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Using a three season cottage in the winter ?????

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  • Jun 29th, 2012 5:08 pm
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Deal Addict
User avatar
Jan 4, 2007
1804 posts
348 upvotes
GTA

Using a three season cottage in the winter ?????

Hey all,

My family recently purchased a three season cottage in Halliburton Ontario...

Most of my family does not care about using the place during the frigid winter months but id like to head up 3-4 times to do some sledding / ice fishing.

The water lines are NOT heated and there is a septic on site for waste.

What would be the cheapest and easiest way to have useable water during the winter? and a useable toilet..

Thanks all
5 replies
Deal Expert
User avatar
Aug 9, 2004
22170 posts
825 upvotes
Newmarket
I don't see anything cheap or easy about non freezing water lines at a cottage. Just about anything will be expensive and a PITA, and have potential risks for plumbing damage.

But if it were me, I'd look into a self draining submersible pump system....and maybe some heated lines but unless you heat it through the cold months, you re still going to have to put plumbing antifreeze in the sinks/toilets every time you leave...and I don't think that's good for the septic system.

Personally, I rarely use our place in the winter, so we just cut a hole in the ice and fill a bucket with water when needed, and use a camping porta potty.
other ppl I know set the thermostat at 10 deg all winter long when they aren't there and hope there aren't any long term power outages. Not cheap though.
Jr. Member
Mar 8, 2012
112 posts
8 upvotes
I went to the cottage in the winter as a kid. Been a while, but we had an outhouse on the property which kinda sucked if you had to go in the middle of the night. The woodburning stove was used to heat the place and boil water. If I remember correctly, we took water with us, or brought up a bucket from the lake. Washed the dishes in a bucket. Nothing went down the drains. We brought any garbage home with us to dispose of. No snowclearing, so we had to snowmobile in.
It wasnt really a big deal, at least we had a warm bed at night, and electricity, and the no running water thing was part of the experience.
Ahh brings back memories!! My grandparents built the place 60 years ago, but the family sold it last year.
I might add, they built the outhouse as well, it wasnt no plastic green thing. It was a cute little building on top of the hill, that added charm to the place, and got lots of use!
Member
Jan 6, 2008
434 posts
48 upvotes
there's no easy way. you may not need it. consider it rough camping. if there's a town nearby, just go in for toilet break. for pee breaks, i think you'll be ok. for drinking water, bring it. for washing water, use the lake.
Deal Addict
Oct 31, 2009
3746 posts
1003 upvotes
Toronto
ummm - does a bear shitte in the woods ?? Well you will have to as well :lol: or you can just lay some paper on the floor and carry it outside
Deal Guru
May 29, 2006
10930 posts
3663 upvotes
I take 3 milk jugs of water for the toilet every weekend since im renoing and dont have running water yet. It does the job.

for drinking, I have a large jug from the grocery store.

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