Checklist · Guide
Closing Up Your 30A Second Home: The Checklist
Insured Florida LLC · Watersound Origins · Alys · Rosemary · Scenic 30A
Most expensive surprises in an empty 30A house start with something that took thirty seconds to prevent on the way out the door. This is the list, in the order you would walk the house.
By Ryder Schilling, owner of Coastal Home Management 30A · Updated September 27, 2026
The short answer
To close up a second home on Scenic 30A for weeks or a season: keep the AC on at 78 to 80°F with humidity under 60 percent, turn the water heater to vacation or off, shut the main water valve unless irrigation or a smart shutoff valve needs it open, empty or unplug the refrigerator, take out all trash, bring in or secure outdoor furniture during hurricane season (June 1 to November 30), stop or forward the mail, and leave a key, gate code and alarm code with someone local who will check the house on a schedule. Coastal Home Management 30A does these checks every week or every other week with photos after each visit.
Water
Water is the most expensive thing that goes wrong in an empty house, so it goes first.
- Shut the main water valve, unless the irrigation system or a smart shutoff valve needs the line open
- Turn the water heater to vacation mode, or off at the breaker for an electric unit
- Turn off the ice maker and the water line to the fridge
- Run each toilet and check for a running or weeping fill valve
- Look under every sink for drips before you close the cabinet
Air and humidity
- AC on, 78 to 80°F, fan on Auto, away mode off or capped at 80°F
- New HVAC filter
- Interior doors open, cabinet doors under sinks cracked
- Blinds closed on the sun side
Kitchen and trash
- Empty the refrigerator of anything that spoils, or empty it fully, unplug it and prop the doors open
- Run and empty the dishwasher, leave it cracked
- Every bag of trash out and the cans rinsed, or someone to roll them out and back
- Nothing sweet or open in the pantry, which is how ants and roaches move in
Outside, and hurricane season
From June 1 to November 30, anything left outside is something a storm can throw through a window.
- Patio furniture, grills, planters and kayaks inside or tied down
- Storm shutters in working order and someone lined up to close them
- Gutters and downspouts clear
- Irrigation on a schedule that does not flood the yard during rain
- Pest control on its regular schedule
Access and paperwork
- Mail stopped or forwarded, or someone picking it up
- A key, gate code, alarm code and garage opener with someone local
- Your contact numbers and preferred contractors written down for that person
- Ask your insurance agent what your policy expects while the home is unoccupied
- Photos of every room before you leave, so you have a dated record
Who checks on it while you are gone
A closed-up house is only as safe as the last time someone walked through it. The standard on 30A is a visit every week in summer and every other week in the cooler months, with photos, so a leak or a tripped AC gets caught in days rather than months.
Hand us the keys on your way out.
A walkthrough every week or every other week, photos and a written report every visit. Plans from $200 a month, first home check free.
Questions
Asked plainly.
Should I turn off the water when I leave my 30A home?
Usually yes, at the main valve. The exceptions are homes whose irrigation runs off the same line, and homes with a smart shutoff valve, which does the same job automatically and alerts someone when it trips.
Should I unplug my refrigerator?
If you are gone for a season, empty it, unplug it and prop the doors open so it does not grow mold. For a few weeks, leaving it running with nothing perishable inside is fine.
How often should an empty second home on 30A be checked?
Weekly in summer and during hurricane season, every other week the rest of the year for most homes. Coastal Home Management 30A offers both, from $200 a month.
Do I need to tell my insurance company the house is empty?
Some policies have rules about homes left unoccupied for a set period. Ask your agent what yours says. Coastal Home Management 30A is not an insurance agent and cannot advise on coverage.
Keep reading
Coastal Home Management 30A provides property visit and documentation services. We are not home inspectors, insurance agents, or adjusters, and nothing here is a home inspection, an insurance recommendation, or advice about your coverage. Our reports document observations on the dates listed. Policy terms differ by carrier. For questions about your policy, coverage, or a claim, contact your insurance agent.