[Battlebasset]

Originally Posted by Malsua

Most homes north of 466 use potable water for irrigation. If you shut off your water, you shut off your irrigation. Some have a T before the main home whereby if you shut off the house, the irrigation can still run. This is, however, an exception, not the rule.

South of 466 most or all of the homes have a separate Irrigation supply and you can safely turn off the water to the home.

I didn't realize that, thanks for the correction. So you would pay the sewer charge for that irrigation water? If so, it might be worth the effort to put in the T to save that cost. Or is it somehow metered separately?

[jnsbill]

I dont think I saw it but the toilet bowls in palstic wrap and add some bleach to the water

[Annie66]

Here is our list when we are out of town for more than a week or more.

1 Set the house thermostat at 80-82 deg F. Leave the air conditioning on.
2 Leave all doors open and fans running.
3 Turn off the gas at the manifold in the attic.
4 Place the water heater selection valve to the off position.
5 Put a small amount of vegetable oil in the garbage disposal, and run (without water) for 1-3 seconds.
6 Place bleach in the toilet bowl ---- not the tank.
7 Cover the toilet bowl and tank with plastic wrap. Draw a large X on the plastic wrap (for obvious reasons).
8 Take outside thermometer sensor indoors.
9 Close all the blinds and draperies.
10 Remove everything from the lanai, porch and outside, and place indoors.
11 Turn off the ice maker. Do this prior to turning off the water to the house. Empty the ice maker.
12 Lock all windows and doors (including dead bolts).
13 Run 1/2 cup of vinegar and water through the Keurig and then run several cups of tap water through to clear the vinegar from the Keurig reservoir.
14 With the exception of lights on timers, unplug everything (washer, dryer, printers, toaster, coffee pot, microwave, wireless phones, lamps, etc.).
15 Turn off the water at the valve in the garage. At one of the sinks, release the pressure for both the hot and cold-water supplies. Be sure to close the faucet value once the pressure has been released.
16 Pour a small amount of bleach in each sink trap and put the stoppers in the sinks.
17 Put some bleach in the shower drain and cover the drain with pliable plastic.
18 Empty and take out all the garbage.
19 After backing the car out of the garage, lower the door, and set the wall pad button to the off/security position. Or, you can pull the plug on the garage door opener.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Battlebasset

I didn't realize that, thanks for the correction. So you would pay the sewer charge for that irrigation water? If so, it might be worth the effort to put in the T to save that cost. Or is it somehow metered separately?

You can't bypass the meter, if that is what you are asking. You will pay for potable water by the gallon and you will pay for the sewer charge by the same number of gallons, irrigation or not.

[SIRE1]

Originally Posted by Annie66

Here is our list when we are out of town for more than a week or more.

1 Set the house thermostat at 80-82 deg F. Leave the air conditioning on.
2 Leave all doors open and fans running.
3 Turn off the gas at the manifold in the attic.
4 Place the water heater selection valve to the off position.
5 Put a small amount of vegetable oil in the garbage disposal, and run (without water) for 1-3 seconds.
6 Place bleach in the toilet bowl ---- not the tank.
7 Cover the toilet bowl and tank with plastic wrap. Draw a large X on the plastic wrap (for obvious reasons).
8 Take outside thermometer sensor indoors.
9 Close all the blinds and draperies.
10 Remove everything from the lanai, porch and outside, and place indoors.
11 Turn off the ice maker. Do this prior to turning off the water to the house. Empty the ice maker.
12 Lock all windows and doors (including dead bolts).
13 Run 1/2 cup of vinegar and water through the Keurig and then run several cups of tap water through to clear the vinegar from the Keurig reservoir.
14 With the exception of lights on timers, unplug everything (washer, dryer, printers, toaster, coffee pot, microwave, wireless phones, lamps, etc.).
15 Turn off the water at the valve in the garage. At one of the sinks, release the pressure for both the hot and cold-water supplies. Be sure to close the faucet value once the pressure has been released.
16 Pour a small amount of bleach in each sink trap and put the stoppers in the sinks.
17 Put some bleach in the shower drain and cover the drain with pliable plastic.
18 Empty and take out all the garbage.
19 After backing the car out of the garage, lower the door, and set the wall pad button to the off/security position. Or, you can pull the plug on the garage door opener.

I like some of your items and will add them to my Departure Check List. Especially #5 and #16.

[nancyre]

When you return run water in all locations for a few minutes - including flushing the toilets to WET the line otherwise using the toilet materials may stick in the dry line. There is a list available FCS3154/HE887: Closing Your Seasonal Home

[Firefighter Show]

Custom Home and Marine Watch has a checklist available free on their website. They do not service The Villages area but offer the checklist free.

Originally Posted by MrLonzo

When leaving the Villages for extended periods (>6 months), what services to your home is it cost effective to shut down while you're gone? I think cable tv can be shut off and still keep WiFi, but anything else?

Also, I saw a thread offering many good tips about home shut-down procedures for Snowbirds here a few months ago, but can't seem to find it again -- any help? Sorry- still learning how to use these Forums.

[dshoberg]

Originally Posted by SIRE1

We are also seasonal residents and I've made a check list on an Excel spread sheet so I can use it every year when leave. Also, it is a good reminder of what I need to re-do when we get back. Here are just a few items on my list. If you would like a copy of my actual list, PM me.

