The next twenty years will be a time of great change for Canada. The baby boom generation, which has fuelled nearly every major trend of the last six decades, will be retiring. Cottage country has always attracted a number of retirees, but the sheer numbers of people retiring over the next two decades will increase the flow of older adults moving from their city homes to life in the country.

In one Ontario community, this trend is well underway. According to a recent Statistics Canada report, the population of Haliburton County – a traditional lake country resort area located approximately two hours north east of Metropolitan Toronto, is not only growing, it is getting older as well. The median age in Haliburton County was found to be 50.4 years, significantly higher than the provincial median age of 39.0 years. Many of Haliburton's new and older residents are former cottagers who have sold their homes in the city and have renovated their cottages into year round residences.

In the past, one of the major obstacles that faced people wanting to build a lakefront home or turn a recreational property into a year-round residence was how to ensure a reliable water supply. Very few cottage or rural properties have the luxury of being on town water. However, some rural properties have existing wells or are fortunate to be located in areas where a well can be drilled. Yet, in cottage country, it is not always possible or economically viable to drill a well, since much of lake country is located on the rocky Canadian Shield. Drilling a well through hundreds of feet of solid granite can be astronomically expensive. The alternative to costly drilling is to draw water from a nearby pond or lake. Nevertheless, the chief problem with maintaining your own water system is how to reliably keep the water flowing during the long, cold months of winter without worrying about a freeze up.

Baby boomers are not letting this stop them from converting their cottage country properties into year-round residences. Some baby boomers have leaned on heating cable systems to protect their water systems from freezing, thus enabling them to more affordably ensure a constant water supply throughout the winter months.

This form of self-regulating freeze protection system offers freeze protection for low pressure water supply lines, generally running from a lake, river, or well. The heating cable is inserted directly inside the polyethylene pipe and is provided factory finished for ease of installation.

Self-regulating freeze protection systems are extremely beneficial and unlike resistance wire or zone heaters. With self-regulating freeze protection systems, there is no worry about under heating or over heating, even when insulated. The self-regulating heating cables automatically adjust heat output at each point (microscopically) along their length.

In addition, self-regulating heaters reduce energy costs do to the fact you can insulate your pipes. This way, the power output is applied as a function of pipe heat loss versus ambient temperature. Heat is applied where and when it is needed.

Baby boomers have realized the benefits associated with water pipe freeze protection, and have recognized first-hand the peace of mind and cost savings associated with being able to use their cottage property year-round. The trend of baby boomers moving from their homes in city centres to vacation homes in smaller resort communities should continue for many years to come. Thankfully, with the availability of pipe freeze protection, they will now be able to maintain their own water system without the fear of it freezing up during the long, cold months of winter.

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