New wheelhouse owner ?'s

[MIDNIGHT777]

Well after a couple of years of looking I finally decided to pull the trigger on a new wheelhouse. I decided on the Salem Ice Cabin. I have been doing a little research on FM, but still have a few questions I cannot find the answers to, so here goes.......

Does anyone leave their furnace on if away from the house for a few hours? Is this safe to do?

If there is snow on the lake do you shovel out a spot for the house or just set it down on top of the snow?

If there is little snow do you make sure you try and put it on a patch of snow to bank?

Are the hole sleeves a convenience, mandatory, or waste of money?

I’ll take any other advice/tricks anyone has for a first time wheelhouse owner that makes my first couple trips go without problems…

Thanks, Matt

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Is that a forced air furnace? I leave my set to 40 degrees when its parked in the driveway. Since the door isn't opening, it doesn't run very often, and burns very little propane. You shouldn't have anything to worry about anything on the lake, other than dead batteries if it is forced air.

Depending on how your frame is built, it may not be a bad idea to shovel the snow off, just to get as close to the ice as possible. Just shovel the snow a little wider than the house, pull up to the spot, and then push the snow back around the outside of the house.

Hole sleeves are a really good idea. They will give additional protection against wind working its way under the house.

[JeffB]

If I'm fishing again with in a day or so I leave the heat on low. I set the thermostat to 40 and the minnows stay nice and happy. I don't use or plan on using floor sleeves

[MIDNIGHT777]

yep, forced air.

Thanks for the replies so far!!!!!!!!!!!!

Matt

[timjones]

I have a forced air furnace. I plow off the snow where I am going to set the house. I place some pieces of 2X4 lumber around the perimeter of the house and lower it down onto them. Then I bank the snow around the bottom of the house. Don't use hole sleeves as the house isn't that far off the ice and if you keep it banked good the wind doesn't blow in. I leave the thermostat at the lowest setting, guessing about 40 degrees, when I am not there. Of course I am usually back out there the next day or two and hook up the generator to recharge the battery. If you are just there during the weekends I would turn the thermostat off because the battery won't last all week.

[daylate]

I only use sleeves when there is little or no snow to bank with. nice to have most years.