Frost, snow and pipes: protecting an empty chalet between stays
Between two bookings, a chalet can sit empty for three, five, sometimes ten days in the middle of winter. That is exactly when the most expensive damage happens: a burst pipe, a boiler in safety lockout, snow piling up on a balcony. Here is how to secure your property before the deep cold sets in, without your energy bill spiralling.
Frost, the number one winter risk for mountain properties
A frozen pipe does not leak straight away: the ice expands, cracks the pipe, and the water only escapes when temperatures rise again, often when nobody is on site. The weak points are always the same: supply pipes in a crawl space or garage, outdoor taps, a washing machine in an unheated room, a water heater in the basement, pipes running along a north-facing wall. In a ski-resort chalet, water damage discovered as guests arrive is a double loss: the repairs, plus a stay to cancel in the middle of a holiday week, with alternative accommodation to find in a fully booked resort. Before mid-December, insulate exposed pipes, drain and shut off outdoor taps, fit self-regulating heat cable on the coldest sections and check that the water meter is protected too. It costs a few hundred euros, against damage that runs into the thousands.
Frost mode or holding temperature: finding the right setting
The instinctive frost-protection setting, around 7 °C, protects the pipes but not necessarily your rental business. A stone or log chalet that drops to 7 °C often needs more than twenty-four hours to get back to a comfortable temperature: guests walk into a freezing interior and the first review suffers. For a property let by the week with short gaps, a holding temperature of 12 to 14 °C, combined with a scheduled boost the day before arrival, offers the best balance between consumption and comfort. A smart thermostat lets you run this cycle remotely and alerts you if the temperature drops abnormally, a sign of a boiler failure or power cut. For a long absence, in January or in the off-season, partially draining the water system remains the only absolute protection. Check your insurance policy too: many require specific preventive measures when a property is left unoccupied.
Snow on the roof, balconies and access paths
At altitude, a roof can carry several hundred kilos of snow per square metre, but heavy snowfall followed by rain changes everything. The real danger comes from the edges: snow cornices above a door, slabs sliding off a metal roof, ice building up in the gutters and forcing water back under the tiles. Wooden balconies and terraces are not designed to hold a metre of compacted snow all winter. Arrange regular clearing of paths, outdoor stairs and the parking space: a guest who slips in front of the door engages your liability, and a parking spot buried on arrival ruins the stay from the first minute. In a co-owned building, find out what the managing agent covers and what remains your responsibility, especially private terraces. Finally, keep a shovel, de-icing salt and a scraper on site, and mention them in the welcome guide.
SmartStay's inspection round between stays
For the chalets and apartments we manage in Savoie and Haute-Savoie, any vacancy of more than a few days triggers an inspection visit. Our team checks the indoor temperature, the boiler pressure, any sign of moisture under sinks and around the water heater, and the condition of access paths and the roof as seen from the ground. Smart thermostats and leak detectors alert us in real time, so we can act before damage gets worse. Before every arrival, the heating boost is scheduled so guests walk into a warm chalet with clear access. After heavy snowfall, we coordinate clearing with local contractors so the parking space is free on check-in day. Every visit is time-stamped and photographed: a useful record for your insurer if an incident occurs despite everything.
Hand over your chalet's winter monitoring →