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Old 12-06-2022, 01:26 PM   #1
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Extended Trip

Hi, I'm looking for advice on what people do when leaving home for an extended trip of several months or more. What do you do to leave your home safe and secure? Suggestions?
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Old 12-06-2022, 01:37 PM   #2
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For context, we live outside of a major city in a area with homes on acreage. Our home property is fenced with a locked gate.

We use surveillance cameras to know if someone has broken into our home. I turn off the water to the house at the street; my major concern is a water fixture failure (e.g., toilet valve) that would flood the house. We have neighbors watch the driveway gate to pick-up any nuisance items left on the gate (e.g., phonebooks, political ads, etc.). Lastly, the USPS will not hold mail in our area more than 4 weeks without a forwarding address. Hence, we have someone pick up the mail. We also have a good neighbor that watches the house.
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Old 12-06-2022, 02:15 PM   #3
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If the water is off at the street, that would prevent flooding from a broken valve, correct?
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Old 12-06-2022, 02:19 PM   #4
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I was gone for 3 months this year. Fortunately, my neighborhood includes lawn cutting. Before leaving, I mulched all my gardens and then added Preen. When I returned, hardly any weeds! Also, my large garden is planted with wildflowers. Again, with an active garden, the house looked more lived in. Of course, having lights on timers helps. Mail forwarding helps, but takes longer than expected to return to normal upon return. (up to 2 weeks) Another challenge was having medicines in sufficient numbers when on 3 month on line purchases.
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Old 12-06-2022, 02:32 PM   #5
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It would prohibit “flooding” but there would still be residual water under pressure in the system in the house so I addition to shutting off the water at the curb stop, I would open the taps
In the house and possibly drain the hot water heater or make sure there’s an appropriately located floor drain. Also pull the plug on water softener, iron ox or other electrical appliances that have cyclical use dependent upon water flow. If humidity is a problem I would leave a humidifier running with the drain hose set up again going to a floor drain. I’d make sure there’s a lock on any exterior electrical disconnects so that some kid couldn’t flip the on/off lever and shut off all power to the house. And if it wasn’t heating season and I had propane or natural gas or fuel oil I would secure valves with a lock or a lockable cover. Make sure all dryer and exhaust fan vents are bird and vermin proofed with fine screen behind hardware cloth. Exterior hose bibs inoperable is a good idea too. Sometimes they come off
If the house water before it’s treated but after the meter, so the curb stop definitely needs to be shut off with a water key if that’s the case.
Good Luck.
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Old 12-06-2022, 04:20 PM   #6
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We have someone stop by daily to feed the cat and fish. They also pick up mail. Between that person and a porch camera we are fairly secure within the city.

When we were gone for 6 weeks this fall, we had an exchange student move in. It worked out well, and continues to work out as they are still here for a couple months. The cat didn’t get so lonely.

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Old 12-06-2022, 04:53 PM   #7
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Watering

Quote:
Originally Posted by kstock11 View Post
I was gone for 3 months this year. Fortunately, my neighborhood includes lawn cutting. Before leaving, I mulched all my gardens and then added Preen. When I returned, hardly any weeds! Also, my large garden is planted with wildflowers. Again, with an active garden, the house looked more lived in. Of course, having lights on timers helps. Mail forwarding helps, but takes longer than expected to return to normal upon return. (up to 2 weeks) Another challenge was having medicines in sufficient numbers when on 3 month on line purchases.
In previous years we hauled the 10 hanging baskets to my daughters or
My brothers house. This year I set up an irrigation system with a timer and drip emitters. Worked well, flowers never looked better. Needed considerable dead-heading when we got back each time but growth was good and cost was minimal.
Did the same with sprinklers on the garden. Planning a more sophisticated system for watering this coming year to even out water distribution.
All our Christmas lights are on photo electric timers too. On at
About sunset, off with late night TV. Here’s a photo of Rita’s decorating. And
Couldn’t pass up the sign.
Iowa Dave
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Old 12-06-2022, 05:35 PM   #8
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I used to leave my home in a high crime area for about 7 months at a time. I had a lawn service, forwarded mail, told trusted neighbors I would be gone. I had a timer on a television and a couple of lights also. I did have one incident when someone attempted to break into my garage from an outside door, but good deadbolts stymied him (though he broke the deadbolt and made a hole in the door) and the same day he successfully broke into my neighbor's home when he was just away for the day so the length I was gone wasn't really a variable there. I left very little of value in the house but someone could easily have trashed the house so I'm still grateful the prowler/burglar did not get in. (I had no security cameras there.)

