As great flocks of birds migrate back north after a harsh winter, so too are many individuals and families leaving their Florida homes. These snowbirds are returning to various locations across the country to enjoy the nice weather that accompanies the summer months. With people abandoning their Florida houses in favor of the now-defrosted parts of the East and Midwest, it’s important that homeowners ensure their empty homes and the personal belongings inside them stay safe in their absence.
Control the climate
Florida in the summertime can be sweltering – which is one of the reasons people flee back north. While you can escape the unbearable warmth, your home must remain and take the heat. Without the proper precautions, you may come back next year to find problems with warped woodwork or an infestation of mold or mildew due to high humidity levels in the home.
Using a smart temperature-monitoring system is the perfect way for snowbirds to control the climate of their empty Florida houses during the summer.According to the blog DIY Controls, normal humidity should hover somewhere between 30 and 50 percent. Blocking outside moisture and minimizing it inside is the best way to ensure humidity levels don’t damage your home and belongings. According to the site, you should take proactive measures to inhibit high humidity levels inside the house, including:
- Running the air conditioning for a few hours a day
- Closing dampers in the fireplace
- Covering vents in kitchen and bathroom with plastic
- Weather sealing all windows and doorways
The blog noted that having the air conditioner on for a couple hours a day is the single most important thing you can do to keep humidity levels manageable during the summer while you’re gone.
Thankfully, with modern technology, you can easily track and monitor both the temperature and humidity levels of your house from any location. Installing a remote thermostat control can show you the home’s real-time vitals and allow you to adjust the temperature, all from your mobile device or computer.
Protect your property
There are multiple damaging forces around every corner in Florida and you need to make sure that your empty house can withstand all these harmful elements – both the meteorological and criminal ones.
“Hurricane season coincides with the summer months when all the snowbirds have already flown north.”
Installing hurricane shutters is a priority, since hurricane season coincides with the summer months when all the snowbirds have already flown north. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel recommended removing all movable objects from your porch and patios, such as furniture or decorative ornaments. The source also suggested closing the drapes and blinds to keep out sunlight and prevent curious eyes from peeking into your house. Stopping all mail and newspaper deliveries so they don’t pile up on your porch is also a good idea. This way you’re not announcing to the public that no one is home to bring in these daily deliveries.
Although crime isn’t as bad of a problem outside a big city, there are unfortunately thieves and other unsavory individuals everywhere. It’s important to securely lock up your belongings and have a robust alarm system in place before you leave. You can take your security system to the next level by setting up digital video cameras that stream right to your home computer or mobile device so you can keep a constant eye on your home.
Consider home sharing
Home-sharing apps like Airbnb are making it easier than ever to rent out your free spaces and make some extra cash. If you’re leaving your house or condo unoccupied for a few months, you can open your doors to guests and have them pay to stay there. This can potentially generate a nice chunk of change for space you wouldn’t otherwise be using – especially if the home is located in a tourist area.
You might need to hire someone to manage the property while you’re gone to ensure the guests have a clean area and they haven’t broken anything. The income earned from home-sharing can easily cover this cost with money to spare. Not only can you earn some extra cash, but having people constantly at the property allows them to keep an eye on things like the air conditioning and humidity levels. In addition, letting visitors stay at the house will also discourage would-be criminals from thinking about robbing the place, since it won’t be sitting empty.
Utilize storage units
Some items are too important to leave unattended. Other belongings are too susceptible to mild variations in the temperature to stay in an overly hot house throughout the summer. Thankfully, with a storage facility in Spring Hill, FL, and Davenport, FL, storage units, SecuCare Self Storage has the options you need to safely store your belongings while you’re back north. If you have delicate or fragile items sensitive to temperature, you can take advantage of SecurCare’s climate-controlled storage options and know your belongings are protected. Stop by a self-storage facility today to discuss your storage needs.