Ontario is well populated with rustic cottages and bunkies that were built between the 1930's and 1960's that have withstood the tests of aging. They are usually rented out by the week to those who long for escape from today's hectic schedules.

The trick to enjoying these havens safely is to remember you are striving for a simpler time. These older cottages are often cobbled up electrically. They are not equipped to handle modern day electrical demands. You will often see an ancient fuse panel installed in the back of a kitchen cupboard with a couple of sub panels of various ages tacked on. They are almost always over-fused.

Keep the electricity usage to a minimum. There is no need to have much more than the fridge, the water pump, and a reading lamp on at any one time. Barbequing is always a better cottage choice than a stove; it helps save the electricity needed for the hot water tank .