Closing Up The House - Long Term

[BlueBird]

It's almost time for us to take off for an extended period of time and basically we'll be gone from the house from November to March as it stands right now.

I've never had to close up my house for a long period of time and I'm sort of worried we're going to forget to do something. Housing really was no help because all they said was "don't let your pipes" freeze, get someone to shovel for you, no cars left on the street, and install the weather light".

How exactly do I make sure my pipes don't freeze when I'm not even in the same state? We live in Nebraska so it does get cold...

Anyone have any tips for closing up a house for several months? I'm trying to decide if I should pay someone to come and check on the house every so often or not? I don't think I trust any of our current "friends" enough to give them a key to our house, but maybe there is a company that is licensed and insured that could do it?


Here's my list so far:
- Lock all doors & windows
- All outdoor furniture moved to garage
- All garage boxes moved upstairs (wedding stuff in tubs, stuffed animals, boxes of papers/school books to be gone through)
- Set thermostat at certain temp (do I leave AC or Heat on?)
- Unplug all appliances (fridge/freezer too?)
- Set a few lights on automatic timers
- Turn in extended TDY mail hold with post office
- Lock front door screen from inside (debating this one?)

I KNOW I'm not getting everything...

[bb1982]

It sucks that you don't have anyone you can trust to help you out, because it's really best if someone can come in and run your water/flush your toilets occasionally.

Sounds like you've gotten most of what you need to take care of- having lights on a timer is very important.

I don't know what the weather is like in Nebraska, but I imagine it gets really cold. But I don't see why you would need to leave the heat on. (correct me if there is a reason for this ladies)

The part I'm worried about is your pipes! You really need someone to come run your water occasionally especially with it getting so cold there.

I'm actually going to be closing up my friend's house for the same time frame (she and her husband her deployed and she's letting me stay at her house right now) and she told me not to unplug the fridge, just to set it at the highest temperature. I don't know why she suggested this? But it's her request so that's what I'm going to do. If you don't have any food in it though, I would just unplug it and clean it out. (is it a frost free freezer?)

[Charity]

My grandparents have well water, so they leave the water on a trickle all winter. Apparently it prevents the pipes from freezing? They've lived there for 60years and havent had an issue...so .

Just thought if is comes down to the wire and you can't figure anything out.

[BlueBird]

Ya I'm not sure about the temp part either. I know if we simply turn the thermostat OFF it gets extremely cold in the house, but if we leave the heat ON and set to like 72 it also has a tendency to go above what we set it for. Its the same with the AC - it will go below what we set it at. So I'm not sure what to do with that...

As for the fridge part - we have two... the indoor fridge/freezer is just your standard top freezer, bottom fridge and I believe its frost free. We have a stand up freezer in the garage and its NOT frost free. I am not 100% sure it will be totally empty when we leave - in fact realistically it won't be but I could move the remaining stuff to the inside freezer and unplug the outside one. I just have no idea which is better?

I really have no idea what to do about the pipes either

[BlueBird]

Originally Posted by Charity My grandparents have well water, so they leave the water on a trickle all winter. Apparently it prevents the pipes from freezing? They've lived there for 60years and havent had an issue...so . Just thought if is comes down to the wire and you can't figure anything out.

Do they leave all the faucets in the house on with a trickle? Do you know if they shut the water off to the toilets or not?

[cllgefrk13]

Don't they sell foam insulator type things to put around your pipes? Would that help?

[SnowCrystal]

Leave your cabinet doors open (the ones under the sink), leave the water on at a trickle (especially with the faucets that are on the north side of the house).

Make sure that all storm windows are closed, rolled towels at the base of the doors that face north (the north wind can be brutal and if your house is as poorly constructed as most of the base housing I've lived in, this will help stop drafts to maintain the temp.).

Get a couple of boxes of baking soda to put into your fridge & freezer and leave it on the energy conservation setting.

I would let the SP's know that you are leaving, so that they can keep a visual on the outside of your residence.

I would have someone come in to check things, especially when it is below zero outside. Maybe check with dh's first shirt...

You definitely need to find someone to shovel the sidewalk and driveway. The places where we've lived that have snow were very adamant about this being done, you can get written up if it isn't done within a certain amount of time after the snow stops. I'd hate to see you get kicked out of housing because of snow that wasn't taken care of.

Have your mail temp. forwarded.

That's all I can think of for now...

[Saigon]

Do you live on base?

[Charity]

Originally Posted by HisBlueBird Do they leave all the faucets in the house on with a trickle? Do you know if they shut the water off to the toilets or not?

With it being a well, they can't shut the water off. But they only leave the sink running. Not a lot, but enough that water is constantly moving through the pipes, not giving them time to freeze.

[BlueBird]

Originally Posted by cllgefrk13 Don't they sell foam insulator type things to put around your pipes? Would that help?

No idea... but its a good thing to check into!

Originally Posted by brentscrystal Leave your cabinet doors open (the ones under the sink), leave the water on at a trickle (especially with the faucets that are on the north side of the house). Make sure that all storm windows are closed, rolled towels at the base of the doors that face north (the north wind can be brutal and if your house is as poorly constructed as most of the base housing I've lived in, this will help stop drafts to maintain the temp.). Get a couple of boxes of baking soda to put into your fridge & freezer and leave it on the energy conservation setting. I would let the SP's know that you are leaving, so that they can keep a visual on the outside of your residence. I would have someone come in to check things, especially when it is below zero outside. Maybe check with dh's first shirt... You definitely need to find someone to shovel the sidewalk and driveway. The places where we've lived that have snow were very adamant about this being done, you can get written up if it isn't done within a certain amount of time after the snow stops. I'd hate to see you get kicked out of housing because of snow that wasn't taken care of. Have your mail temp. forwarded. That's all I can think of for now...

Thank you! I know the snow is a big one. I think we can hire the guy that cut our grass a few times to come and do that for us, no problem. DH's first shirt is deploying, but maybe his old first shirt would be willing? I'll have to see what DH thinks about that...

Originally Posted by Saigon Do you live on base?

We live off base, but its military housing still...