Take a screen shot of his list
 

Take a screen shot with your iPad and save it to photos.

Also if you want to keep the fridge on, fill the air spaces with jars, containers of water. Same for freezer, fill it with iced bottles. Water warms more slowly than air.

A quick comment about saran-wrapping the toilets -- a friend mentioned the advice he received (and which if I missed in this thread, I apologize), to place a very small rock or something like a ball-bearing in the center of the saran wrap, so that condensation then drips back into the toilet instead of possibly leaching out the sides and allowing gas to come back up depending on the length of absence. Seems like a good idea.

And leave all the fans on low.

House Watch
 

Hire a House Watch company

If I'm only going to be gone for 30 days, is there still a worry about toilet/bath/sink evaporation, and having to saran wrap the toilet? We have a 3rd bathroom in this house (coming to TV for October), and it hasn't been used since early July, and there's still water in the toilet, so I'm just curious which recommendations are for longer-term absence. Thanks.

I wouldn't worry about it for 30 days, but I would turn off the water supply valve.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking.

If you have a home watch service do you still turn off the water and then do they turn it on to flush toilets etc.?

Personally, I would turn off the water and leave it off. If you are concerned about your drains drying out, the home watch person can bring a bucket of water to add it to the drains. The toilet bowls can be covered with plastic wrap, but it is probably not necessary.

Don’t forget to shut off The Daily Sun delivery and the Villages dot net t time system.

wifi
 

Can someone discuss the need to keep the WiFi on? We will probably do so but is it mostly for peace of mind or are there other benefits?

Cameras, various sensors (water leak in particular), thermostat, home automation (turn on/off lights), and alarm systems may all use wifi when you are away.

I can access a home computer remotely to take care of things that are difficult to do on a tablet.

If you have none of these, or don't care about them while you are gone, then some ISPs may allow you to pause service and save some money.

A ring doorbell and security cameras may need wifi. Some people use wifi devices for the irrigation system, thermostat, water leak detection, operating door locks and garage door, and turning lights on and off.

Fridge
 

Does anyone unplug their refrigerator and leave the doors open?

I wouldn't. Lift the wire to turn off the ice maker, but leave the refrigerator running. Turn off the main water house shut-off valve and leave it off. It is not necessary to have a home watch person turn the water on for any reason.

I also leave all kitchen, bathroom and closet doors open for air flow. Also had thermostat changed to one i can watch and change on my phone from afar....if I have an AC issue, it will show a rise in house temp that would cause me to have someone investigate further...

There is a list available FCS3154/HE887: Closing Your Seasonal Home

I need a vacation just reading all that !

RE: turning off the refrigerator

Could you elaborate on that?
When I leave for several months, I do turn off the refrigerator and open the doors. I don't see any reason to keep it on if there's no food in it. It's one of the biggest electricity users in the home.

Yes, you may save about $10 to $15 per month in electricity by turning off the refrigerator. Actually, it may be less than that because, if you leave it on, the door will be closed all the time while you are gone. Filling it with beverages can also reduce electricity usage. My concern would be the possibility of the refrigerator becoming defective because of it not running for several months. Refrigerators are designed to be on all the time. So, my choice would be to just leave it on.

I've had a refrigerator go bad due to not running though it was off for more than a few months.

I would empty the ice and turn off the ice maker. This would prevent the ice from melting and creating a puddle or mold if there was a problem. I would also use the quarter on top of a glass of ice trick to let me know if it ever became warm enough to defrost the freezer section.

The hardest thing to shut off when leaving is wanting to continue living the great, active, fun lifestyle inside the bubble. But it won’t take long for the reality of the real world to slam the door on that. Then the, I’m counting the days until I can return, valve will get immediately flipped wide open.

My motivation to turn off the refrigerator when I'm gone for several months, aside from savings on the electric bill, is to extend the life of the refrigerator by not using it as much. So your concern about damage by not keeping it running ran contrary to my thinking. My research online did not turn up any sites that confirm what you're saying. Most recommend keeping the fridge running if you're away for a month or less, and turning it off if away for more than a month.

I'm curious where you got that impression -- maybe an appliance manufacturer? Or was it anecdotal? If you can cite a reliable source, that would help! Thanks.

I don't have a source, but I don't see how turning off the refrigerator for several months will extend the life. Note that the refrigerator has a refrigerant just like an air conditioner does. The refrigerant contains a lubricating oil that is needed to keep the moving parts of the compressor and the seals lubricated so they do not dry out and leak, or start to rust. When you shut down the system, this lubrication stops functioning. It makes sense to me that keeping the refrigerator running continuously is the best way to ensure a long lasting refrigerator.