1. Separation Anxiety!Preparing your Home for aLong Absence

2. What Could Go Wrong? 3. Its aDryHeat 4. One to Two Weeks Prior Arrange for your mail Notify your media providers Notify any newspapers whenyou will stop delivery and whento resume. See if there are any localvacation watch programsoffered by either your localcommunity or your local policedepartment or contact aManagement Service that canprovide checks on your home. Arrange for storage of valuables thatyou won't be taking with you for thesummer. Coordinate emptying of refrigeratorwith trash and recycling pickup. Speaking of trash, start trimmingtrees and bushes in the yard so youcan have that trash picked up beforeyou leave. Do not drain your hot tub. The heatwill damage it. Turn off the heatingsystem for the water, but leave thefiltering system on. Remove any standing water from theyard. 5. One to Two Days Prior Remove propane tanks andcombustible/flammable chemicals from thegarage. Set your irrigation timer appropriately forsummer heat so all your shrubs and treesaren't dead when you return. Consider a management service that will takecare of the weeds, do some trimming, mow thelawn if you have one and check for irrigationsystem problems while you are gone. If you have a pool, arrange for a pool service tohandle the maintenance while you are away. Arrange for exterior pest control while you aregone. Got houseplants? They probably won't be alivewhen you return, so either lend them to aneighbor or take them with you! Remove furniture from patio or yard. Replace back-up batteries Seal up non-refrigerated products If you will be turning the refrigerator off whileyou are gone, empty it. Leave the doors openwhile you are gone for circulation. If you'll be leaving the refrigerator on while youare gone, toss any foods that will spoil. If you have a soft water system or reverseosmosis water system, determine if any actionis necessary on your part before leaving. If you are leaving a car in the garage,disconnect the battery. You might even want tocover the vehicle to protect it from dust. If you have a golf cart, put water in the battery. 6. Before Locking Up and Leaving Unplug the appliances. entertainment units,computers everything Turn off the air conditioner, or set thethermostat if you'll be leaving the A/C on. Ifyou have natural gas, turn off the gas at themain valve. Flush all toilets and run all faucets. Turn off the water to the house at the mainvalve. Drain any remaining water from thefaucets, long shower head extensions and such. Turn off ceiling fans, indoor and out. Leave all the interior doors open so the air cancirculate inside the house. Close all the blinds and drapes to keep as muchheat out of the house as possible. Have candles? Store them in the refrigerator orput them in the coolest, darkest part of thehouse. If you use call forwarding on your land line,now is the time to remember to set it. Open the doors to the washer and dryer, thedishwasher, and any other appliance thattypically seals up. Unplug the garage door opener. Turn the water heater off. Hire someone to stop at the house periodicallyto check for leaks inside and out, walk thehouse, visit after monsoon activity to check forstorm damage, etc. 7. I saw itSnowhereOnce. 8. The Desert is COLD at night! Roof problems can result in expensiverepairs if not taken care of from thestart. Either hire a reputable roofer orgrab a ladder and inspect the roofyourself for loose or worn tiles Go outside and take a look at all thedoors and windows on your home. Look for dry rot or pest infestation andif there is any found, take care of itimmediately before it gets worse. Start trimming trees and bushes if theyhang too close to your house orelectrical wires. Its a good idea to cap or screen to topof your fireplace to keep out birds andother small creatures. Make sure thedamper works properly and take a lookat the bricks to ensure they are in goodcondition If you have a lawn mower, drain thegas out of it or run it until it is empty. We dont need much winterequipment. A good rake or shovel, A bag of Salt An Ice Scraper 9. The Desert is COLD at night! It is a good idea to find your water main valvein case you need to shut it off in the event of anemergency. Make sure any exposed plumbing pipes areinsulated, and if you go on vacation, leave theheat on around 55 degrees to prevent yourpipes from freezing and bursting. If your furnace hasnt been inspected in awhile, consider calling an HVAC expert to checkit out and clean the ducts. Replace furnace filters and make sure there areno flammable materials near the furnace itself Make sure all smoke alarms and carbonmonoxide detectors are working properly andstock up on extra batteries. Install a carbonmonoxide detector close to your furnaceand/or water heater. Buy a new fireextinguisher if yours is older than 10 years. To close/winterize your pool, either hire areputable pool company or do it yourself, butonly if you know how. Closing your pool helpsprevent damage caused by freezing water andkeeps it in good condition for next season. 