Snowbird

[Modigliani]

Hello, we are new homeowners in TV, going back to Canada until next Winter. Just wondering if we should leave the AC on in the empty house to prevent mold. Any advice welcome.

[annaconner]

It would be a good idea to install a humidistat which takes the moisture out of the air and allows the a/c to be set around 86. We had one installed about 7 yrs ago as our house is empty in the summer. It has paid for itself many times over and our average summer bill is $40.

[travlin50]

I would also consider hiring a "Home Watch" company. They come once a week, flush toilets, check on the sprinklers and just the overall condition of your home. We did that and the peace of mind we got for only $10 per week was well worth it.

[Madelaine Amee]

Hello, we are new homeowners in TV, going back to Canada until next Winter. Just wondering if we should leave the AC on in the empty house to prevent mold. Any advice welcome.

Barefoot is also from Canada, she is a frequent contributor to TOTV. I'm sure if you pm'd her she has helpful information for closing your home for the summer.

We were also snowbirds. Left the AC at 83, left all the fans on to circulate air. Put half cup of bleach in each clean toilet and seal the lip of the porcelain area tightly with plastic wrap, then close the lid. That will prevent evaporation and eliminate any need to flush the toilet and will stop mold. Turn off the water as you leave the house.

Your best line of defense is to let your immediate neighbors know that you are leaving, that way you have multiple eyes watching your home. Maybe you have a neighbor who would exchange email addresses with you - just in case.

Somewhere on this chat site there is a comprehensive list of how to leave your home, but I cannot remember where, but maybe one of the other posters will find it for you.

Have a safe ride home and a great summer.

[dewilson58]

Barefoot is also from Canada, she is a frequent contributor to TOTV. I'm sure if you pm'd her she has helpful information for closing your home for the summer.

We were also snowbirds. Left the AC at 83, left all the fans on to circulate air. Put half cup of bleach in each clean toilet and seal the lip of the porcelain area tightly with plastic wrap, then close the lid. That will prevent evaporation and eliminate any need to flush the toilet and will stop mold. Turn off the water as you leave the house.

Your best line of defense is to let your immediate neighbors know that you are leaving, that way you have multiple eyes watching your home. Maybe you have a neighbor who would exchange email addresses with you - just in case.

Somewhere on this chat site there is a comprehensive list of how to leave your home, but I cannot remember where, but maybe one of the other posters will find it for you.

Have a safe ride home and a great summer.

I agree....82 or 83 degrees, would not go higher.

[theorem painter]

I attended a seminar this winter sponsored by Florida State University on closing your seasonal home. They suggested the AC to be set between 80 and 85. They said not to run your ceiling fans because they are not meant for long time usage. Empty, wash out and turn off refrigerator. Prop door open. Leave closets and drawers open. Turn off water to toilets. Flush and put a cup of bleach in bowl (not tank). Cover toilet bowl and tank with Saran wrap. Throw out or take home anything in your kitchen cupboards that is not sealed. Even sugar in packets can attract ants. If you know your neighbors well enough have them do an occasional walk through.

[Steve & Deanna]

We set our humidistat on 60 and our A/C on 80, set the fan to automatic, we have 6 plug in pest controls, turn over any rubber backed mats, unplug TVs and cables, have timers on lights, set our gas hot water heater from 'A to Low', we keep the refrigerator plugged in but the ice machine is turned off, shut off water to the washing machine, saran wrap ALL drains and call VCDD Community Watch @ 352 750 8201 to let them know that the house will be vacant but make sure you give them the name of the person(s) that will be checking on your house. Hope this is helpful and have a safe and uneventful trip back.

[SantaClaus]

Stopper your sinks or the trap can dry out letting sewer gasses and insects into the house. I'd turn off the water heater completely. Do not put bleach in the toilet tank, it can damage the rubber gaskets, just in the bowl. Here's a couple of parallel threads:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52415

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35260

Good stuff.

[rjm1cc]

You need the AC. Maybe a neighbor could stop in once a week to see that everything is ok and the AC is still working. Change you filters before you go.

[CFrance]

I attended a seminar this winter sponsored by Florida State University on closing your seasonal home. They suggested the AC to be set between 80 and 85. They said not to run your ceiling fans because they are not meant for long time usage. Empty, wash out and turn off refrigerator. Prop door open. Leave closets and drawers open. Turn off water to toilets. Flush and put a cup of bleach in bowl (not tank). Cover toilet bowl and tank with Saran wrap. Throw out or take home anything in your kitchen cupboards that is not sealed. Even sugar in packets can attract ants. If you know your neighbors well enough have them do an occasional walk through.

I agree with these suggestions. You don't need a humidistat if you leave the a/c on 83. Others, of course, will have differing opinions on that, but it worked for us for two summers. Very low electric bill because these homes are so energy efficient. We didn't leave the fans on because we didn't want to chance the motors burning out and catching on fire.

Others will say not to turn fridge off, but we did so for years in our winter home and two years in our TV home. I felt that if there were a power failure and the fridge became disabled, I did not want to face rotten food upon our return. I also propped open the dishwasher.

We didn't have a home watch, but I would now because of all the recent break-in incidents.

[SantaClaus]

Oh, here's one more trap I'm betting most folks don't think about, the washing machine drain. You probably should pull the washing machine drain hose and plug the pipe.

[CFrance]

Oh, here's one more trap I'm betting most folks don't think about, the washing machine drain. You probably should pull the washing machine drain hose and plug the pipe.

Santa, is that necessary if you turn the water off to the whole house?

[SantaClaus]

Yes, the drain traps will eventually evaporate, leaving you exposed to the sewers. Turning off the water "supply" is completely different than protecting the drains. Not sure how quickly they'd dry out, but to be sure, a dehumidifier or AC will dry it out faster. If you're just gone a couple of months it'd probably not be a worry, but the longer the more worrisome.