Host notes

How to winterize your Airbnb between stays (and on empty nights)

Most winter checklists are written for a house that closes for the season. A short-term rental doesn’t close. It sits empty for two nights, then four, then a week in January, and somebody different holds the thermostat every few days. The risky hours are the empty nights between stays and the hour after a guest leaves and switches the heat off. This page is the checklist for those gaps, plus wording for guests that fits Airbnb’s house rules from November 20, 2026.

By Halivs · Updated October 29, 2026 · Sources linked throughout

Short answer. Keep the heat at 55°F or higher on every empty night, open sink cabinets on outside walls during hard freezes, disconnect hoses, and put leak and temperature sensors where pipes run. For guests, put “please keep the heat on” in your listing’s Requests before they book. From November 20, 2026, Airbnb won’t let you add it later by sign.

Why are empty nights between stays the riskiest?

Because nobody is there to notice. State Farm says it paid more than $628 million on over 20,000 frozen-pipe and winter water claims from 2024 through June 2025, an average of over $30,000 a claim, and that a small crack can let out more than 250 gallons a day. The five states with the highest totals were Illinois, Oregon, Washington, Texas and Tennessee. Three of those aren’t snow-belt states, and that’s the point: homes built for mild winters freeze in a cold snap.

A story that comes up again and again on host forums goes like this: a guest checks out on a frigid morning, turns the heat or the mini-splits off to be helpful (or to save the host money), and the pipes freeze before the next turnover. Nobody did anything wrong on purpose. The house was just empty and cold for a day.

A mild forecast doesn’t remove the risk. NOAA’s October 2026 outlook expects a very strong El Niño and leans warmer than normal for November to January across the northern tier, the West, the Ohio Valley and the mid-Atlantic. That’s a seasonal average. A warmer-than-usual winter still has freezing nights, and those are the nights this checklist is for.

What should the thermostat be set to when the rental is empty?

No lower than 55°F, and the same day and night. The American Red Cross gives that floor for when you’re away, Seattle Public Utilities repeats it for empty homes, and Triple-I uses it for vacant properties. 55°F is a minimum, not a target. Rooms over a crawl space, a garage or an outside wall run colder than the hallway where the thermostat sits.

Situation	Heat setting	Also do
Guest in the house	Guest’s choice inside your range (for example 60–75°F)	Nothing extra. The listed heating is theirs to use.
Empty for 1–3 nights	58–60°F	Cleaner runs the winter add-on below.
Empty for a week or more	55°F minimum, 60°F in older homes	Sensor alerts on, someone who can get there within hours, a visit after any alert.
Forecast below about 20°F	Don’t drop it. Keep 60°F+	Open sink cabinets on outside walls, check the app twice a day.
Closed for months, no heat	Off only after a full drain-down	Plumber winterizes, calendar blocked, insurer told.

A smart thermostat makes the range stick. Most let you set a minimum and maximum guests can’t go past, and some, like ecobee, can lock schedules and system mode behind a PIN. Some setups put the floor at 50°F. We’d keep it at 55°F or higher. Two things to keep in mind: you can’t use the lock to stop guests heating the home to a normal temperature, and if the WiFi goes down, so do your alerts.

What goes on the between-stays winter checklist?

Once, before the first hard freeze

Outside water. Disconnect and drain hoses, close the inside valve to each outdoor faucet and leave the outside tap open so it drains (Red Cross).
Find and label the main water shutoff. Take a photo, and make sure your cleaner and a nearby backup person know where it is.
Insulate exposed pipes in the crawl space, garage, attic and under sinks on outside walls. Close foundation vents and fix drafts near pipes (Seattle Public Utilities).
Service the heating. The CDC says once a year by a qualified technician. Replace filters, check propane or oil levels, and book a delivery before the busy weeks.
Test smoke and CO alarms and replace batteries. Winter is when guests use fireplaces, space heaters and gas appliances most.
Install sensors: water-leak sensors with temperature alerts under sinks, by the water heater and washer, and anywhere pipes run near an outside wall.
Line up a snow service for the driveway, steps and walkway, and stock ice melt, a shovel and flashlights.
Update the listing with the Requests and “Winter here” wording in the next section. It only applies to bookings made after you save it.

