How to Winterize a Rental Property: 5 Steps for Occupied Homes and 5 for Vacant Ones

Winterizing a rental means different things depending on whether someone lives there. In an occupied home, the job is to make sure the heat stays reliable, the pipes stay warm, and your tenant knows what to do in a cold snap. In a vacant home, the job is to protect a house nobody is watching, which usually means shutting off and draining the water so there's nothing left to freeze.

Frozen pipes are the costliest winter mistake we see. A pipe that bursts in an occupied house usually gets caught in hours. One that bursts in an empty house can run for days and flood every floor. Below are the five steps we take for each situation, from our experience with older Detroit homes and Michigan winters. The best time to do them is October and early November, before the first hard freeze.

How do you prepare a rental with tenants for winter?

When the house is occupied, the tenant keeps the heat on, so you don't drain the plumbing. Instead you make sure the heat never fails, protect the pipes that are most exposed, and set clear expectations.

1. Service the heating system and check the alarms

Schedule a furnace or boiler tune-up before the first cold week. A technician should test the safety controls, inspect the heat exchanger, and check the flue. Have spare filters on hand, and either change them yourself or remind the tenant on a schedule. Most standard filters need changing every one to three months.

While you're there, test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Furnaces run hard all winter and windows stay shut, so working carbon monoxide alarms matter most this time of year.

2. Protect exposed pipes and outdoor faucets

The pipes most likely to freeze run through unheated spaces: crawl spaces, garages, attics, and exterior walls, especially on the north side of the house.

Insulate exposed pipes in unheated areas with foam pipe sleeves.
Shut off and drain outdoor faucets. Close the shutoff valve inside the house, open the outdoor faucet to drain it, and disconnect any garden hose. A hose left attached can trap water and split even a frost-free faucet.
Seal openings where cold air reaches pipes, like gaps around where lines enter the house.
Show your tenant where the main water shutoff is. If a pipe does burst, shutting the main in the first few minutes is the difference between a repair and a renovation. Tag the valve so it's easy to find.

3. Clear gutters and check the roof

Clogged gutters overflow, freeze, and help ice dams form along the roof edge. Melting snow then backs up under the shingles and leaks into ceilings and walls. Clean the gutters after the leaves fall, make sure downspouts drain away from the foundation, and look over the roof for missing or damaged shingles while you can still fix them in mild weather.

4. Seal drafts around windows and doors

Replace worn weatherstripping on exterior doors, recaulk gaps around window frames, and make sure storm windows are closed. This keeps pipes in exterior walls warmer, reduces the strain on the furnace, and lowers your tenant's heating bill, which helps them pay rent on time in the most expensive months.

5. Give your tenant a written winter plan

Most frozen pipes in occupied homes happen when the tenant leaves for the holidays and turns the heat down too far, or during a deep cold snap. Put the expectations in writing:

Keep the heat at 55°F or higher at all times, including when traveling.
During extreme cold, open sink cabinets on exterior walls and let faucets drip slightly.
Report a no-heat problem or a leak immediately, with the after-hours number to call.
Know where the main water shutoff is and how to turn it.
Know who handles snow and ice on the walks and driveway, as spelled out in the lease.

Under Michigan law, landlords must keep a rental fit and in reasonable repair, and heat is part of that. A clear plan helps your tenant protect the house and gets you a fast call when something goes wrong. Our rental maintenance checklist covers the year-round items.

How do you winterize a vacant rental property?

When a house is empty, nobody notices if the furnace quits or a pipe splits. You have two options. You can keep the heat on and visit often, or you can fully winterize the plumbing so a heating failure can't cause a flood. For a house that will sit empty for more than a few weeks in cold weather, or one where you can't check the heat reliably, full winterization is the safer choice.

1. Decide: keep the heat on or fully winterize

If the house will be vacant only briefly, such as a short turnover between tenants, keeping the heat on can make sense:

Set the thermostat to at least 55°F.
Use a smart thermostat or a temperature sensor that alerts your phone if the house gets cold.
Have someone walk through at least once or twice a week, and after any extreme cold.

If the vacancy will be longer, or you can't guarantee the heat, winterize the plumbing using the next steps. Many owners do both: winterize the water lines and keep low heat on to protect finishes and prevent condensation.

