Start with the systems that cannot wait
Cooling, humidity control, water, power, drainage, security, pool equipment, and internet-connected monitoring keep operating after you leave. Write down the normal condition of each system, the warning signs that require action, and the person authorized to respond.
Florida’s climate makes moisture management particularly important. UF/IFAS—the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences—publishes 85°F as an upper limit in seasonal-home guidance. Safe Nest considers that a maximum, not our recommended setting. Based on our Home Watch experience and the guidance we regularly receive from local HVAC professionals, we generally recommend starting at 78°F and then adjusting for the home, equipment, contents, and measured humidity performance.
Three weeks before departure
- ✓
Schedule annual HVAC service; ask the technician to inspect the drain line, filter, thermostat, condensate system, wiring, and humidity-control setup.
- ✓
Review your homeowners policy for vacancy or unoccupancy conditions, inspection requirements, storm obligations, and emergency-contact expectations.
- ✓
Arrange home-watch visits, pool service, landscaping, pest control, mail handling, and a plan for hurricane preparation.
- ✓
Update your home inventory and store photographs, serial numbers, insurance documents, and vendor contacts somewhere you can reach remotely.
- ✓
Test the generator and schedule service if it is due. Confirm who will respond if it alarms or fails during an outage.
One week before departure
- ✓
Remove perishables and anything likely to attract pests. Clean food residue from appliances, cabinets, counters, and the pantry.
- ✓
Move loose lanai, patio, and yard objects to a protected location before storm season rather than depending on a last-minute visit.
- ✓
Test smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, leak sensors, cameras, the security system, smart thermostat, internet connection, and backup batteries.
- ✓
Confirm irrigation and pool schedules. Look for standing water, blocked drains, damaged screens, roof concerns, and active leaks.
- ✓
Leave current contact information and written authorization with the people responsible for the property. Define who may approve emergency work and up to what amount.
The day you leave
- ✓
Set the thermostat and humidity controls for the home and equipment—not simply for energy savings. Safe Nest generally recommends 78°F as a practical starting point, then adjusting for the home's humidity performance and the HVAC professional's guidance.
- ✓
Decide how the main water supply, water heater, irrigation, pool equipment, fire sprinklers, softener, and filtration systems should be handled. Do not turn off a system without understanding what depends on it.
- ✓
Unplug nonessential electronics and appliances. Leave power to equipment needed for cooling, security, internet, leak detection, pool operation, and monitoring.
- ✓
Lock every door and window, secure sliding doors, set the alarm, stop or forward deliveries, and avoid obvious signs that the house is vacant.
- ✓
Leave interior doors positioned for airflow, close and weather-seal exterior openings, and complete a dated photo walk-through of the interior and exterior.
After you leave
- ✓
Verify that the first scheduled home-watch visit occurred and that the report includes photographs, indoor conditions, and exceptions—not just a completed checkbox.
- ✓
Treat high humidity, temperature changes, water alarms, loss of power, and loss of internet as response events that require investigation.
- ✓
Keep service providers informed of access changes, travel dates, storm plans, and any equipment placed out of service.
- ✓
Review the home after severe weather even when your immediate neighborhood appears unaffected. Wind, drainage, roof, pool, landscaping, and power problems can be highly localized.
Questions your home-watch plan should answer
How often will the home be visited?
What exact conditions and systems are inspected?
Will every visit produce a dated photographic report?
Who receives alerts and how quickly?
Who may authorize emergency work?
What happens before and after a named storm?
Use this as a planning guide
No universal checklist fits every property. Follow your insurance policy, association rules, equipment manuals, licensed contractors, and local requirements. This original guide is informed by Safe Nest Home Watch field experience and the University of Florida IFAS publication Closing Your Seasonal Home.