After every checkout

This is the list to hand your cleaner. It covers looking and reporting, not repairs. Copy it into your regular turnover list. If you don’t have one, the free turnover cleaning checklist gives you the room-by-room base to add it to.

WINTER ADD-ON — every turnover, [November to March]

[ ] Thermostat: set to [58]°F if nobody arrives today, or [68]°F if a guest checks in today. Photo of the screen.
[ ] Run every tap, hot and cold, for a few seconds. Flush each toilet. Tell me if anything is slow, weak or noisy.
[ ] Look under each sink and around the water heater and washer for drips or wet spots.
[ ] Tonight below [20]°F and nobody arriving? Leave the cabinet doors under the sinks open (move cleaning products up high first).
[ ] Next guest arriving today? Close those cabinet doors again.
[ ] Windows and outside doors shut and latched. Garage door down.
[ ] Leak and temperature sensors in place and not unplugged.
[ ] Walkway and steps clear, or text me so I can call [snow service].
[ ] Restock: ice melt, flashlight batteries, [firewood / propane above 30%], spare blankets.
[ ] Anything odd (frost on a pipe, a damp ceiling, a cold room)? Text me a photo before you leave.

During a longer empty stretch

Check the app every day: indoor temperature, sensor status, and whether the thermostat and sensors are still online.
Get someone inside after any alert or storm, and every few days in a long gap. Michigan’s preparedness agency suggests having someone check daily if you’ll be away during a cold spell.
Don’t leave taps dripping in an empty unit unless someone will check on it. Seattle Public Utilities advises against running water in unoccupied buildings, because a blocked drain can overflow.
Preheat before arrival. Bring the house up to a normal temperature a few hours before check-in, and close the sink cabinets again.

What can I ask winter guests to do under the November 20 rules?

For bookings made from November 20, 2026, Airbnb’s house rules policy says every rule and request has to be in the House rules and requests section when the guest books. You can’t add new ones by message, sign or in person. Requests have to be reasonable: no cleaner tasks, no restricting an advertised amenity, and no fines. Airbnb’s own example is on point. Guests shouldn’t be asked to avoid using a listed amenity like air conditioning, but you can ask them to turn it off when they leave. Heating works the same way, and here’s how common winter asks fit:

Winter ask	OK after Nov 20?	Why
“Please keep the heat at 60°F or warmer, even when you’re out”	Yes, as a listed Request	A small ask with a clear reason. It doesn’t stop them using the heat.
“Please set the thermostat to 60°F when you leave”	Yes, as a listed Request	It mirrors Airbnb’s own example: asking guests to turn off the air conditioning when they leave.
“Open the sink cabinets on nights below 20°F”	Yes, as a listed Request	A few seconds, tied to local conditions. Airbnb allows local exceptions like this.
“Keep the heat at 66°F max” or “don’t use the fireplace”	No, if heating or the fireplace is listed	That restricts a listed amenity. Set a thermostat range, or take the fireplace off the listing.
“Shovel the driveway before you leave”	No	It’s the host’s job, like a cleaning task. Offer the shovel as information instead.
“$200 fee if the heat is turned off”	No	Airbnb doesn’t allow fines or penalties.
New “DO NOT TURN OFF HEAT” sign	Only if it repeats the listing	A sign can’t add a rule. Word it exactly like your Request.
“Hot tub closed November to March”	Only if the listing already says so	Update the listing or amenities first, so guests book knowing.

Paste the requests into Listings → Listing editor → House rules and requests:

House rules and requests → Requests (add before winter bookings come in)

• Heat: please keep the heat on and set to at least [60]°F, day and night, even when you’re out. The pipes here can freeze if the house gets colder than that.
• When you leave: please set the thermostat to [60]°F, or press “Away”. Please don’t switch the heating off.
• On nights forecast below [20]°F: please leave the cabinet doors under the kitchen and bathroom sinks open. We’ll message you if one is coming.
• If the heat stops working or the house feels cold, please message us right away, day or night.

