Putting a Sun City West House to Bed for the Summer

There is an old habit in Sun City West of calling the spring departure "closing up the house." It is a good phrase, because a house left for five or six months in the desert really does need to be put to sleep properly. Most of it takes an afternoon. Here is how we do it for the owners who ask us to, and how you can do it yourself.

Where should the thermostat sit all summer?

We set it to 85 degrees on cool with the fan on auto, and we set the ceiling fans to turn slowly. That keeps the air conditioner from running itself ragged while still protecting the wood floors, cabinets, and furniture from real heat. If your A/C company has a different recommendation for your system, follow theirs.

Why close every blind?

Arizona sun through a west window for a whole summer will fade a rug or a sofa in a single season. Close every blind, shutter, and drape, and if they tilt, angle the slats slightly upward so any light that gets through bounces off the ceiling instead of the floor.

What about the kitchen and laundry room?

Clear the refrigerator completely, including the crisper drawers. Turn the ice maker off, empty the bin, and dry it. Run the disposal with water for a few seconds. Leave the dishwasher door and the washing machine door cracked open so nothing sours inside, and turn off the water valves behind the washer. Open the cabinet doors under every sink so air can move and the cleaning bottles stored there do not bake.

What keeps the house from drying out?

Set a five gallon bucket of water in the middle of each larger room, and a smaller one near the dishwasher and the washer to keep their rubber seals from cracking. Flush every toilet and run every sink and shower for half a minute so the drain traps start the summer full. Then put the water softener in bypass or vacation mode, set the water heater to vacation if it has one, and shut off the main.

What is left before you turn the key?

Make sure the trash bins are empty and put away out of sight, as the CC&Rs require. Set up mail forwarding rather than a short hold, since a standard hold does not last a whole summer. Unplug the garage door opener and pull the release cord so the door cannot be opened from outside. Then leave a note of what you did for whoever will be looking in on the house, and tell your Posse and neighbors you are going.