How Do You Prepare Your House For an Extended DVC Visit?

[lilpooh108]

We are going on an extended WDW/DVC trip in the Fall. I'm curious to see how other DVC members prepare their home for a DVC trip that's longer than just a few days. I have housesitters that will come by and check, very active neighbors (as well as my brother who lives 2 blocks away), but obviously I'd like to avoid any real issues like a pipe bursting, water heater issues etc. Can someone give me some advice or a list?

Thanks!

 

[jimim]

We are going on an extended WDW/DVC trip in the Fall. I'm curious to see how other DVC members prepare their home for a DVC trip that's longer than just a few days. I have housesitters that will come by and check, very active neighbors (as well as my brother who lives 2 blocks away), but obviously I'd like to avoid any real issues like a pipe bursting, water heater issues etc. Can someone give me some advice or a list?

Thanks!

If ur worried about pipe bursts there are water cops that are put on the houses main line inside coming in. If any pipe bursts it senses and shuts the main off to avoid any further damage. It is also able to be controlled remotely from many home automation apps. We have installed alot of them in people's summer homes so they can remotely monitor when not there. They r like 2 or 3 hundred I stalled usually without automated outside control.

Anyway my parents usually go to our house ever day when away cause they are real close. They water for us if needed and such.

If they r with us my neighbors keep on eye on things or I do with remote control of my dvr security cameras around my property.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have someone stay in our house because we have a kennel full of dogs who need to be taken care of when we are gone.

As for water pipes etc, we have a security system that monitors not only for break ins, but also for temperature, and monitors things like our septic system for freezing. We actually did have that happen once when we were gone in winter. Scary stuff, but easy to rectify when you know about it because of an alarm.

 

[jennylyn_b]

We don't do anything unusual but unplug things and lock all windows etc. We go to wdw twice a year for 2-3 wks at a time. We let our neighbors know in case but they don't have keys to the house and we have no family to check for us. We also don't go away during the winter when pipes might freeze.
You can get a pipe warmer. It wraps around the pipe and keeps it slightly warm so the water cannot freeze.
We leave a light on a timer so its not dark at night.

 

[dvc_john]

I unplug most things, shut the water off, shut the water heater off, put lights on a timer, turn the thermostat off. In winter, I drain the water pipes, and just adjust the thermostat down instead of turning it off. I have the post office hold my mail, and someone picks it up for me if over 30 days. And I have someone who shovels the walk in winter, or mows the grass at other times. And people who occasionally check the house.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

We have people move our cars as in our area intruders watch houses for lack of activity. It is noted for example if a car is in the same place for extended periods also it's good to start the car and move it a little. We have people close and open blinds etc for the same reason. We have timers on the lights. We have people check for power cuts in case the goods in the freezer spoil ( not nice after 2 weeks imagine! ) . I remove most items from fridge. I remove keys from key safe outside if you have one. I am careful about who I tell about going away. Again you can never be sure! I leave money with neighbours for window cleaners etc. oh and silly thing but before I come home I do all my washing in the DVC laundry. Bliss! Not unpacking dirty laundry! I do all the laundry before we go and the house gets a good clean.

If we have anything need doing like cleaning of carpets or painting walls I like this done just before we go away using the time we are away for it to dry! Without having to not tread on the carpet or cope with the smell of paint.

One more thing we check batteries in smoke alarms.

Phew I need a vacation now...

Lol

 

[hakepb]

We have someone stay in our house because we have a kennel full of dogs who need to be taken care of when we are gone.

As for water pipes etc, we have a security system that monitors not only for break ins, but also for temperature, and monitors things like our septic system for freezing. We actually did have that happen once when we were gone in winter. Scary stuff, but easy to rectify when you know about it because of an alarm.

Wow! I haven't heard of septic freezing. Around here it seems the bacteria in the septic keep everything warm. Even trap water in a barn toilet doesn't freeze because of the septic warmth.
But I do know that blocked pipes going to a septic system are the opposite of fun..


For other tips, they say washing machine hoses are the most likely to leak, so I shut those off at the wall so they are not under pressure.
I turn the heat down to a temperature no less than 50...unless you drain all pipes and put RV antifreeze in the traps (too much work and 50 doesn't cost much)

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

So we have mail and newspaper held. I have timers in family room, front of the house and a bedroom that I have set for our "typical" times. We leave a cell phone number with a neighbor and clean out the fridge. Like someone else said we set back the thermostat based on the season. That's really it from here.....

 

[Brian Noble]

I shut off the main water valve in the basement. That's about it.

 

[disneymayz]

All we do is shut the water off, flip the breaker to the hot water heater to turn it off (why heat water that is not going to be used), and we also turn the gas off.
If someone wants to break in, then I have insurance.

 

[LILJAN59]

We are going on an extended WDW/DVC trip in the Fall. I'm curious to see how other DVC members prepare their home for a DVC trip that's longer than just a few days. I have housesitters that will come by and check, very active neighbors (as well as my brother who lives 2 blocks away), but obviously I'd like to avoid any real issues like a pipe bursting, water heater issues etc. Can someone give me some advice or a list?

Thanks!

We go away for several months in the winter. We live in the Idaho Panhandle. We have the city turn off the water at the street, and drain all the water faucets inside and out and pour rv antifreeze down all of the drains. But, we are gone all winter!
If you are really worried with a flood from a broken pipe, just shut the water off inside the house and drain the inside lines. You might still have water for your outside sprinkler system, but not hoses. You could probably leave buckets of water for them to water inside plants.
As far as the water heater goes, you can drain it, but don't forget to cut off the gas or electric supply to it!
Don't forget to stop your newspaper and have the post office hold your mail, they can only hold it for 30 days! More than 30 days, you can sign up for priority forwarding, you have to pay oop for it, but they will PM forward it to you every Wednesday!

Have a great trip! And Be Safe!

 

[JWG]

Wasn't sure what you meant by extended, but we do much the same as others:

- Hold the temp in the house (low if heating and high if cooling)
- Shut off the water and drain the pipes (we have a spicket near the water shut-off to drain all the pipes)
- Turn the gas heater down to it's lowest setting (vacation mode)
- Hold the mail at the post office
- Cancel any papers if subscribed for those days