Then add the information. This isn’t a rule list, it’s what a guest needs to know before booking a winter stay. It belongs in the description, plus Getting there for road notes:

Listing description → “Winter here” (information, not rules)

• Getting here: [road] is plowed by [the county] usually by [9 am]. From [December to March], [AWD or snow tires] are recommended for the last [mile].
• Snow: we have the driveway and steps cleared [before check-in and after snowfalls over 2 inches]. A shovel and ice melt are by the [front door] if you want them during your stay.
• Heating: [furnace / mini-splits / wood stove]. The thermostat goes from [60] to [75]°F. [Gas fireplace: switch by the mantel. / The fireplace is decorative.]
• Power cuts happen [a few times a winter]. Flashlights are in [the hall closet]. [We don’t provide a generator.]
• The smart thermostat and water-leak sensors send us alerts. They don’t record audio or video.

Changes only apply to future bookings. Airbnb says house rule edits don’t affect pending or confirmed reservations. If December guests have already booked, you can still message them winter information, but the heat request only becomes a request for them if it was in the listing when they booked. Save the new wording this week. Our guide to Airbnb’s new house rules has the full keep, reword or delete table.

What winter messages should I send guests?

Three messages cover most winter stays. Each one gives information and repeats the listing word for word, so none of them adds a rule. Save them as quick replies. More timing tips are in our Airbnb message templates.

2–3 days before arrival

Hi [Name], looking forward to having you on [Friday]! A few winter notes for [town]:

• Forecast: [low of 14°F Friday night, light snow Saturday].
• Roads: [route] is usually plowed by [9 am]. [AWD or snow tires help on the last mile.]
• The driveway and steps will be cleared before you arrive. A shovel and ice melt are by the [front door] if you want them.
• As in the listing: please keep the heat at [60]°F or warmer, and set it to [60]°F (or “Away”) when you leave.
• If the heat stops or anything feels cold, message me here any time.

Safe travels,
[Your name]

When a cold snap or storm is coming

The power-outage line comes from the CDC: never run generators, grills or camp stoves inside, in basements or in garages, because of carbon monoxide.

Hi [Name], quick heads-up: the forecast low tonight is [5°F].

• As the listing asks, please keep the heat at [60]°F or warmer tonight and leave the cabinet doors under the sinks open.
• [Snow service] will plow by [8 am]. If you’d rather not drive early, no rush at all.
• If the power goes out: flashlights are in [the hall closet]. Please don’t run a grill, camp stove or generator inside or in the garage.
• If the weather changes your plans, message me and we’ll work something out.

Stay warm,
[Your name]

If the heat stops during a stay

Act fast. “The heating is not working in winter” is one of Airbnb’s own examples of a serious issue under AirCover for guests. If you can’t fix it, Airbnb can rebook the guest or refund them. Guests are told to report problems to you within 72 hours, so a quick, generous answer is usually the cheaper one.

Hi [Name], I’m sorry the heat stopped, and thank you for telling me right away.

• [A technician / I] will be there by [time].
• Until then: extra blankets are in [the hall closet] and [an electric space heater is in (place)]. Please keep it at least 3 feet from beds and curtains, and don’t use the oven for heat.
• If it isn’t fixed by [time tonight], I’ll [refund tonight / help you rebook / cover a hotel], whichever you prefer.

[Your name]

Put the same requests on a winter page in your welcome book and on a small card by the thermostat, using exactly the listing’s words. Our cabin welcome book guide shows what a cold-weather house page covers.

Which sensors and smart devices are worth it?

Airbnb’s device policy allows smart home devices like thermostats and water or temperature sensors. Disclosing them is encouraged but not required, as long as they don’t record audio or video. A short line like the one in the “Winter here” block avoids surprises. The brands below are examples only. Halivs has no deal with any of them.

Device	What it catches	Worth knowing
Smart thermostat with min/max limits	A guest switching the heat off, a furnace that stops heating	Its temperature log also shows an insurer you kept the heat on.
Leak sensors with temperature alerts	Water on the floor, a cold cabinet before a pipe freezes	Put one wherever a pipe runs near an outside wall, not just by the water heater.
Automatic water shutoff valve	A burst pipe that keeps running	Stops the flow on its own. A plumber usually installs it on the main line.
Power or WiFi outage alert	The outage that disables everything else	Some hubs have a battery or cellular backup. Check yours.

What if a pipe freezes or bursts?

