If you own a lake house, you probably already know that it takes a fair amount of maintenance to keep it in good shape. But what if you’ve only recently purchased a new lakeside property, or what if your old methods aren’t keeping your real estate as well-ordered as you’d like? If you need a little help with your lake house management, here are just three things to consider.

1. Automate Your Controls

This is one of the easiest ways to maintain your lake house even when you aren’t physically present to lock the doors and turn off the lights. When you’ve hooked it up to programmable controls, your thermostat will lower itself and your coffeemaker will rinse itself. You won’t have to be inside of the lake house to perform these everyday tasks. Everything will be automatic.

2. Get Smart

In the same vein as the above, you might also be interested in “smart” technology for your lake house. Instead of simply programming your garage doors to open at certain times, you can direct them to open with the help of a smartphone app. It might cost a little money to install this kind of high-tech magic in your lake home, but it’ll be worth it when you’re able to keep things locked and lit up even when you’re thousands of miles away.

3. Clear the Lake

You can skip this step if your property is on the edge of a huge commercial lake that you have no control over, but if your lake is something small or something that you’re responsible for, you’ll need to maintain it just like your vacation home. The good news is that you can do a lot with things like aeration pumps for lakes, so it doesn’t have to be a major chore. You can keep the water clean with minimal effort.

These are just a few tips for maintaining your lake house. It might not be your primary property, but it still deserves care and attention, so don’t slack off when it comes to your ownership duties!