1st Time Snowbird has Questions (Clearwater: house, purchasing, live)

[rusty78]

The water lines and bathrooms present your biggest problem. When my buddy and I would lock down his cabin we would:

1 - shut the main water supply off where it enters the house and drain the lines
2 - turn the pilot light off on the hot water heater and drain it...
3 - we would flush all toilets and then add windshield washer fluid to tank and flush again and then refill tank with additional windshield washer fluid
4 - we would also pour windshield washer fluid down all drains till we were sure that the J-Trap was filled with the fluid tub, shower, sinks, anything with a drain...
5 - he would leave the heat at 50 degrees in the event he decided to go up over the holidays

You will get different opinions on this being necessary or un-necessary....BUT...if you have a power failure do to weather and you lose power for several days....I promise you that every drain, toilet bowl, etc...will have a crack-leak-etc...when you return....

Have fun in Florida and Happy New Year...

[FlaLadyB]

2) Flush your toilets and turn the water supply off at the base. Your heat could go off, the water could freeze, causing the bowl to crack and the toilet to keep running.

3) With the above precautions I was fine leaving my heat at 50 while I was gone for the winter, but many leave it at 60. It somewhat depends on your house.

FREEZE? really?

8) Change your furnace filter right before you leave. I always do a thorough cleaning, dusting and vacuuming a few days before I take off.

FURNACE????

how about you turn your water off at the house- that means everything. Leave the A/C "ON" and turned up to 80 or better yet....get a humidistat. You cant leave a house here with no air conditioning - you could come back to a GREEN HOUSE.. one full of MOLD. I've seen it even if some of the people have not and have gotten away with it..so far.

Find a neighbor- give them keys to the house, or hire someone to check periodically, just to be sure. Hire or find someone who will put up hurricane shutters if need be. You wont be here and plenty of people do that for a short term business.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by FlaLadyB

2) Flush your toilets and turn the water supply off at the base. Your heat could go off, the water could freeze, causing the bowl to crack and the toilet to keep running.

3) With the above precautions I was fine leaving my heat at 50 while I was gone for the winter, but many leave it at 60. It somewhat depends on your house.

FREEZE? really?

8) Change your furnace filter right before you leave. I always do a thorough cleaning, dusting and vacuuming a few days before I take off.

FURNACE????

how about you turn your water off at the house- that means everything. Leave the A/C "ON" and turned up to 80 or better yet....get a humidistat. You cant leave a house here with no air conditioning - you could come back to a GREEN HOUSE.. one full of MOLD. I've seen it even if some of the people have not and have gotten away with it..so far.

Find a neighbor- give them keys to the house, or hire someone to check periodically, just to be sure. Hire or find someone who will put up hurricane shutters if need be. You wont be here and plenty of people do that for a short term business.

Being as O/P was asking about leaving her home in Missouri for the winter all advise given was very logical

[FlaLadyB]

then the other logical questions is

why is it posted in FLORIDA?

[gardenpearl]

Originally Posted by FlaLadyB

then the other logical questions is

why is it posted in FLORIDA?

Because she is wintering here in Fla., leaving a house up north in the cold, and probably figured there were a lot of snowbirds who had done the same thing on the boards. There's nothing like the voice of experience . . .

[JERSEY MAN]

Originally Posted by FlaLadyB

2) Flush your toilets and turn the water supply off at the base. Your heat could go off, the water could freeze, causing the bowl to crack and the toilet to keep running.

3) With the above precautions I was fine leaving my heat at 50 while I was gone for the winter, but many leave it at 60. It somewhat depends on your house.

FREEZE? really?

8) Change your furnace filter right before you leave. I always do a thorough cleaning, dusting and vacuuming a few days before I take off.

FURNACE????

how about you turn your water off at the house- that means everything. Leave the A/C "ON" and turned up to 80 or better yet....get a humidistat. You cant leave a house here with no air conditioning - you could come back to a GREEN HOUSE.. one full of MOLD. I've seen it even if some of the people have not and have gotten away with it..so far.

Find a neighbor- give them keys to the house, or hire someone to check periodically, just to be sure. Hire or find someone who will put up hurricane shutters if need be. You wont be here and plenty of people do that for a short term business.

Thanks for another nastygram. The OP is asking us snowbirds what we do to our houses up north before we come down for the winter. Then comes your usually snide remark followed by me letting you know about it. Happy New Years FlaLady.

[FlaLadyB]

JERSEY .. go BACK TO JERSEY --PLEASE~!! you are such an A_______!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kind of think you would ask PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA instead of people in Florida!

[taurus430]

Originally Posted by JERSEY MAN

The OP is asking us snowbirds what we do to our houses up north before we come down for the winter.

Hi Jersey Man. Are you in Florida now? I'm in NJ and was thinking of a condo in Clearwater but I would do short trips. How do you commute, drive? House here in NJ wouldn't be a problem as my Son lives nearby. I'd be concern about leaving the villa in Florida for the longest, maybe 4 mos in the summer. Tell me what you do, thanks.

[JERSEY MAN]

Originally Posted by FlaLadyB

JERSEY .. go BACK TO JERSEY --PLEASE~!! you are such an A_______!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kind of think you would ask PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA instead of people in Florida!

Everyone understood the question but you, duhhhhhhh. Than the snide remark to the OP and all that answered by you. Have a nice day. BUY,BUY,BUY before it's too late.

[JERSEY MAN]

Originally Posted by taurus430

Hi Jersey Man. Are you in Florida now? I'm in NJ and was thinking of a condo in Clearwater but I would do short trips. How do you commute, drive? House here in NJ wouldn't be a problem as my Son lives nearby. I'd be concern about leaving the villa in Florida for the longest, maybe 4 mos in the summer. Tell me what you do, thanks.

Taurus it depends on the length of time we stay down. If it's over 2 weeks we drive back and forth. West Palm airport is about an hour away. The main thing to do is turn off the water at the home or condo followed by make sure your air conditioner is on. We set ours at 80. I fill the toilets up with water and put plastic wrap over the bowls. Some people turn off the refridgerators, I leave mine on but clear it out and only leave a handful of water in it. I have someone check on it every 2 weeks and he shoots me a email when he's done. Clearwater is a nice area. Just be aware if you like to swim in the gulf the temp. drops to the high 50's in the winter time on occasion. Please feel free to ask me any questions or DM.