Get some plastic baggies and fill them with ice and seal 'em up. Place them on your drains, especially the shower and tub. This will prevent any bugs from getting in to your house. Definitely put plastic wrap on the toilets.
Unplug all electronics. Be sure that the cable is not connected to the wall -- lightning loves to travel on cable lines (whether for a dish or cable).
Since your home will be unoccupied for more than 4 months, unplug your fridge and prop the doors open (dish towel works real well). Leave closet and pantry doors open. Unplugging your microwave is not necessary but a good idea. Besides locking the garage door, unplug the openers so that they don't get fried if you have a lightning strike.
If possible, have a neighbor check your home once in awhile (turn on water, flush toilets, run dishwasher on rinse cycle). If you're not going to have your cart on jacks, ask neighbor to drive it around the block once in awhile.
One caveat: Check your insurance policy. If it has words to the effect that you must show due diligence or care in maintaining your home while unoccupied, hire someone to watch your home. If something happens (water leak, mold), your company will more than likely deny coverage because the house was unoccupied for more than 30 days and not being watched.
__________________
Army/embassy brat - traveled too much to mention
Moved here from SF Bay Area (East Bay)
"There are only two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle; the other is as though everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein
|