What should I do if I leave the house for winter this month?

Make Your Home Unattractive to Pests Clean your home thoroughly to help discourage new “residents” from moving in. Clean, defrost and unplug refrigerators and freezers, wiping them dry and leaving doors propped open to prevent mildew. Also clean the oven. Inspect your home for openings that animals could use to enter.

What’s the recommended temperature for vacant home in winter?

What’s the Recommended Temperature for Vacant Home in Winter? Each house is different and the optimal thermostat setting depends on the level of insulation in the house, pipe layout, exterior temperature, and location. You should set the temperature around 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (℉).

Do you need insurance for an unoccupied house in winter?

Unoccupied home insurance is vital for any vacant properties, but even more so in winter as the cold and extreme weather put your house at increased risk of damage. Insurance allows you to have repairs made promptly before this worsens, and at no financial cost to yourself.

Is it bad to have an empty house in winter?

However, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, an empty house is not likely to generate water from washing, cooking or other related activities, therefore the probability of moisture causing an issue is low. On the opposite side of the weather spectrum, another concern is frozen plumbing in the winter.

How to take care of an unoccupied house?

Have mail and newspapers forwarded to appropriate address or picked up on a regular basis. Even if all mail is stopped, the home should be checked at least weekly to ensure unread mail, flyers, leaflets, etc., do not build up and add to the vacant/unoccupied appearance of the property.

Do you need to winterize your home before you go on vacation?

Whether you’re flying the coop for the whole winter or taking a long holiday vacation, it’s important to winterize your vacant home before you leave. If you don’t take precautions, you could end up coming home to some serious and expensive damage.

How to prepare your home for winter vacancy?

Home Alone: How to Prepare Your Home for Winter Vacancy. 1 Turn off the water supply. The most important thing you need to do, especially if you’re leaving for the entire winter, is shut off your water supply. 2 Drain the waterlines. 3 Insulate pipes. 4 Turn down the heat. 5 Unplug all appliances.