Appliances in lake houses fail less from use than from sitting idle in humid air. Before you leave, shut off water to the ice maker, washer and dishwasher, empty the ice bin and leave washer and dishwasher doors cracked. When you return, check for leaks before restoring water, discard the first batches of ice, and make sure outdoor refrigerators are on and their GFCI outlet has not tripped.
Why lake house appliances fail
Homes around Lake Norman — in Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville and Mooresville — often sit empty for days or weeks and then host a full house. Appliances that sit idle develop their own problems: water lines and valves stick, door gaskets take a set, ice in the bin fuses into a block and mildew grows in washers and dishwashers.
The lake adds humidity, and summer storms that roll across the water bring outages and surges. A refrigerator that failed early in the week may not be noticed until the weekend, so a few minutes of preparation saves a lot of spoiled food and water damage.
Before you leave
A short checklist for stays of more than a week:
- Refrigerator: leave it running at normal settings, or empty, unplug and prop the doors open so mold cannot grow inside. Do not unplug a closed refrigerator.
- Ice maker: switch it off, shut the supply valve and empty the bin so ice does not fuse together.
- Washer: shut both supply valves, wipe the door gasket and leave the door or lid open.
- Dishwasher: run it empty with a cleaner, shut the supply valve under the sink and leave the door cracked.
- Outdoor refrigeration: decide whether to keep it running; if you turn it off, prop the door open.
- Surge protection: a whole-home surge protector installed by an electrician protects boards that are expensive to replace.
When you come back
Do these before guests arrive:
- Look under and around the refrigerator, dishwasher and washer for water before opening the supply valves.
- Open the valves slowly and watch the connections for a minute.
- Run a couple of glasses of water through the refrigerator dispenser and throw away the first two batches of ice.
- Check that outdoor refrigerators and ice makers are actually running — a tripped GFCI outlet is a common reason they are off.
- Run the dishwasher and washer on a short cycle and confirm they drain.
Outdoor kitchens and docks
Outdoor-rated refrigerators, beverage centers and ice makers on patios and docks deal with humidity, pollen, insects and direct sun. Clean their condenser grilles at the start and middle of the season, keep them shaded if possible and make sure they are on a properly protected circuit.
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