[FisherOne]

I am curious what long time snowbirds do to close their Michigan homes up for the winter. What temp do set thermostat at? Refrigerator emptied and turned off? Water system drained? Toilet bowls and tanks? Hot water heater? Windows covered? Lights? Power? Anything else I forgot about?

[magellan]

Originally Posted by FisherOne

I am curious what long time snowbirds do to close their Michigan homes up for the winter. What temp do set thermostat at? Refrigerator emptied and turned off? Water system drained? Toilet bowls and tanks? Hot water heater? Windows covered? Lights? Power? Anything else I forgot about?

My inlaws have a cottage they close up in the winter and keep the heat I believe around 55 (?) They also have a red lightbulb rigged to a thermometer that lights up if it drops below that, to alert the neighbors that the heat has gone out.

I'm not sure how much else they shut down.

[Dave Wojo]

Our house in Ocqueoc sat vacant the past two winters. We would do the following:

* Drain the water lines to the lowest point, put RV antifreeze in the sink and tub traps, and in the toilet tank and bowl.

* We placed insulation and Reflectix on the basement windows, which are currently all single pane, metal framed casement windows.

* Place one of those industrial, job site heaters in the basement. We would set it on low, at a setting that would keep the basement around 40 degrees, just to keep whatever water might still be in the lines from freezing. The electric heater was FAR more cost effective than running the regular heating system, which is an LP fired boiler and baseboard system.

* We identified which breakers controlled the refrigerator, well pump, and water heater. We'd turn these off when leaving.

* Unplug all other electrical devices.

* Prop the fridge door open so that it wouldn't become moldy inside.

* Turn off the LP at the tank.