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| I'd drain the waterlines completely, put RV antifreeze in the sewer traps/toilet, and turn the furnace off. Run it a couple times a year for a couple hours to keep it operational. Same goes for running anything else that should be run occasionally (vent fans, etc.) Some people will say to keep the heat on to a certain level for the longevity of the residence. If you feel the expense of fuel is worth it, do it. I have an old barn that's never had heat in it, built around 1900, it's just fine. Have rodent proof caps on all chimneys, if not already present. Keep up with gutter maintenance, rip them off, or have a good gutter guard. I loved the days when buildings were made with a good overhang, and built on a good grade so water would just flow away. Set plenty of mouse traps. The house that I'm living in now wasn't in ideal shape when I bought it, I caught 17 mice in one night in the auto-resetting traps that kick them into a compartment. It'll just be full of skeletons when you get back. I see squatters were mentioned in other posts. On the one hand, you could possibly deter them by shutting off the power, and padlocking any breaker panel outside. On the other hand, it may be sensible to still have cameras, possibly even an audible alarm. If you have a system that can notify you of a break-in, hopefully the squatters wouldn't have a leg to stand on in terms of time in the residence. | |
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Taking care of an unoccupied house.
