Phoenix-area snowbird home checklist: arriving for the winter and leaving for the summer

When you arrive for the winter

• Run every faucet and flush every toilet before you unpack, then look under each sink and around the water heater for drips.
• Check the garage, closets and cabinets for droppings, nests or scorpions. Roof rats are common in Valley neighborhoods with citrus trees, and they like quiet attics.
• Switch the thermostat from summer cooling to your winter settings and replace the AC filter. Hard Valley water and summer dust make filters and humidifier pads work harder.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries.
• Start the car before you need it. Summer heat is hard on batteries, and a car that sat since April may need a jump.
• Walk the roof edge, patios and yard from the ground for monsoon damage: loose tiles, blocked roof drains, broken irrigation heads.
• Check in with your HOA. Many 55+ and HOA communities in Mesa, Gilbert and Scottsdale send notices while you're gone, and some may be waiting at the door.

Rather walk into a house that's already cooled, checked and stocked? Arrival prep is $149: we set the thermostat and run the water before you land. Fridge stocking is $75 plus groceries.

Before you leave for the summer

Cooling and power

• Leave the AC on. Many owners set cooling in the low to mid 80s to protect flooring, cabinets, electronics and anything that can melt or warp. Ask your HVAC company what suits your home.
• Have the AC serviced in spring, before the first 110 degree week.
• If you're on an SRP or APS time-of-use plan, check its summer peak hours and set the thermostat schedule to match.
• Close blinds on west and south windows to cut heat gain.
• Garages can get far hotter than the house. Move paint, aerosol cans, wine, batteries and anything with a rubber seal inside.
• Put the water heater on vacation mode if it has one, and unplug electronics you won't need.

Water, pool and yard

• Decide whether to shut off the main water. If irrigation, a pool autofill or a water softener needs water, ask your plumber how to isolate the house while keeping those running.
• Fill the water softener with salt before you go so it doesn't run dry halfway through the summer.
• Keep pool service going. A pump that stops in July can turn a pool green in days.
• Set irrigation for summer and have the landscaper confirm every zone works.

Monsoon and dust storms

• Clear roof drains, scuppers and gutters. Flat and low-slope roofs collect water fast in a summer storm.
• Store or tie down patio furniture, umbrellas and cushions. Monsoon wind and dust storms move them.
• Trim palm fronds and branches that hang over the roof.

Vehicles and golf carts

• Ask your mechanic about a battery tender for any car you leave behind, and protect wiring from pack rats.
• If you have a golf cart, ask your cart shop how to store its batteries for the summer.

Paperwork and people

• Read your homeowner's policy for vacancy or unoccupancy conditions. Many policies expect an empty home to be checked regularly; ask your agent what yours requires.
• Forward or hold your mail, and give your HOA a summer contact.
• Leave an emergency contact list with someone you trust: pool, HVAC, plumber, alarm company.

Want it done for you? Departure lockdown is $149: we set the thermostat and water for summer, clear the fridge and check every door, window and lock.