Closing Up Your Seasonal Home in New England

Closing up your seasonal home in New England doesn’t have to be stressful. Despite living there part-time, your seasonal home is a full-time investment. We’ve prepared a brief list to make closing up your seasonal home as smooth as possible.

Rest easy knowing we’re here for you while you’re away.

5 Steps to Protect Your Seasonal Home

Before closing up shop, ensure we’ve secured your property. Even though you’re not physically in your seasonal home, you don’t want your property to look vacant. Imagine this. You’re walking down the street with an unkempt yard, a mailbox stuffed with unopened envelopes, and an overturned, storm-damaged patio set.

Even if you’re not home, you never want your home to look as if you’re not home. An upstanding citizen would see this as an abandoned, possibly neglected property. A burglar would see this as an easy mark.

Follow these five simple steps, and you can make your seasonal home look lived in even when you’re not home:

1. Have a neighbor check your mail regularly during your absence or have your mail forwarded to your current residence.
2.  Bring in all outdoor furniture, grills, or outdoor decorations.
3. Install smart home lights and a security system that can be activated remotely and turn them on occasionally to give the illusion of someone being home.
4. Lock every door and window.
5. Inform trusted neighbors and local law enforcement of your time away and provide them with your current contact information.

How to Prepare Your Seasonal Home for Severe Weather

With your home protected from burglars, let’s prepare your seasonal home for the upcoming seasonal weather. New England summers can be sticky, while winter is frigid and filled with snow. Add hurricane season to the mix, and your seasonal home will go through a lot while you’re away.

Install hurricane shutters and ensure all patio furniture has been moved indoors if your seasonal home will be left unattended during hurricane season. Rather than turning off the electricity in your seasonal home, unplug appliances to minimize the electric bill. To keep your pipes from freezing during the winter months, keep the thermostat around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, drain the water from your pipes, open all cabinets directly beneath the sink and turn all of your faucets to a low drip while you’re away.

Let’s Finish Closing Up Your Seasonal Home in New England

Congratulations! If you made it this far, your seasonal home is now protected from robbers and severe weather. But wait, we can’t forget about pests and mold. In the colder months, some animals may try to make your seasonal home their seasonal home.

Check outside your home for any nooks small animals could burrow into and seal them. Make sure to thoroughly scrub your kitchen and toss out all food that isn’t canned to prevent being greeted by an infestation upon your return. If you have outdoor garbage cans, empty and secure them to prevent animals from rummaging through them or knocking them over.

Finally, wash, dry, and store in a closet if you’re keeping bedding on site. Spread moth balls or cedar chips on your bedding set to prevent mice, moths, and other rodents from gnawing on your sheets while you’re away.

Is Your Insurance Policy Prepared for Severe Weather?

Even with the most careful planning, accidents can still happen. When closing your seasonal home in New England, ensure your homeowner policy includes seasonal property coverage. Contact us to learn more about our seasonal property coverage.