in the U.P.
B Houghton:
We may have a postcard of his profession. I am a Michigander- Bay City native,and the UP/Michigan and all things that come with it including but not limited to I-75 traffic, deer dodging also on I-75 perogies and Uncle Ted all hold a special place.
Cheers;
Intelijoc
Quote from: intelijoc on December 31, 2008, 12:21:27 PM
B Houghton:
We may have a postcard of his profession. I am a Michigander- Bay City native,and the UP/Michigan and all things that come with it including but not limited to I-75 traffic, deer dodging also on I-75 perogies and Uncle Ted all hold a special place.
Cheers;
Intelijoc
Intelijoc,
Dad's company was the Upper Michigan Card Company, Manistique. It has been a long time, but we used to still occasionally find some of his cards on racks around the U.P. Dad loved the Mackinaw Bridge, and would head out on the spur of the moment to see what kind of pictures he could capture. Had some neat ones with lightening and time lapse of car lights and even boats.
Thanks for saying hello.
Bill in the U.P.