New resident cable and a few other questions... especially for snowbirds (Phoenix: appliances, house)

[Paige65]

After being on the house hunt for a few years, we finally bought a home. For the next four to six years, we will be coming and going throughout the entire year (but mainly November through April) before making Phoenix our primary residence. My husband was born and raised in the area, went to undergraduate and graduate school there and has since spent his working years in the Midwest. He is excited to return.

Until we make it our permanent residence, I'm curious as to whether the cable company has snowbird type service where you can shut off cable for several months of the year and get cheaper rates. If so, is it a hassle every time it's turned back on again? My mom does this in FL without too much inconvenience. I believe our only choice of cable provider where we'll be living is Cox, but I may be wrong.

Edit: I found my answer to this question, so adding link for anyone who might be searching for this information in the future:

https://www.cox.com/residential/spec.../seasonal.html

Also, how often does the pool need to be cleaned if no one swimming? Can I get by with every other week? Every third week? Or am I just asking for trouble if I do that?

Finally, what temperature do you maintain when you aren't there for long periods?

Any other wisdom you might impart would be appreciated.

[Dewey59]

Pretty sure Dish Network and DirecTV offer a hold for snowbirds too if you don't want to use Cox.

Can't speak to any pool questions, because I don't own one. I assume the question about the temperature refers to the house, not the pool. Set the A/C for as high as you can set it (usually 90-95). If you have exposed wood in the house, some people suggest sitting out buckets of water and filling the tub to keep the wood from getting too dry and it can't hurt. Although the buckets will probably dry up after about 2 or 3 months.

There are many other things that need to be taken care of before leaving for months at a time and they have been hashed out in this forum before, so if you do a search you should be able to find the lists.

[Bates419]

For the pool it would be pretty easy to ignore pool maintenance during the winter but in the summer with the extreme heat I would have someone looking after it weekly as the extreme heat could see the pool water go south pretty quickly. Much easier and cheaper to pay someone weekly than to try to recover from damage after bad maintenance schedule. And it really isn't that expensive to hire a pool company. I use Cox in the winter for internet. Sign up in November every year for introductory pricing and cut it off in Apr. Have been doing this for 5 years and pay about $40 a month, no idea on cable. I set my AC at 90 when I go home for the summer, bills stay low and nothing melts.

[AzScorpion12]

Here's my checklist from when I was a snowbird:

Turn main water off. Irrigation shut off is usually below the main so no problems there. I also take my main handle off even when home and just put it in my irrigation valve box. That way if someone looks at your water shutoff the handles always off.

RV anti freeze in all sink and tub drains then put stoppers down. I'd even put blue painters tape over them.

Plastic wrap over all toilet bowls.

Shut off water heater and turn off gas

Unplug stove and turn off gas

Unplug all appliances,tv's etc. Probably overkill but I've seen many fires from faulty appliances through the years.

AC to 90 with a few 5 gal buckets of water throughout the house in the summer months

*** See if you can have a neighbor pick up all the flyers around your front door. I also had my landscaper check too and would give him a few extra bucks each month.

I have a house automation system now so you can control different lights at different times but if not leave a few lights on timers.

I'd bring in my patio set for the summer as the high winds from some of these monsoon storms can toss it around.

I bought a few cheap wifi cameras off Amazon so you can see what's going on throughout the house and they will also send you alerts if motions detected.

[maverick974]

A lot of snowbirds hire a caretaker to check on the house every week or two. They can do everything you need done and do it very cheaply. $20.00 or $30.00 a month.
For that price, you might have to slip them a few more dollars to watch your pool but it's something to check into.

[Paige65]

Originally Posted by Dewey59

Pretty sure Dish Network and DirecTV offer a hold for snowbirds too if you don't want to use Cox.

Can't speak to any pool questions, because I don't own one. I assume the question about the temperature refers to the house, not the pool. Set the A/C for as high as you can set it (usually 90-95). If you have exposed wood in the house, some people suggest sitting out buckets of water and filling the tub to keep the wood from getting too dry and it can't hurt. Although the buckets will probably dry up after about 2 or 3 months.

There are many other things that need to be taken care of before leaving for months at a time and they have been hashed out in this forum before, so if you do a search you should be able to find the lists.

Thanks. Luckily my in-laws live about ten minutes away, so they are available to check on things for us. So, I don't have to be quite as diligent (though I also don't want to take advantage of them).

[Paige65]

Originally Posted by maverick974

A lot of snowbirds hire a caretaker to check on the house every week or two. They can do everything you need done and do it very cheaply. $20.00 or $30.00 a month.
For that price, you might have to slip them a few more dollars to watch your pool but it's something to check into.

Thanks. I have my "free" in-laws" with lots of time on their hands and generosity in their hearts who will do a lot of the checking in on things. If there comes a time when the are unable or unwilling, a house caretaker is a fantastic idea.

[Paige65]

Originally Posted by Gixxer1K

Here's my checklist from when I was a snowbird:

Turn main water off. Irrigation shut off is usually below the main so no problems there. I also take my main handle off even when home and just put it in my irrigation valve box. That way if someone looks at your water shutoff the handles always off.

RV anti freeze in all sink and tub drains then put stoppers down. I'd even put blue painters tape over them.

Plastic wrap over all toilet bowls.

Shut off water heater and turn off gas

Unplug stove and turn off gas

Unplug all appliances,tv's etc. Probably overkill but I've seen many fires from faulty appliances through the years.

AC to 90 with a few 5 gal buckets of water throughout the house in the summer months

*** See if you can have a neighbor pick up all the flyers around your front door. I also had my landscaper check too and would give him a few extra bucks each month.

I have a house automation system now so you can control different lights at different times but if not leave a few lights on timers.

I'd bring in my patio set for the summer as the high winds from some of these monsoon storms can toss it around.

I bought a few cheap wifi cameras off Amazon so you can see what's going on throughout the house and they will also send you alerts if motions detected.

Thanks! Great suggestions. Our house is a little bit remote and on an acre of land, so the idea of security camera and/or auto-timers, even though there won't be much of anything in there of value as we aren't furnishing it the way we really want until we are there full-time.

Hadn't thought of moving the patio furniture in because of storms. That tip there could save me a lot of money because 3/4 of the back of the house is doors and windows, with one almost twenty-foot opening. Perfect place for a chair to blow through or damage glass.

[Paige65]

Originally Posted by Bates419

For the pool it would be pretty easy to ignore pool maintenance during the winter but in the summer with the extreme heat I would have someone looking after it weekly as the extreme heat could see the pool water go south pretty quickly. Much easier and cheaper to pay someone weekly than to try to recover from damage after bad maintenance schedule. And it really isn't that expensive to hire a pool company. I use Cox in the winter for internet. Sign up in November every year for introductory pricing and cut it off in Apr. Have been doing this for 5 years and pay about $40 a month, no idea on cable. I set my AC at 90 when I go home for the summer, bills stay low and nothing melts.

Thank you. Agreed that weekly pool maintenance is better than big problems. Was just curious if that is somewhere I could cut corners. Sounds like maybe I could in the winter.

I was hoping we could set the thermostat pretty high. Good to know that's doable without issues.

[Bates419]

Very easy to do yourself in the winter without much fear of an algae bloom or bigger issues. But in fairness you probably won't save more than a few hundred dollars a year doing it yourself for 6 months vs hiring a pool company year round.

Originally Posted by Paige65

Thank you. Agreed that weekly pool maintenance is better than big problems. Was just curious if that is somewhere I could cut corners. Sounds like maybe I could in the winter.

I was hoping we could set the thermostat pretty high. Good to know that's doable without issues.