Some people's idea of getting a house ready for winter is locking the doors and heading South till spring.
Still, leaving a house behind requires a little work beforehand to make sure your time in paradise isn't marred by break-ins, frozen pipes and other potential problems back home. Here's a list of chores to take care of before you go:
Thieves are less likely to target a house that looks lived in, so ask a neighbor or hire someone you trust to check on the house every few days.
Ask that person to remove items such as fliers and door hangers that have been left outside, and have him or her vary the position of a few window treatments and perhaps turn on a different light or two every time.
Have your house watcher drive into and out of the driveway a few times whenever it's covered with snow, and arrange for someone to clear snow from your walks and driveway after every significant snowfall. If you'll be gone well into spring, hire someone to mow the lawn.
Tell trusted neighbors and the police that you'll be away, and let them know whether someone will be checking the house periodically. Give them a description of that person's car so their suspicions won't be raised unnecessarily.
Leaks in pipes and washing-machine hoses are potentially ruinous when there's no one home to stop the flow of water.
By shutting off the main water supply before you go, you eliminate that worry.
After turning off the main valve, be sure to drain the pipes so there's no water left in them to freeze and possibly cause a break. To do it, open the hot and cold faucets at the highest and lowest points in the home, as well as any outdoor faucets, and let the water run out.
After you've drained the pipes, flush the toilets and add about a cup of plumbing antifreeze (propylene glycol) to every drain, including sinks, toilet bowls, tubs, showers and floor drains. Don't add antifreeze to dishwashers or clothes washers, however.
Make sure your house watcher knows the water has been shut off so he or she doesn't try to use the toilets or sinks.
You might even put a "do not use" reminder on every toilet.
You shouldn't turn off the water if you have hot-water heat, however. If your house has a sprinkler system for fire protection, be aware that it won't work if the water is off.
Turn down your thermostat to save energy, but don't set it lower than 50 degrees. You need some warmth to avoid damage to drywall and other problems. It's a good idea to have the furnace tuned up before you leave, to prevent a breakdown.
Use a sensor to warn if the heat isn't working. One simple type often sold at hardware stores plugs into an outlet and turns a lamp on if the temperature drops to a certain point. Put the lamp where a neighbor can see it, and ask the neighbor to let you know if the light comes on.
A colored bulb makes it even more obvious.
If you have a gas water heater, turn it to the vacation setting. An electric water heater can be shut off completely by turning off the breaker that controls the circuit.
If you're planning on leaving a vehicle behind, check the owner's manual for storage recommendations and store the car or truck properly.
For a vehicle that will be left for only a month or so, have a basic oil-filters-lube service done before you go, fill the gas tank so there's no space for air, and inflate the tires to the high side of the recommended pressure. Wash and maybe wax the car so dirt won't cling to the finish, and perhaps use a car cover to protect it.
Choose an inexpensive one that breathes so you don't trap moist air underneath.
For vehicles that will be stored longer, it's best to ask a dependable friend to take the car out for a drive every three or four weeks for about 15 minutes, long enough to get the vehicle up to operating temperature. That will lubricate all the parts and displace moisture.
If you can't find someone to take the car out, then disconnect the battery, negative side first.
Crack the windows about a quarter-inch to allow air to circulate and prevent mold growth. If your garage is particularly damp, you're better off finding another place to store the car.
For a vehicle stored longer than three months that no one will be driving, add fuel stabilizer to the tank and raise the vehicle on jack stands so the wheels and springs won't bear weight. Don't use concrete blocks because the blocks can shatter.
Even though you'll be spending the winter in the sun, your house won't.
It'll be here suffering through the cold, vulnerable to damage from wind, ice and everything else a winter can throw at it.
Give your house a fighting chance by performing repairs and maintenance before you go. Fix problems such as loose shingles or worn caulk that could let moisture in.
Clean the gutters so water doesn't pool and freeze, creating ice dams that can cause leaks.
Remove anything outdoors that could become a missile in a strong wind. Trim dead limbs from trees and shrubs, and store outdoor furniture and other loose objects.
Because a power surge after an outage can damage electronic equipment such as TV sets and computers, unplug anything that doesn't need to be connected, or shut off the circuits at the breaker box.
Many companies that provide services such as phone and cable or satellite TV allow you to suspend your account or pay a discounted rate while you're gone. Call the company's customer service number to ask what's available.
Put a vacation stop on your newspaper or arrange to have it mailed, and fill out a change-of-address form at the post office or online at . The Postal Service forwards only first-class mail for free, but for a fee, it offers a Premium Forwarding Service that will ship all your mail to your temporary address.
If you're leaving your car behind, call your insurance agent to ask about suspending everything but the comprehensive coverage.
Be sure to reinstate the coverage before you drive the car again. A policy suspension may not be permitted if you have a loan or lease on the car.
Ohio Sources: Detective James Conley, Akron Police Department; Beachwood handyman Jack Kleinman; Gary Jackson of Jackson Comfort Systems, Northfield; Bart Hungerford of plumbing service Jeff the Plumber, Akron; forensic mechanic Lyn Smith; Institute for Business Home Safety; and Norma Starts, State Farm Insurance, New Franklin.
2006, Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio).
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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