Protecting Semi-Abandoned Homes
Minimal Maintenance Is Still Required To Prevent An Unoccupied Home From Falling Into Disrepair
Due to the mass exodus/migration during the pandemic, many have left their homes to live better lives elsewhere. Arrangements to protect any investment/s should be made before leaving but some people thought they’d return in a few months. Now many have no clear idea of when or if they’ll return. If you can rent your home, even if it’s below market value then consider yourself lucky. This is assuming you are actually getting paid rent. Many homeowners who have left homes behind will need a friend or neighbor to keep an eye on things even if there is a tenant.
Let’s talk plainly. This is about security, but not like the passive security provided by a camera system. Homes still need a minimum amount of maintenance even if no one is residing within. This is not about going on an extended vacation and someone just collecting your mail. This is the kind of going away that will require you to empty your refrigerator and unplug anything. It’s also the kind of going away that may require you to board up your windows.
If you’ve determined the time frame for your return to be less than 6 months, then have your chosen caretaker go in at least every month to run each faucet for a minute and flush each toilet. This is to maintain water in the fixture traps and prevent sewer gases from infiltrating your home. During wintertime, once every week may be necessary to check that the heating system is keeping temperatures above freezing. Frost-protection is an important key issue to think about for an unoccupied home. Note: Special Remote Thermostats that can be controlled via Apps have been around for some time now. Snow will be another issue if your municipality issues tickets/fines for un-shovelled snow.
If you plan to be away beyond 6 months and want to save on heating expenses, then consider having the water to the house shut and drained. This is so your water pipes don’t freeze. If you have fire sprinklers then this won’t be an option for you. If it is an option, then you will only require one heater to be on for the water meter/main to not freeze during winter. The traps in the drains can be filled with RV antifreeze since leaving water in them would be a mistake. As air infiltration during wintertime might become an issue for an unheated home, boarding windows may be an option also.
The main issue after that is squatters. I wish this was a joke. Minimal gardening may be required to signal “this house is maintained”. Beyond that, inspecting your roofing/waterproofing annually is always a good idea. There are over a million other things to think about with a home. A responsible caretaker should report back to the homeowner in a timely manner as issues come up.
