Winter Traditional Yurt Maintenance

Mongolian Yurts in Canada & Other Winter Climates

One question we’re often asked is, “Do yurts hold up well in the wintertime?

”Our answer is always a resounding, “Yes!”

After all, yurts come from Mongolia. And Mongolian has some of the coldest winters in the world!

Fun fact: The only world capital that has a colder winter than Ottawa, Canada, is Ulan Bator (Ulanbaatar), the capital of Mongolia.

Since yurts (or Mongolian gers) have been the traditional, time-tested dwellings of Mongolian nomads for thousands of years, we know that yurts are a venerable structure that can withstand cold, wind, snow, ice and other harsh elements. Having said that, some essential maintenance and precaution is necessary to ensure that your yurt is ready for winter and will hold up well against storms and extreme temperatures.

In this edition of the Groovy Yurts Blog, we’ll show you some winter tips for yurt living.

Essential Yurt Winter Maintenance & Advice

If you live in a winter climate like we do (we’re located in Alexandria, ON, Canada), you and your yurt will benefit from some simple but beneficial maintenance and precautions that will go a long way towards ensuring that you have a safe & comfortable winter.

1. Tighten your inside and outside ropes regularly – the top two outside circling ropes are particularly important.
2. If your yurt has windows or extra openings, it might be a good idea to add a strap circling the entire yurt, on top of the door/window frames
3. Remove excess snow and ice from the roof of your yurt regularly by raking and/or tapping from inside the yurt
4. It is important to monitor humidity inside the yurt in cold winter climates. Excess moisture can create condensation or frost under the cold house wrap / canvas and accumulate to the point of dripping back into the yurt. Ventilation is crucial in such cases, especially if you cook, dry clothes or wood, bring in lots of snow, etc.
5. For areas experiencing strong winds, we have published information and offer anchoring rope wind kits for sale.

If you’re experiencing winter issues with your yurt, or are curious about further winterizing tips, we’d love to hear from you! #AlwaysAtYurtService