🏡 Red House Operating Manual

Julie: (973) 809-4603  ·  Monty: (973) 600-6916

Check In

• Key: Above the door frame on the inside of the wooden door on the left side of the garage bays.
• WiFi: Network Red House — password fireextinguisher
• Heat: Thermostat in main living room.
• Fireplace: Open the flue before starting a fire. In very cold weather, burn a coiled piece of newspaper first to ensure it's drawing. Close the flue before departing — only after embers are fully cold.
• Wood: In the garage, behind the wooden door on the left. Keep the wood bins by the front door and fireplace full before departing.
• Sink disposal: Switch is below the sink on the right.
• Garbage: Bag and place in bins in garage, tightly covered.
• Recycling: Single stream. Rinse items, bag in clear plastic bags, place in garage.
• Be aware of hunting seasons — wear orange. VT Fish & Wildlife seasons →

Check Out

1. Strip the beds and pile sheets in the laundry room bathroom.
2. Fill the wood bin to the right of the fireplace.
3. Turn off all lights.
4. Turn down heat to 55°F in the main living room.
5. Turn down annex baseboard heaters to low in the downstairs bathroom; close bathroom door. Turn all others off.
6. Bring bagged trash and recycling to garage bins; close lids tightly.
7. Make sure garage doors are closed.
8. Lock all doors. Replace front door key on top of the garage door frame.
9. Turn off the sauna circuit in the mudroom closet (labeled).

Internet router is in the basement, hung from the ceiling to the right at the bottom of the stairs. Problems? Call Mark Chila — Northshire Networks at (802) 535-2722.

Hot Tub

• To use: turn the temperature up.
• When not in use: always replace the cover and secure all four clasps plus the bungee cord on top.
• To exit Lock mode: Hot tub unlock instructions →
• Service: Falvey Spas, Brattleboro — (802) 254-6971

Sauna

1. Flip the labeled switch in the mudroom closet to turn on the breaker.
2. Turn the right-hand dial clockwise until you hear two clicks, then set it back to 1 — sauna heats for 1 hour.
3. For a delayed start: turn dial to the desired number of hours delay.
4. Adjust temperature with the left-hand dial. Start at three-quarters toward max.
5. Fill the bucket with water and ladle over the hot rocks to create steam.
6. Light switch is under the right-hand seat (center button = on/off; others are dimmers).
7. After use: flip the mudroom closet breaker OFF.

Electric Panels

• Main house: front hall closet.
• Annex: closet to the left of the downstairs annex bathroom.
• Hot tub: on the deck by the hot tub.
• Electric company: Green Mountain Power. If power goes out, look up 147 Adams Hill Rd on their website for outage info.
• Flashlights: cabinet left of the microwave, and top of the basement stairs.

Water Supply & Water Heaters

• Main house water supply and heater: basement.
• Annex water tank: bunkroom closet.
• Change filters at least once a year — use Calgon cotton replacement filters (available at hardware store).
• Well company: Lynde Well Drilling

Septic System

• Tank is below the stone patio behind the kitchen. Service every 5 years.
• Company: Houghton Sanitary Service, Gilford, VT — (802) 254-9221

Attic Fan

Located near the top of the primary bedroom door upstairs. Goes on and off automatically in summer. Keep the switch on.

Garage Door Openers

Service: Champion Overhead Door — (802) 251-0900

Wood Stove

Open the flue before lighting. In cold weather, burn a coiled newspaper first to ensure proper draw. Close the flue before leaving — only after embers are cold.

Tennis Court

Maintenance: Wilson & Lawrence, Grafton VT.

Pond Pumps

There are two pumps: an electronic one in a pump house in the brush between Adams Hill Road and the pond (breaker in basement, front corner behind the internet router), and a gravity-fed one in the woods above the pond along the power line track. Follow the big rock at the back of the pond straight up — there is a black hose that brings water down in spring. Inspect both at the start of each summer season.

Mowing & Trails

Todd Brown (802) 380-0478 mows the fields and plows the driveway. Bruce maintains the walking trails; call him with specifics. Monthly bill during the season.

Forestry

Forestry management plan required every 10 years for the tax break. Next plan due 2030. Contact: Alex Barrett, Long View Forest — abarrett@longviewforest.com. Japanese Maple eradication: Zack Ventrella — zventrella@longviewforest.com.

Gardening

Tara Bourne — (760) 709-0614. Spring cleanup in May, monthly summer visits, fall cleanup.

Mail

PO Box key is in the desk drawer in the primary bedroom. Address: 147 Adams Hill Road, PO Box 77, South Newfane, VT 05351.

Hospitals

• Grace Cottage Hospital — Townshend (preferred ER). Call 911 and request this hospital.
• Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (second choice).
• Messenger Valley Pharmacy — Townshend, across from Grace Cottage — (802) 365-3637.

Veterinarians

• West River Valley Veterinary Service — 720 VT Rte 30, Newfane — (802) 365-9362

Weather Forecast

National Weather Service — South Newfane →

Weather Underground — South Newfane →

Vermont 511 & Road Conditions

511VT.com — Vermont Road Conditions →

Check 511VT before heading to South Newfane in winter. Adams Hill Road can get icy quickly.

Winter Driving Notes

• Adams Hill Road is town-maintained but slow to plow after heavy snowfall.
• All-wheel or four-wheel drive recommended November–April.
• Keep an ice scraper and blanket in the car when visiting in winter.