Burst or leaking: shut off the main water valve, then switch off power to any wet area if that’s safe. Call a plumber.
Frozen but not burst (a tap with little or no water): leave the tap open and warm the pipe with a hair dryer, heating pad or space heater kept clear of anything flammable. Never use an open flame (Red Cross).
A guest is staying: tell them what’s happening and when it will be fixed. If the home is no longer livable, Airbnb’s policy says hosts are obligated to cancel, and major damage is a valid reason to cancel without fees.
Document everything before cleanup: photos, the thermostat log, sensor alerts, the plumber’s invoice. Then call your insurer.

Will Airbnb or my insurance cover winter damage?

Don’t count on Airbnb. Host damage protection is not an insurance policy, and its terms exclude acts of nature including weather events and changes of temperature or humidity, lack of maintenance, mold, and loss of utilities caused by outside factors. It’s built for damage a guest causes during a stay. Winter storms usually don’t qualify as a major disruptive event either: Airbnb lists winter weather in the northern hemisphere during winter as foreseeable, so storm cancellations follow your normal cancellation policy unless something like a government travel ban applies.

That leaves your own policy, and two clauses decide most freeze claims:

Vacancy. Many policies limit or exclude cover once a home has been unoccupied for a set time, often 30 to 60 days. Check how your policy defines vacant and unoccupied, and whether short gaps between guests count.
Maintaining heat. Freezing damage is commonly excluded unless you used reasonable care to maintain heat or shut off and drained the water. Thermostat logs, HVAC service records and active utility bills are the kind of evidence that helps.

If you rent the home short-term, make sure the policy actually covers short-term rental use. Many standard homeowners policies don’t, and that question matters more than any thermostat setting.

When should I fully winterize instead?

Only if you’re closing for the season with the heat off. Then a plumber should do a full drain-down: shut the main, drain every line, the water heater and the appliances, and add antifreeze to traps. Block the calendar and tell your insurer. If the building has fire sprinklers, check with a professional first: shutting off and draining the water also disables a sprinkler system. If you keep taking bookings, keep the heat on instead.

Not legal or insurance advice. This page summarizes Airbnb’s published policies and public safety guidance as of October 29, 2026. Your insurance policy, local laws, HOA rules and your permit decide what applies to you. Ask your insurer or agent about vacancy and freeze cover. Halivs isn’t affiliated with Airbnb or any device maker.

Questions hosts ask

What temperature should I leave my Airbnb at in winter between guests?

At least 55°F, day and night. That’s the floor the American Red Cross, Seattle Public Utilities and Triple-I all give for a home nobody is in. Go higher, around 60°F, in an older house, one with pipes in a crawl space or outside walls, or when the forecast drops below about 20°F.

Can I tell Airbnb guests not to turn off the heat?

Yes, as a request in the House rules and requests section of your listing, written before the guest books. Airbnb says you can’t stop guests using a listed amenity, but you can ask them to turn something off when they leave. Asking them to keep the heat at or above a safe minimum and to set it back when they go fits that. A sign at the thermostat is fine only if it repeats the listing word for word.

Can I ask Airbnb guests to shovel snow?

Not as a requirement. From November 20, 2026, requests have to be reasonable and can’t be cleaner or host tasks, and clearing the driveway is the host’s job. Arrange plowing or a snow service, and mention that a shovel and ice melt are by the door if guests want them. That’s information, not a chore.

Does AirCover pay for frozen pipes at my Airbnb?

Usually not. Host damage protection is not insurance, and its terms exclude weather events, changes of temperature or humidity, lack of maintenance and mold. It mainly covers damage a guest causes during a stay. Freeze damage normally falls on your own short-term rental or homeowners policy, so check what it says about vacancy and maintaining heat.

Should I leave the faucets dripping in an empty rental?

Many guides say to drip faucets in a hard freeze, and the CDC and Red Cross both mention it. But Seattle Public Utilities says not to leave water running in an unoccupied building, because a blocked drain can turn a drip into a flood. For an empty unit, rely on heat, open cabinets and sensors, and drip only if someone will check on it.

Do I have to tell guests about a smart thermostat or leak sensor?

Airbnb allows smart home devices like thermostats and water or temperature sensors, and it encourages you to disclose them but doesn’t require it, as long as they don’t record audio or video. Noise monitors and exterior cameras must be disclosed. A short line in the listing, such as “the thermostat and leak sensors send us alerts”, avoids surprises.