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Winterization is the process of preparing something for winter.

Humanitarian aid

In emergency or disaster response situations, such as managed by the

UNHCR The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integrati ...

, winterization activities include the distribution of items including blankets, quilts, kerosene, heating stoves, jerry cans, as well as thermal floor mats and insulation to make tents warmer and more resistant to harsh winter conditions.

Summer home

Some summer homes, also known as cabins or

cottage A cottage, during Feudalism in England, England's feudal period, was the holding by a cottager (known as a Cotter (farmer), cotter or ''bordar'') of a small house with enough garden to feed a family and in return for the cottage, the cottager ...

s, were built for summer use only and need to be winterized each Autumn. This entails locking them up, turning off water, electricity, and phone lines, and protecting various features from heavy snowfall. In the

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

area, many wealthy families living in cities during the 19th century had summer homes in the mountains. This was to flee the onset of

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In ...

and other epidemics which often struck in the summer months, when city plumbing problems and stagnant horse manure in the streets caused a health hazard. Winterization would take place each Fall when the families returned to the cities (often when school started). In those days, winterization just referred to a lock-down of all movable parts as protection from winter storms. An example of such a summer home that needs to be winterized each fall is the scene of the movie '' On Golden Pond'', which was filmed on

Squam Lake Squam Lake is a lake located in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire, United States, south of the White Mountains, straddling the borders of Grafton, Carroll, and Belknap counties. The largest town center on the lake is Holderness. The l ...

. In the 20th century, these summer mountain homes in turn were winterized to enable winter holidays, as the popularity of

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IO ...

in the mountains increased that of summer

camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more nat ...

. In this sense, winterization refers to the addition of modern amenities such as

heating A central heating system provides warmth to a number of spaces within a building from one main source of heat. It is a component of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (short: HVAC) systems, which can both cool and warm interior spaces. ...

and

insulation Insulation may refer to: Thermal * Thermal insulation, use of materials to reduce rates of heat transfer ** List of insulation materials ** Building insulation, thermal insulation added to buildings for comfort and energy efficiency *** Insulated ...

, often entailing a complete rebuild of the cottage. In real estate, winterization refers to securing or preparing vacant properties to withstand or survive the harsh impacts of winter weather. To put it another way, it's similar to winterizing your home before the cold season arrives. Winterizing your home is an example of foresight that will ensure your property is safe.

Equipment

Equipment designed for use in particularly extreme cold conditions (such as the

polar region The polar regions, also called the frigid geographical zone, zones or polar zones, of Earth are the regions of the planet that surround its geographical poles (the North Pole, North and South Poles), lying within the polar circles. These high l ...

s) also undergoes a "winterization" process. Many complex devices (automobiles, electronics and radios) as well as common materials (metals, rubbers, petroleum lubricants) are not designed to operate at extremely low temperatures and must be winterized to operate without severe damage from the elements in such conditions. This might involve a chemical treatment process, additional waterproofing/insulation, or even the total substitution of new parts. An example would be the

internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal combus ...

of an automobile; the installation of

heaters A heater is an appliance whose purpose is to generate heat for a building. Heater or Heaters may also refer to: Science, technology and engineering * Central heating, a system used to heat an entire building Devices * Aquarium heater, in fishkee ...

on the engine block and battery as well as the substitution of winter-grade coolants and lubricants allows the vehicle to start and run in sub-freezing conditions where a non-winterized engine would quickly break down. Winterization of equipment can be thought of as the winter-weather extension of ruggedization.

Boats

Boats, boat lifts, personal watercraft, and other watercraft need to be properly winterized. This includes draining water from the hull, and the cooling system, inspect stern drive to remove plant life, add fuel, add oil to the engine, and clean the bilges. Thoroughly cleaning the interiors, draining any refrigerators, lock all drawers, and remove valuables. It's also important to properly shrink wrap a boat to protect from moisture, snow, ice, and debris. Watercraft can be winterized and stored outdoors or in an indoor storage facility.

Strategies for water features

Some fountains, such as the

Ontario Science Centre The Ontario Science Centre, formally the Centennial Museum of Science and Technology, is a science museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located near the Don Valley Parkway about northeast of downtown on Don Mills Road just south of Eglint ...

FUNtain Hydraulophone and the flame fountain in Nathan Philips Square, are designed to run year-round by virtue of heated water, whereas others require that the water be drained and that all apertures be covered to keep rainwater from entering the fountain and freezing inside. Fountains and other water features are often drained and sealed up so that water inside does not freeze or cause breakage of the pipes in the fountain. Fish ponds require several additional steps to ensure that the fish are well taken care of. A properly maintained water feature containing fish can operate even in freezing temperatures. Steps should be taken to ensure adequate cleaning of the pond from any loose debris.

Irrigation sprinkler An irrigation sprinkler (also known as a water sprinkler or simply a sprinkler) is a device used to irrigate (water) agricultural crops, lawns, landscapes, golf courses, and other areas. They are also used for cooling and for the control of airbo ...

s in cold climates need winterization.

References

External links

{{Wiktionary
Hydraulic pressure in that part of the water last to freeze
Winter