Winter is Coming, Are You Prepared?

The surest way to get a northern Michigan home through winter is to head off the three losses that happen most: frozen pipes, ice dams, and roofs loaded with heavy snow. That means keeping heat on and water moving, clearing gutters before the first freeze, and watching the roof after big storms, especially at a cottage that sits empty from November to April. Here is a practical, room-by-room and season-long plan.

Winter here is not a surprise. Between lake-effect bands off Lake Michigan and the cold that settles over places like Gaylord and Atlanta, a hard season is the baseline, not the exception. A little preparation in October and November does more to prevent a claim than anything you can do once the pipes have already burst. It also matters at a time when Michigan homeowners are feeling their premiums climb. Home insurance rates in the state rose about 21.6% between 2024 and 2025, with further increases projected for 2026 and 2027 (Michigan home insurance rate reporting). Preventing losses is one of the few parts of that equation a homeowner can actually control.

How do you keep pipes from freezing?

Keep heat in the house and keep water away from cold exterior walls. Frozen pipes are the most common serious winter loss, and they are largely preventable:

• Keep the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees, even when you are away.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
• Let a faucet drip during a hard cold snap, because moving water is much harder to freeze.
• Disconnect and drain garden hoses, and shut off and drain outdoor spigots.
• Insulate pipes in crawl spaces, the garage, and along outside walls.
• Know where your main water shutoff is, so you can stop the flow fast if a pipe does let go.

What causes ice dams, and how do you stop them?

Ice dams form when heat escaping through the roof melts snow, the water runs down to the cold eave, and it refreezes into a ridge of ice that backs water up under the shingles and into the house. They are one of the most common and most expensive winter claims in northern Michigan. The fix is mostly about the attic, not the roof:

• Seal air leaks and add insulation so the attic stays cold and the roof does not melt snow unevenly.
• Make sure soffit and ridge vents are clear and the attic is properly ventilated.
• Clean gutters and downspouts before snow flies, so meltwater has somewhere to go.
• Use a roof rake to pull snow off the lower few feet of roof after heavy storms.

Our post on preventing damage from the weight of ice, snow, and ice dams goes deeper on this one.

How much snow can a roof take?

More than most people think, but not without limit, and wet snow is far heavier than the light fluffy kind. After a big lake-effect dump or a February that never thaws, snow load becomes a real concern, especially on flatter roofs, porches, and outbuildings. Watch for warning signs, such as doors that suddenly stick, new cracks in drywall, or a visibly sagging ceiling, and clear the roof safely or hire someone to. Trim dead limbs and overhanging branches in the fall, too, because a loaded branch coming down on a roof or a parked car is a classic January claim. See our winter roof maintenance tips for the full walkthrough.

What about the cottage you close up for the winter?

This is where northern Michigan is different from almost anywhere else, and where the costliest surprises happen. A cottage on Higgins Lake, Torch Lake, or out toward Presque Isle that gets closed up in October and reopened in May sits empty for roughly five months by design. Standard homeowners policies treat a home that is empty for an extended period, often 30 to 60 days depending on the policy, as vacant, and vacancy can change how the policy responds. The losses most likely to happen in that empty window, like a slow leak or freeze damage from a furnace that quit in January, are exactly the ones most likely to be questioned.

Two things protect you here. First, close the place up properly. Second, tell your agent how the property is actually used, so the coverage matches reality rather than an assumption. Here is a straightforward checklist for closing up a seasonal place:

• Shut off the water supply and drain the pipes, the water heater, and any exterior lines.
• Add antifreeze to toilets and drain traps as your plumber recommends.
• Either keep the heat set around 55 degrees with a reliable fuel supply, or fully winterize the plumbing if you are shutting the heat off.
• Arrange for someone to check on the property periodically through the winter, and keep a record that they did.
• Consider a temperature and water sensor that alerts your phone if the heat fails or a leak starts.
• Unplug what you can, clear the refrigerator, and remove anything that freezing could ruin.
• Confirm with your agent that your policy fits a seasonally occupied home.

What does a homeowners policy contemplate for winter damage?

It depends on the policy and the cause of loss, which is the honest and important answer. Many homeowners policies are designed to respond to sudden events like a burst pipe, while damage that builds slowly from an unaddressed leak, or freeze damage where the heat was allowed to fail in an unoccupied home, may be treated very differently. Roof, ice-dam, and water-damage claims each turn on the details of your specific form and endorsements.

That is why an annual review matters more than most people realize. Rebuilding costs, labor, and the price of temporary living expenses have all risen, and a policy written a few years ago may not reflect what it would actually take to rebuild today. It is worth confirming your limits, your deductible, and any winter-related endorsements before the season, not after a loss. Our overview of the slippery scenarios of water damage and insurance is a useful companion here. Coverage is always subject to the terms of your policy and to underwriting, and nothing is bound or changed until confirmed by an authorized representative.

Who to call

If you want a second set of eyes on your homeowners coverage before winter, or you have a cottage and are not sure how the empty months affect it, that is a conversation worth having now. Our agents live here, drive these roads in January, and know what a northern Michigan winter does to a house.

Call Top O' Michigan at 800-686-8664 or stop by an office such as our Alpena location near Thunder Bay. We will help you make sure your policy is ready for the season along with your house.