2. Shut off the water and drain the plumbing

Close the main water valve where the water line enters the house.
Turn off the water heater (gas or electric) before draining it, then drain the tank through the drain valve.
Open every faucet, hot and cold, starting at the top floor and working down, so the lines can drain. Open the lowest fixture last.
Flush every toilet and hold the handle down to empty the tank, then sponge out what's left.
Blow out the lines with compressed air. This pushes out the water that gravity leaves behind in low spots. A plumber or preservation contractor can do this and can follow it with an air pressure test to confirm the lines are intact.

If the house has a boiler with hot water or steam heat, call a licensed plumber or heating contractor. Those systems hold water in pipes and radiators throughout the house, and they need to be drained or filled with a proper antifreeze solution by someone who knows the system.

3. Protect drains, traps, and toilets with plumbing antifreeze

Draining the supply lines doesn't empty the traps under sinks, tubs, and floor drains, or the water in toilet bowls. That water can freeze and crack fixtures.

Pour non-toxic plumbing antifreeze (the propylene glycol type sold for RVs and plumbing, never automotive antifreeze) into every sink and tub drain, each toilet bowl and tank, and the basement floor drain. It keeps the traps from freezing and keeps the seal that blocks sewer gas.

Then label everything. Tag the main valve, the water heater, and the fixtures with a "Winterized: do not use" notice and the date. That stops a contractor, agent, or prospective tenant from turning the water on and flooding the house before it's properly de-winterized.

4. Secure the house and make it look occupied

Empty houses attract break-ins, metal theft, and squatters, and a frozen-pipe flood is worse when nobody finds it.

Check every lock, including basement windows and side doors. Rekey if past tenants or contractors had keys.
Keep the electricity on for lights on timers and for the sump pump, if the house has one.
Arrange snow removal and pick up mail and flyers. An unshoveled walk and a pile of flyers on the porch tell everyone the house is empty.
Unplug appliances you don't need and empty and prop open the refrigerator to prevent mold.

5. Call your insurer and schedule regular checks

Talk to your insurance agent before the house sits empty. Many landlord policies limit or exclude coverage for freeze damage, vandalism, and other losses once a property has been vacant for a set number of consecutive days, often 30 or 60. Ask what your policy says and whether you need a vacancy endorsement or policy.

Then check the house on a schedule, at least weekly and after every major storm or deep freeze. Walk every floor, look at ceilings and the basement, confirm the doors are locked, and take dated photos. A written log protects you with the insurer if something does happen.

How do you de-winterize a rental in spring?

Reverse the process carefully: close every faucet and drain valve, close the water heater drain, then open the main slowly and let the lines refill. Check every fixture and the basement for leaks before you turn the water heater back on. Turning on an empty water heater can damage it. Then flush the antifreeze from the traps and toilets.

If a plumber winterized the house, have the same plumber de-winterize it. They'll know exactly what was drained and how.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should a rental be kept at in winter?

At least 55°F, including when the tenant is away or the house is vacant. Pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces, and garages can still freeze during a deep cold snap, so add pipe insulation and open sink cabinets on the coldest nights.

Should I winterize a vacant rental or keep the heat on?

For a short vacancy where someone checks the house weekly, keeping the heat at 55°F or higher can work. For longer vacancies, or if the heat can't be checked reliably, fully winterize the plumbing so a furnace failure can't cause a flood. Many owners winterize the water and keep low heat on too.

What antifreeze is safe for winterizing plumbing?

Non-toxic propylene glycol antifreeze labeled for RV or plumbing use. Never use automotive antifreeze, which is toxic and doesn't belong in drains or toilets.

Does insurance cover frozen pipes in a vacant rental?

It depends on the policy. Many landlord policies limit or exclude freeze damage and vandalism once a home has been vacant for a set period, often 30 or 60 days. Check with your agent before the house sits empty and ask about a vacancy endorsement.

Who is responsible for frozen pipes in a rental?

Landlords are generally responsible for keeping the plumbing and heat in working order. If a tenant causes a freeze, for example by turning off the heat against the lease, the lease and the facts determine who pays. A written winter plan makes those expectations clear.

Can Great Lakes PMG help get my Detroit rental ready for winter?

Our property maintenance service dispatches vetted Detroit contractors for furnace service, plumbing, and other repair work on rental homes, schedules with your tenant, and sends before and after photos of every job. No management contract required. Send us the work order and we'll scope it.