I did not worry about turning off water since it was a moderate climate but I did come home to a broken sprinkler line once, prior to metering. Though pretty sure it had just broken the day before. I always turned off the water, drained the lines and the hot water heater, here in Washington and also still had broken pipes (wish I'd known then how to blow out a line!)
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Old 12-06-2022, 05:39 PM   #9
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When we went on a 3 week trip and couldn't take the dog, we got a house sitter. It costs nothing. The sitter(s) get a place to stay and you get the house (and the dog) taken care of. During our trip, one of our Kidde smoke detectors decided to malfunction. Luckily our sitters were able to contact us and we helped them handle the problem over the phone.
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Old 12-06-2022, 05:58 PM   #10
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Hello Mary, In our part of the world my biggest concern was losing heat in the winter, the easist solution that we have found is the Temp Stick: https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Temp...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

We were down in Washington last February when we lost a control module on our boiler, here in Alaska, (we have hot water base board). I noticed the downward trend before the alert was sent, called our heating company who came out and got the heat back on.

We have been running them at both houses for three years now and zero issues. Scott and Lori

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Old 12-06-2022, 08:28 PM   #11
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We turn off the water, put some lights on timer, hold the mail, have an alarm, and pay for lawn mowing if it’s that time of year. If it’s not going to be cold, I shut off the gas. I do make sure outside outlets are off. We let our neighbors know. We are gone 5-6 months a year. We also have good insurance. Growing up in Houston, 3 summers we were cleaned out while gone 2-3 months. Everywhere else, we’ve been fine. On a 3 month summer trip in 2016 we had a sitter / lawn care, but otherwise not. Our experience with sitters here and in Houston was very mixed. I really prefer to take my chances.
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Old 12-07-2022, 03:34 AM   #12
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We have a well and I am assuming that if I turn off the water, I also should also flip the breaker on the pump? Anyone have problems getting theirs started on their return?
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Old 12-07-2022, 05:38 AM   #13
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We have a well and I am assuming that if I turn off the water, I also should also flip the breaker on the pump? Anyone have problems getting theirs started on their return?
We do the same thing including flipping the well breaker off just in case a pipe decides to break . Never had any issues
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Old 12-07-2022, 07:43 AM   #14
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Love that sign there, Dave...made me chuckle....
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Old 12-07-2022, 08:02 AM   #15
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I travel for up to six months at a time in my Escape. In addition to the countermeasures others have listed (fence and gate, shut off water, mail forwarding, etc.) I installed a metal external door with a deadbolt in a walk-in closet. I put shelving in the closet to make it into a low-rent version of a walk-in safe. I keep valuable items there. In my case that means camera gear; I really don't have a lot of stuff worth stealing. I keep it secured while I'm home as well. So far I've had no problems.
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Old 12-07-2022, 09:19 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iowa Dave View Post
In previous years we hauled the 10 hanging baskets to my daughters or
My brothers house. This year I set up an irrigation system with a timer and drip emitters. Worked well, flowers never looked better. Needed considerable dead-heading when we got back each time but growth was good and cost was minimal.
Did the same with sprinklers on the garden. Planning a more sophisticated system for watering this coming year to even out water distribution.
All our Christmas lights are on photo electric timers too. On at
About sunset, off with late night TV. Here’s a photo of Rita’s decorating. And
Couldn’t pass up the sign.
Iowa Dave
Hi: Iowa Dave... Duck the halls. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 12-07-2022, 09:24 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chesaka View Post
Hi, I'm looking for advice on what people do when leaving home for an extended trip of several months or more. What do you do to leave your home safe and secure? Suggestions?
Hi: chesaka... That's easy... Pray. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 12-14-2022, 11:13 AM   #18
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I had to think through my shutdown process before taking off this fall for two months as I just had my place built. The night before taking off I shut off the well pump and opened the house faucets as well as the frost free outside spigot so the water lines all drained. The hot water heater was shut off and water softener was drained. Toilet was drained/flushed. Heaters were set to minimum temps in case it got cold before I returned. I cleaned house, dumped trash and locked up. All my doors have high security locks and deadbolts. Plus I place door jammers under the door knobs to prevent forced entry. My neighbors both look after my place and the front gate is locked. Nobody should be on the property or police are called. My mail is handled by a UPS mailbox store and they will hold it until I call and have it forwarded.

When I returned I drained the water heater and changed the water filters. Refilled the water softener with salt then restarted the water well pump. I left the house faucets open as water heater refilled. This bleeds most of the air out of the water lines. Once the water heater is filled and water is at the faucets I'll shut them off and will open water line to full pressure operation. Seems to work pretty well.
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Old 12-14-2022, 05:13 PM   #19
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We do pretty much what everyone else has said - we are on a well. Turn off power to the pressure tank and pump, drain the lines.We drain the hot water heater before we leave, drain the toilets, etc. We also put a bit of rv antifreeze in the toilet tanks and bowls, and down each drain trap for sinks and showers. I also raise the seat and cover the toilet bowl with cling wrap to prevent evaporation and /or mold. We drain washing machine hoses and run rv antifreeze into the drum by hitting rinse/spin for 20-30 seconds. We installed a wifi thermostat so we can check on the house temp on the road. We have mail forwarded to our son, who can sift through and let us know if anything of importance arrives. A neighbor checks on the place occasionally. Timers on lights, security cameras outdoors and inside. Nothing is perfect but it does give some peace of mind,
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