10. Is my Home Protected?Vacant A vacant home has NOfurnitureUnoccupied Unoccupied homes havefurniture and are left asthough the owners mayreturn at any time.VS. 11. Is my Home Protected?Vacant VS. Unoccupied Vandalism and glass breakage are not covered atall. In fact, many policies often exclude any ensuingloss started by vandalism (i.e., vandals burn thehouse down!). Most homeowners insurers won't continue toinsure a vacant home. There are only a handful of insurers willing toinsure a vacant home. Usually, coverage is very limited but the premium isreasonable, or the coverage is as good as thehomeowners policy but the premium cost is 4-5times greater. You can reduce your chances of having a major lossfrom break-ins, fires, smoke damage, and evenwater damage from frozen pipes by installing acentral alarm monitored for burglar and fire/smokeand adding an optional temperature sensor toprotect the pipes from freezing. Owners of homes occupied for only part of theyear or people who leave their primary homes forextended trips may need to pay a surcharge for anendorsement that provides additional coverage. Individual insurance companies vary in the waythey view house sitters. Having a house sitter orneighbor check on your property may not make adifference to your insurance company, since theproperty is not occupied by the owner. On the other hand, some companies view a homewith a house sitter as occupied, so no surchargewould be applied while the sitter is in residence. Another loss reduction strategy is to rent yourhome on a month-to-month basis. 12. Is my Home Protected?Vacation HomesHow Does Vacation Home Insurance Work?Like standard home insurance, vacation homeinsurance protects your home and possessionsagainst the following perils: Storm damage (snow, rain, hail, wind,tornadoes, etc.) Fire Lightning Burglary VandalismVacation home insurance also offers liabilityinsurance to cover losses stemming from a slip-and-fall incident, dog bite or other accidentoccurring on your property. 13. Is my Home Protected?Vacation HomesThings to ConsiderGetting vacation home insurance creates unique challenges. If your vacation homeresides in an area with severe weather concerns, you need enough coverage to providefor those concerns.For instance: Flood insurance is not covered by a standard vacation home insurance policy. Aseparate flood insurance policy is required. (Monsoons anyone?) In cold weather areas, winter storms can cause major damage in a short period oftime. Winterize your home before departing for an extended period. If forest fires are a concern, take steps to fireproof your home. This may be as simpleas clearing vegetation from around the perimeter. Earthquake insurance is not covered by a standard vacation home insurance policyand must be purchased independently. 14. Is my Home Protected?Vacation HomesInsurance DiscountsVacation home insurance may cost more than the policy for your primary residence.Since you don't live in your vacation home year-round, the unoccupied home is moresusceptible to burglars, and damage caused by storms or thieves may not be noticed formonths, leading to a whole host of other issues.Discounts: Multi-policy discounts for homeowners who bundle their home and auto insurance witha single insurer. Safety discounts for homes with security systems, particularly systems which alertoutside agencies. New home discounts for brand-new homes or homes with up-to-date electrical wiring,HVAC system, plumbing, and overall structure. Non-smoking discounts, senior discounts or loyal customerdiscounts. 15. Peace of MindThere are many ways a Property Management company can assist you in making sureyour home is properly taken care of while you are away.A Property Manager can also help you to save money and even make money on yourinvestment!To find out more about how Signature Vacation Rentals can work together with you,and help you protect and profit from your home investment please take a look at theinformational package in your home preparation bag and give us a call.