A second home here spends much of its life alone, at 7,000 feet, through a long winter. The owners who enjoy theirs most have arranged for it to be thoroughly boring while they’re gone.

Someone local with a key

The single most useful thing you can have is a person. A home watch service or property manager walks the house on a schedule, checks it after storms, meets the plumber, and calls you before a small problem becomes a large one.

Winter home care is a big topic with my clients, especially those who won’t be here full-time. I’ve built great relationships with local vendors and can connect you with snow removal, home maintenance and professionals who can assess your roof and help prevent ice dams.

If you plan to rent by the night inside Park City limits, a local contact isn’t optional. The city’s license requires a responsible party who can be reached 24 hours a day and can respond within 20 minutes.

Winter is the main event

• Water. A frozen pipe in an empty house is the classic mountain disaster. Keep the heat on, add leak sensors and consider an automatic shutoff valve. Park City’s water department also offers leak alerts through its online portal, and you need to be registered with alerts turned on to qualify for a leak adjustment on your bill.
• Snow. A seasonal plow contract is a familiar part of life here. With a flat fee, a light winter can leave you wondering what you paid for, while a snowy one makes it feel like a bargain. Either way, having someone lined up before you need them makes life easier. Owners have obligations even when they’re away, too: city code requires the nearest fire hydrant to be cleared within 72 hours of a storm, and snow from your driveway can’t be pushed into the street.
• The roof. Ice dams are no fun, and prevention deserves a place on your fall checklist. Have a professional evaluate your roof, drainage and whether properly installed heat tape makes sense for your home. If you already have it, get it checked before winter. And if you’ll be away, arrange regular home checks so a heating issue or leak gets caught early.

Insurance and wildfire

Utah now maps properties at high wildfire risk and charges owners within the map an annual fee, modest for now. Insurers must use the same map. Some carriers have restricted new policies in parts of the area in recent years, so shop early, and ask what clearing around the house would do for your premium.

Taxes

A second home is taxed on its full market value. The 45 percent exemption is for primary residences, lived in at least 183 days a year. Budget for the full figure and ask your tax advisor about the rest.

The air you can’t see

About one in three Utah homes tests above the federal action level for radon. A house that sits closed for weeks is worth testing, and the Summit County Health Department sells kits for $10.

A short list before you leave

• Thermostat you can read from your phone
• Leak sensors at the water heater, under sinks and in the mechanical room
• A plow contract and a named person who checks after storms
• One page in a kitchen drawer with every vendor’s number and the location of the main water shutoff