Clubhouse Winterizing Guide for Homeowners Associations

Every January we get hammered with calls from HOAs because of poor clubhouse winterizing. Pipes burst and water damage results, much of which could be avoided if proper precautions were taken in autumn. Share this article with your apartment complex or neighborhood HOA and prevent costly damage to your clubhouse.

Clubhouse Winterizing Tips for HOAs

Before winter gets here, you will want to do the following:

1. Winterize spigots, outdoor showers, irrigation systems and drinking fountains.

Hoses should be drained, disconnected and put away somewhere protected (and preferably warm so they won’t crack). Water to the spigots should be turned off.

Outdoor showers should be drained and water to the showers turned off.

Similar to a pool's plumbing lines, irrigation system lines need to be emptied for the winter. Sprinkler system lines should be blown out and the system turned off for the winter to avoid lines freezing and bursting.

If your clubhouse has an outdoor drinking fountain, the fountain should be drained and water to the drinking fountain turned off

2. Schedule annual backflow testing.

After irrigation lines are blown out, schedule annual backflow testing to ensure the backflow preventer assembly is working properly. Backflow testing is mandated by law and must be performed annually to ensure drinking water is not contaminated.

3. Hire or schedule cleaning of clubhouse gutters and community drains.

One of the common calls we get from clubhouses in the winter is from water damage caused by gutters or drains backing up and flooding. Leaves, branches and garbage can clog the drains, causing ponding of water and damage to property. Be sure to clean out the gutters, install gutter protectors, and clear debris from the community drains.

4. Have a plumber check the clubhouse for exposed pipes at risk of freezing and bursting.

Frozen, burst pipes are the most common call we get in January and February for clubhouses. Be sure to:

• Add insulation to all exterior pipes that are vulnerable to freezing
• Place a tarp over any outbuildings with temperature-sensitive piping
• Seal doors and windows to prevent drafts near pipes

5. Properly winterize public restrooms if the clubhouse restrooms are not heated and used in the winter.

Inspect the exteriors of all community buildings, including restrooms, for leaks or indications of wear and tear. Start with the foundation, raking away any leaves or other debris and looking for entry points for pests, which will seek shelter when winter weather hits. Also inspect for cracks that could indicate structural problems. Water freezing and expanding in them can make them worse. Sealing the building will help you heat the clubhouse more efficiently all winter long.

If the restrooms are not available to the public during the winter, turn off the water to sinks, toilets and showers so pipes do not freeze and burst.

Winterize toilets by taking the following steps:

• Shut off the water to the toilet at the supply stop
• Flush the toilet to drain all water out of the tank
• Using a sponge, rag or shop-vacuum, remove the remaining water from the tank
• Disconnect the water supply from the bottom side of the toilet to allow the water to drain from the valve
• Pour RV antifreeze into the overflow tube of the flush valve to make sure all waterways from the tank to drain have antifreeze in them

Ensure that all water lines throughout the entire system are drained, too. This goes for anything!

Charlotte Clubhouse Winterizing Services

Need help winterizing your community clubhouse? Give us a call at 704-846-5371 for Charlotte clubhouse winterizing service. Too late and you’re dealing with burst pipes and water damage? We’ll fix those pipes and restore your property.

Article Summary

Quick question & answer: What are the best clubhouse winterizing tips for HOAs? 

There are clubhouse winterizing tips for HOAs you can use to prevent winter disasters. Winterize spigots, outdoor showers, irrigation systems, and drinking fountains. Schedule annual backflow testing. Hire cleaning of clubhouse gutters and community drains. Have a plumber check the clubhouse for exposed pipes that could freeze and burst. Winterize public restrooms if clubhouse restrooms are not used in winter.