1. Put golf bags and bag chairs into bedroom closet because garage gets too hot and will destroy fabric type materials.
2. Unplug Power to TV & DVD (leave Cable Box & Modem ON if put cable on Vacation).
3. Put Printer ink in Zip Lock Bag and place bag in refrigerator.
4. Run water in tub to fill drain trap, Shut Tub & Sink drain stoppers to minimize evaporation and bugs from getting into house.
5. Put porch/lanai furniture into the garage in case of storm or hurricane.
6. Remove battery from all remotes: Comcast, TV, & sound bar (we had battery go bad and corroded the TV remote).
7. Unplug Coffee Maker, Toaster, & Microwave.
8. Turn off refrigerator Ice Maker and put baking soda boxes in refrig & freezer.
9. Take down anything outside that might get ruined or blown away in a bad storm/hurricane.
10. Check and clean/replace furnace air filter, and add 1 cup vinegar to the A/C drain line.
11. Clean out sprinkler rings and set watering settings for summer.
12. Turn Off Water Heater and Main House water supply.
13. Stop Daily Sun Newspaper Delivery (352) 751-7964 .
14. Set A/C to 79 or 80 (want it to run to minimize humidity) Not worried too much about furnace heat.
15. Begin forwarding Florida Mail USPS.com and stop forwarding mail to Florida (allow 10 days pipeline).
16. Change Billing Mailing Addresses for accounts that you set up with the Florida address.
17. Set up someone as a home watch representative to regularly inspect your home (may be a neighbor).
18. Advise your lawn service company with a local contact number of that Home Watch representative.

We have a similar list that we have used for 8 years….we have one for our FL home and one for our MN home.

[Hape2Bhr]

Originally Posted by hoot2602

After watching approximately 200 different homes over a 6 year period, you'd be surprised at how many people leave windows unlocked! Be sure when locking windows that have plastic keepers (most do) that the keeper is firmly seated in the slot. The aluminum window frames may bend and when you close the keeper it may not seat in the slot.Rather, it will push the aluminum frame out. I estimate that 10% of the homes that I've watched leave something unlocked. Other things that are a good idea:
1. Don't close the toilet seats. When closed there is no circulation thus, mold will build up in toilets. Many people are afraid that critters (snakes, frogs and bugs) will come up into the toilet. I haven't seen it in my 6 years of doing home watches..

When we returned this past December after 7 weeks up north, the master bath toilet had a visitor while we were away. There was mud all over the bowl and on the underside of the toilet seat. We could not discern any footprints (maybe a snake?). The toilet directly behind in the guest bath was clean.

[nick demis]

Originally Posted by SIRE1

We are also seasonal residents and I've made a check list on an Excel spread sheet so I can use it every year when leave. Also, it is a good reminder of what I need to re-do when we get back. Here are just a few items on my list. If you would like a copy of my actual list, PM me.

1. Put golf bags and bag chairs into bedroom closet because garage gets too hot and will destroy fabric type materials.
2. Unplug Power to TV & DVD (leave Cable Box & Modem ON if put cable on Vacation).
3. Put Printer ink in Zip Lock Bag and place bag in refrigerator.
4. Run water in tub to fill drain trap, Shut Tub & Sink drain stoppers to minimize evaporation and bugs from getting into house.
5. Put porch/lanai furniture into the garage in case of storm or hurricane.
6. Remove battery from all remotes: Comcast, TV, & sound bar (we had battery go bad and corroded the TV remote).
7. Unplug Coffee Maker, Toaster, & Microwave.
8. Turn off refrigerator Ice Maker and put baking soda boxes in refrig & freezer.
9. Take down anything outside that might get ruined or blown away in a bad storm/hurricane.
10. Check and clean/replace furnace air filter, and add 1 cup vinegar to the A/C drain line.
11. Clean out sprinkler rings and set watering settings for summer.
12. Turn Off Water Heater and Main House water supply.
13. Stop Daily Sun Newspaper Delivery (352) 751-7964 .
14. Set A/C to 79 or 80 (want it to run to minimize humidity) Not worried too much about furnace heat.
15. Begin forwarding Florida Mail USPS.com and stop forwarding mail to Florida (allow 10 days pipeline).
16. Change Billing Mailing Addresses for accounts that you set up with the Florida address.
17. Set up someone as a home watch representative to regularly inspect your home (may be a neighbor).
18. Advise your lawn service company with a local contact number of that Home Watch representative.

Great list. 2 things to add.
1) Put trickle charger on batteries to all vehicles.
2) have someone add water to all drains once a month or put antifreeze to keep traps primed to prevent sewer gas from entering house.

[Dexterconfetti]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

This is a webpage. You can use your browser options to bookmark any webpage. You can also use the TOTV search function to find threads.

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.

[Tustin714]

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.

[BobnBev]

Originally Posted by Priebehouse

This list mirrors our Seasonal Shut Down list with one missing...open closet doors. There is nothing worse than coming back to to coming back to your Florida wardrobe smelling like a pile of musty rags. Other than that, YOU GOT IT!

And leave all the fans on low.

[BernieJr]

Originally Posted by MrLonzo

When leaving the Villages for extended periods (>6 months), what services to your home is it cost effective to shut down while you're gone? I think cable tv can be shut off and still keep WiFi, but anything else?

Also, I saw a thread offering many good tips about home shut-down procedures for Snowbirds here a few months ago, but can't seem to find it again -- any help? Sorry- still learning how to use these Forums.

Hire a House Watch company

[Tustin714]

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.