While many people enjoy their cottage year-round, many cottagers have to board theirs up for the winter and leave it unprotected. While a thorough winterizing will help keep it in great shape for future years and offer some peace of mind, there are additional ways to incorporate high-tech gadgets and systems to give your cottage another level of safety and security. We’ve listed a few clever ways to give yourself more peace of mind knowing that if something happens with your Parry Sound cottage, you’ll be the first to know about it.
a) Security systems
Just because a property is vacant doesn’t mean it can’t be on watch duty 24/7! There are so many ways to monitor and secure your cottage remotely, and the good news is that the cost of many of these systems have come down in price over the years as new technologies are added and many are super easy to do yourself.
- Cameras – indoors, outdoors, hidden, night vision, motion-detecting, and so on…if you want to set up cameras, your options are endless. They are easy to adjust, monitor and even record from your computer or smartphone as long as you have wi-fi access.
- Lights – Indoor or outdoor lights (solar too!) can be set with timers or turned on and of as you see fit.
- Heat and humidity – you can set your indoor temperatures from a smartphone too, and turn on dehumidifiers too if the humidity is too high.
- Set alarms – scare away intruders with loud alarms, sirens or realistic barking dog sounds. You can also have systems set to connect with local fire or police stations.
b) Get rid of critters
There are environmentally safe gadgets to deter pests and rodents at your cottage. Simply plug in the little devices and they will give off sound waves that are so uncomfortable for them that they will be unable to stay put. They will move on to other locations that aren’t your cottage!
c) Monitor indoor plumbing and sump pumps
Frozen or burst pipes, leaks and non-working sump pumps can be detected with specialized equipment and sensors that can alert you on your smartphone or home computer. You can deal with any potential problems right away and avoid costly water damage, mildew, mould, and so on from building up until spring.
d) Join a group chat
Connect with your cottage neighbours in real-time by setting up a group chat or other forum to stay in touch over the winter from your home, work or sunny vacation destination.
Technology can be a great asset when it comes to protecting your cottage when you’re not there. While it’s always great to check in on occasion and have someone clear your laneway during the winter, you can go a step further by incorporating a few high tech gadgets to tighten up your cottage security and keep it protected. Another great way to protect your cottage is to work with the Ares Law real estate team! Whenever you buy or sell property, make sure your big investment is safeguarded and that you’ve got all your legal bases covered. Connect with us today at our Parry Sound Ares Law office at 705-746-6444; we look forward to working with you.
