how to leave home

mcewena wrote:
I thought of a home monitor but I'm actually more concerned about power outages than anything else (I already shut off the water) and if there's a power outage the monitor and it's internet connection are gone.

With the system we have I can determine if I have a power failure back home. First indication is I (and my house checker) get an email that says the thermostat is missing. When I get this message I then look at the minute by minute raw data provided by the service and if the furnace is calling for heat but the place isn't warming up then there is a power failure, it helps that I have a battery back UPS that gives an hour of internet connectivity before the UPS dies.

In terms of a power failure, the possibility of damage to your home depends on the weather conditions (outside temp) at your location. Last year we had a 30 hour power outage (transformer blew on a pole) with the outside temps below freezing, the inside temp never got down close to freezing.

I thought of a home monitor but I'm actually more concerned about power outages than anything else (I already shut off the water) and if there's a power outage the monitor and it's internet connection are gone.

I have an alarm, but no cameras. My neighbor takes care of the house, and I don't want know when he rents it on Air BnB! :)

I have a video system which allows me to view the cameras and playback remotely. I also acquired a weather station that allows me to access the outside temperature, humidity, and wind speed -- and the inside temperature and humidity remotely via the internet. I can't remember what I paid for the weather station -- but it was less than $100. It also ties in to NOAA to give a quick weather forecast on the screen.

I always, of course turn off the water, either in the house or at the meter, turn off the water heater, turn off the water softener etc.

Home base in Western New York (Rochester/Buffalo area) We remove all food items, turn off the water, drain and blow all remaining water from the lines including the hot water heater. Add RV Antifreeze to all traps and toilets, lock and bolt the doors, call the electric company and have the power turned off. Place is listed as a seasonal residence with our insurance, so we're pretty much covered. If it were to burn down or get blown away, we're be Full Time RVers instead of Most Time RVers.

And above all, don't announce your plans to vacate home on any social media outlet. ;)

Down here in Fl when my snowbird neighbors go back north or to Europe, they get pool and lawn services started, leave the AC set on 80 degrees, turn off the water, and arrange with a neighbor (or hire someone) to check the house on a regular schedule.

Brother in law did everything right, turn off the water etc.
Neighbor comes in to do a check and finds water all over.
The tank on the brand new toilet cracked and dumped its 5 gal of water. Could have been much worse.

For peace of mind, we have a smart thermostat and subscribe to a service where I can look at/reset the thermostat and what the temp is doing minute by minute, and it will email me and our house checker if the house temp drops 2 degrees below set point.

If you shut off water to the house and open the interior taps the pipes are unlikely to burst. The water pipes in the exterior walls will get to roughly 1/2 the temperature difference between the interior and exterior. I.e. If its 0* outside and 60* inside the pipe temperature will be ~30*. Draining through the exterior hose bibs will probably get the water in the pipes to the lowest level. (Put an insulating cap on them also.)
If you have a programable thermostat you can raise the interior temperature of the house another 10* between 4:00 and 6:00 am.
It's best to cut off the power source to the water heater, whether gas or electric.
Anything you can do to add insulation to your windows will do wonders for your fuel bill. (For long term non-occupancy I'd cut something like foam board to fit the opening.)
If it gets cold enough for long enough even insulated pipes will freeze!