This is a planning checklist, not a quote. Get written pricing from your own contractors.
Cape Cod winters are genuine. Salt air, nor'easters, hard freezes, and months of unoccupied homes — the combination creates real risk for unprepared properties. Whether you're shutting down a seasonal cottage or buttoning up a year-round home before a winter trip, this checklist will protect your investment.
Plumbing: Your Highest Priority
A burst pipe on an unoccupied Cape home is one of the most expensive repairs a homeowner faces — and one of the most preventable.
If closing the home for the season
- Shut off the main water supply at the meter or main shutoff valve
- Open all faucets (hot and cold) throughout the house to drain standing water
- Flush all toilets and hold the handle to drain as much water as possible from the tank
- Blow out supply lines: a licensed plumber with a compressor can do this; get a written quote. It's money well spent
- Add RV/marine antifreeze (propylene glycol, not automotive ethylene glycol) to all P-traps under sinks, tubs, and showers, and to toilet bowls and tanks
- Disconnect and drain the water heater if the home will be unheated
- For a house not occupied at all during winter, the Massachusetts Division of Insurance recommends having the water service shut off in the street, draining all domestic and heating lines, boilers and water heaters, shutting off gas service at the meter, and having the house checked weekly (mass.gov/info-details/understanding-home-insurance)
If keeping the home heated but unoccupied at times
- The Massachusetts Division of Insurance recommends that a house unoccupied at times during winter with hot water heat keep the thermostat no lower than 60 degrees and have a low-heat alarm, a low-water cutoff on a forced hot water boiler, a low-oil alarm if oil-heated, and a weekly check (mass.gov DOI)
- Know where your main shutoff is; make sure a neighbor or caretaker does too
Heating System
- Check your heating oil level before the shoulder season; schedule a fill. Prices fluctuate, and pre-buy/budget plans from local dealers can protect against spikes.
- Replace the furnace or boiler filter
- Schedule annual service for your heating system — Cape HVAC technicians book up fast in fall
- If your home uses a heat pump, have it serviced; ensure the outdoor unit is clear of debris
- Test the thermostat to confirm it's reading accurately
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Claim a spotExterior and Roof
Cape Cod weather is hard on structures. Before winter:
- Remove and store patio furniture, grills, planters, and outdoor decor: nor'easters bring damaging wind gusts, and anything unsecured can become a projectile
- Inspect the roof for loose shingles, damaged flashing, or open seams; call a roofer early, before their fall schedule fills
- Clear gutters and downspouts of leaves and debris; ensure water flows away from the foundation
- Check siding and trim for gaps, cracks, or failing paint — salt air accelerates wood decay at joints and corners
- Cover or remove window AC units if they're the through-wall or window-mounted type
- Inspect deck boards and railings for rot — freeze/thaw cycles make existing rot much worse
Sealing and Insulation
Older Cape-style homes — especially the classic cape cod half-cape and full-cape designs — are known for air leakage around doors, windows, attic hatches, and where framing meets foundation.
- Apply weatherstripping to exterior doors if you feel drafts
- Add rope caulk or foam tape around window frames (removable in spring)
- Seal the attic hatch — often the largest single air leak in a Cape home
- Consider a professional blower door test and air sealing if your heating bills are high
Security and Monitoring
- Call your local police department and ask whether they offer a house-check or vacation-watch program for seasonal homes
- Install smart water leak detectors at the water heater, under sinks, and near the washing machine; pair with a monitored smart home system if the home will be empty for months
- Set light timers inside the home (not just outside) to simulate occupancy
- Arrange for a trusted neighbor, caretaker, or property manager to check the home after any significant storm
Moisture and Pests
Moisture: Cape Cod's marine climate means humidity lingers even in winter. Run a dehumidifier in the basement to prevent mold. The EPA advises keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent (epa.gov/mold). Check that the crawl space or basement has adequate vapor barrier.
Pests: Mice are the primary concern. Mice can squeeze through surprisingly small gaps. Before closing up:
- Walk the exterior and stuff steel wool into any gaps at the foundation, pipe penetrations, and where utilities enter
- Set snap traps inside along walls — better to catch them before leaving than return to an infestation
- Consider a local pest control service for an annual exclusion treatment
Gear That Earns Its Spot
Cape Cod Certified picks — essentials worth packing for this trip:
- Hand-Painted Cape Cod Lobster Traps Blown-Glass Ornament — $24: ~3-inch blown-glass ornament reverse-hand-painted with a Cape Cod lobster-trap coastal scene; gift boxed.
- Govee WiFi Thermometer w/ Freeze Alerts — $30: Get a phone alert the moment your Cape house drops toward freezing — the warning that saves burst pipes.
- DampRid Hi-Capacity Moisture Absorber Bucket — $12: Set a few around a shuttered Cape house to pull damp salt air from closed rooms — no power, lasts ~6 months.
From Reading to Doing — Start Here
- The Cape Cod Certified directory — every business visited in person →
- Bookable Cape Cod experiences →
Figures in this guide were checked against official sources on October 1, 2026. Costs, rates and policy terms change; confirm before you act.
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Frequently asked questions
What antifreeze should I use in my Cape home's plumbing when I close for winter?
Use RV or marine antifreeze — propylene glycol — not automotive antifreeze, which is a different and toxic chemical. Add it to all P-traps under sinks, tubs, and showers, and to toilet bowls and tanks after draining and blowing out the supply lines.
How warm does my house need to stay when no one's home in winter?
The Massachusetts Division of Insurance recommends keeping a home with hot water heat no lower than 60 degrees when unoccupied at times during winter, paired with a low-heat alarm and weekly check-ins. Confirm the current recommendation with your insurer.
What's the best way to keep mice out of a vacant house?
Before closing up, walk the exterior and stuff steel wool into any gaps at the foundation, pipe penetrations, and where utilities enter. Set snap traps inside along walls, and consider a local pest control service for an annual exclusion treatment.
Do local police check on empty houses during winter?
Many local police departments offer a house-check or vacation-watch program for seasonal homes — call your local department directly to ask, since availability varies by town. It's worth confirming before the season ends and the home sits empty.
What's usually the worst air leak in an older Cape-style home?
The attic hatch is often the single largest air leak in a Cape-style home. Sealing it, along with weatherstripping exterior doors and adding foam tape or rope caulk around window frames, are all recommended steps before winter sets in.