Have you been taking advantage of the ideal period between the high season and even higher temperatures? As you pack up, here is a handy checklist of things to do before leaving your house for summer. Embrace the spirit of spring while you prepare your Jupiter home to stand vacant while you head North.
Exterior Home Procedures
Working from the outside in, take care of these summer preparation tasks:
- Trim overgrown foliage that could be used by criminals to hide or gain access to your property.
- Mount lights activated by motion-sensors above the garage doors, front entrance and windows, and at the door to the yard. Install timers to switch lighting on and off as if you were home.
- Move any spare keys from outside your home – especially those that are hidden under a plant pot. Keep all keys and valuables out of sight.
- Stop newspaper subscriptions and inform the post office of mail forwarding.
- Arrange for lawn and pool maintenance during summer. Schedule a professional pest control treatment before you leave.
Interior Home Procedures
Inside your home:
- Tune up the alarm and remember to activate it when you leave.
- Replace the batteries of your smoke detectors.
- Thoroughly clean your home and trash all non-perishables or opened food.
- Drain your pipes by turning off and draining outdoor faucets and hoses, opening all faucets and flushing all toilets. Switch off the main water supply.
- Leave your thermostat set to 70 – 85 degrees with the humidistat at 55 – 60% to prevent mold and mildew.
Recruit House Watchers
There is something to be said for nosy neighbors! While you are away, enlisting the help of a neighbor, family member, or house sitter will keep you connected with your Palm Beach County residence. From dealing with piled up mail to letting in maintenance crew, having someone on hand with a spare key makes the world of difference to the smooth running of your non-primary home.
What’s more, having visible movement on your property is a security aid. Criminals, thieves, and vagrants are less likely to target your empty home when there is someone in and out at various times of the day. Not only is the physical presence of a house watcher an additional layer of your home’s security, but they can also deter break-ins through checks. Burglars take their cues from overflowing mailboxes, lamps permanently on or off, no movement of curtains or blinds, and so on. You can readily hide the fact that you are away with the help of accommodating locals.
Apart from the security angle, having an extra set of eyes on your Jupiter home also helps prevent daily maintenance headaches. Should there be a tropical storm that causes a power surge or outage, you can rest assured that your appliances are checked. From your refrigerator and toaster to dishwasher and washing machine, swift repairs are key to an enjoyable break the next time you visit Jupiter.
Recruit Estate Management Services
The only drawback of asking a favor of a friend or neighbor is that they may be a little… unreliable. At best, the southeastern coast of Florida has a high concentration of snowbirds, so your neighbor may very well not be around either. At worst, it is too dangerous for neighbors to intervene in vandalism and crime. Plus, modern-day home security systems are increasingly complex, requiring expert handling.
Rather than leaving the preservation of your second home to chance, hire an estate management services company. Not only do our home watch services professionally assist you with the tasks listed above, but Florida Estate Management Services also employs sophisticated technology to send electronic reports that are both date and time stamped showing all completed services. Communication is cornerstone to our success, hence our regular email communiques, interactive website, and availability to our customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
If this checklist of things to do before leaving your house for summer seems onerous and draining, get in touch with Florida Estate Management Services to find out more about our full-spectrum home management services.
