Summer Home Preparations

This time of year, Floridians spend a great deal of time saying sad goodbyes to some of their neighbors and maybe packing up themselves to move on to more temperate climates, as they prepare to move up to New England, the Carolinas, or even the Midwest.

Home Watch Companies are updating their contact information, and condo management companies are preparing for maintenance projects that are not possible during the peak of season. All of this while some of us are waiting for the golf courses to start lowering their greens fees so we full-timers can once again enjoy an early morning tee time while it is still cool.

For those of us who have lived in Florida for a while, we realize there is some other important business to be done as we head into the warmer summer months. We should all be preparing for the 2025 storm season now. That season officially kicks off on June 1st each year and runs to November 30.

If you live in a condominium, you could do yourself and your management company a huge favor if you would accomplish several of these items before you leave for your travel plans for the summer:

• Take lanai furniture off your balconies. It will save you a lot of work and elbow grease when you return, for they will be filthy if left outdoors. It also prevents unnecessary work by your management company, as they are flooded with calls should a storm approach. Furniture left out can cause damage and injuries as it flies around during a storm.
• Make sure your management team and your neighbors who stay year-round have good contact numbers and/or emails for you. Your contact information may change, requiring a need to reach you if there is a problem.
• Shut off your water heater and turn off the water line to it.
• If you have a master water valve for your unit, you should shut it off. That could save you a lot of heartache should you have a line break in your unit.
• Don’t leave your refrigerator stuffed with food that will rot and ruin that expensive appliance, should we lose power for an extended period of time.
• Don’t turn off the refrigerator, as the refrigerator lines help keep those seals lubricated in your appliance.
• I’m told leaving a couple of gallons of water in your refrigerator will help the unit to run more efficiently. A couple of ice trays in the freezer are also suggested, but you can turn off the ice maker. 
• Cover your toilet bowls with saran wrap to avoid evaporation of the water and drying out of seals.
• Consider leaving a key with a trusted friend, as a precaution.
• Always secure all your doors, windows, and shutters before you leave.
• If your home is provided with hurricane windows and no hurricane shutters are needed, close your shades or drapes to help keep your home cooler.

Now, if you live in a home, consider a few additional items:

• If you live on the water and have a boat, secure that craft as if you were expecting a storm before you leave.
• Remove all loose items from your boat, including electronic equipment, to prevent theft.
• Remove any furniture and other items from your dock and secure it.
• Turn the power off to your dock as well as the water lines.
• Planters around your property should be secured to prevent them from turning into projectiles. The same goes for outdoor grills and propane gas.
• Turn off your water heater and the main water line for your home if provided.
• Regardless of whether you live in a home or a condo and have camera systems, you may keep those active but place your cable TV on “vacation mode” while leaving your internet active. Just call your provider.

These are just suggestions, but they will go a long way to assist you as you plan to head north or leave for an extended period of time.