Maintaining a Tiny Home in Canada's Winter

The tiny home movement is popular for many reasons—affordability and mobility being big ones. But when it comes to maintenance, because a tiny home is more like a vehicle than a traditional home, it can require more maintenance and effort, especially in the cold Canadian winter.

It’s not as cheap to build one in Canada.
While you’ve probably watched U.S. shows where thrifty tiny home owners brag about building one for $10,000—that’s not possible if you want your home to survive the Canadian climate. Building a tiny home here is going to cost closer to $30,000, if only to ensure it can withstand winter. Everything has to be optimized to handle extreme cold.

The smallest issue could create a big problem.
If you miss even a small spot of insulation during the build, the cold could reach the pipes and they will freeze. It is essential to always have a backup water supply, heat supply and electricity supply, or you could end up in a very unlivable situation should the worst happen.

It’s worth it to splurge on certain items.
Find a contractor that offers tankless hot water systems, in-floor heating and wooden studs instead of metal (which allow for less thermal transfer). These things may cost more but they will be the difference between a comfortable winter in your tiny home or harsh living conditions.

Be ready to get creative in the winter.
If things do start to freeze over, you may find yourself having to find a way to take care of the situation as soon as possible. It’s not uncommon to use tools like drills to carve out ice that might start to form around your drain to keep it from freezing over.