Leaving Town for the Holidays: Empty-House Checklist

Heat: what to set the thermostat to

Do not turn the heat off. Insurify’s guide to vacant houses says to keep the thermostat at a minimum of 55°F and never turn the heat off completely for an extended period, because freezing water expands and builds pressure that can burst a pipe. Pipes on exterior walls or in unheated areas are the highest risk. Other guides we read are a little more conservative: 2-10 Home Warranty suggests 60–65°F, and Reader’s Digest quotes an HVAC expert at 60–65°F as warm enough to protect pipes but cool enough to save energy.

So the sources agree on the principle and differ by a few degrees. Our suggestion for a Flagstaff house is to stay in the 60s rather than the low 50s, since you are paying for a little extra heat to avoid a flood. Also replace the furnace filter and check the thermostat batteries before you go, so the system keeps running, and use the thermostat’s away mode if it has one.

Two cheap airflow steps help the plumbing: open the cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipes, and wrap exposed pipes in an attic, garage or along an outside wall.

Water: shut it off or leave it on?

For a long trip, the safest water is no water. 2-10 says shutting off the main supply is a must for trips of two weeks or more in winter. Then open the faucets to drain the lines, flush the toilets to empty the tanks and bowls, and leave one faucet slightly open, preferably the lowest one, to relieve pressure.

For a shorter trip, many people leave the water on with the heat running. That is a judgment call, and a smart water sensor that alerts you (or shuts the water off) if it detects a leak is a good safety net either way. Don’t forget outside: drain hoses and shut off the hose bibs first. Our hose bib shut-off guide walks through that step.

Water heater, appliances and the kitchen

Set the water heater to vacation mode or its lowest setting. For a trip of about a month, 2-10 suggests considering shutting it off completely after checking the owner’s manual. If you drain it, Insurify adds that the gas or electricity to it must also be shut off.

In the kitchen, take out the trash and recycling, empty the refrigerator of perishables, and run and empty the dishwasher. Unplug TVs, computers, game consoles and small countertop appliances you will not need. If you will be gone a long time, Insurify says to unplug and empty the refrigerator and freezer entirely.

Detectors, locks and the outside of the house

Lock every door and window, including the garage and any basement access, and take spare keys out of obvious hiding spots. Put a few lamps on timers (random patterns look more natural) and put exterior lights on motion sensors. Pause the mail or have it collected. Insurify also recommends clearing the gutters before you go to help prevent ice dams, and cleaning the chimney and closing the damper.

Who checks on the house

Tell a neighbor or friend your dates, give them your contact details and a backup contact, and show them where the main water valve and electrical panel are. 2-10 suggests a simple home map for this. The guides we read do not give a required check frequency, so pick one that fits your trip: for a long absence, someone walking through every week or two will catch a problem long before you return.

Check your insurance, too. Insurify says most insurers will not cover a home left unoccupied for more than 30 days and that skipping basic precautions can affect a claim, so read your policy or call your agent before a long absence.

What is different in Flagstaff

Flagstaff sits at 6,909 feet, sees about 120 freeze-thaw cycles a year and averages roughly 90 inches of snow, so a house left cold is under pressure for months, not a night or two. Our page on Flagstaff freeze-thaw explains how that repeated freezing stresses pipes, caulk and masonry. A holiday storm can also leave snow piled on walkways, steps and the driveway of a house nobody is visiting, which is another reason to line up a person who can look in.

If you own a second home or rent a property that sits empty, a scheduled walk-through is worth more than any single checklist item. Our second-home closing and opening guide covers the seasonal version of this list.

DIY or call a pro?

Setting the thermostat, testing detectors, unplugging devices and locking up are easy do-it-yourself tasks. Where people get stuck is the water: finding or replacing a stuck main shut-off valve, wrapping hard-to-reach pipes, and draining a water heater safely. If any of those is on your list, or you would rather have someone check on the house while you are away, see our home and property maintenance service for property checks while you are away.

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