Every April, property managers in coastal resort towns start getting the same kind of phone call. A seasonal owner, already three states north, wants someone to check whether the dehumidifier is still running. Usually it isn’t. Sometimes the answer shows up in October as a closet full of mildewed linen.
People who split the year between two homes tend to plan the trip carefully and the departure loosely. The departure is where the expensive mistakes happen.
Decide What Stays and What Gets Locked Up
Lowcountry humidity is hard on anything left in a closed house. Leather goes soft, paper curls, and the guitar that sounded fine in March needs a new setup by fall.
For owners who also rent their place out while they’re gone, the problem gets bigger, because personal items have to be cleared to make room for guests. Finding self storage units on Hilton Head is a spring chore for a lot of these owners, and the better units tend to go early once the seasonal crowd starts heading north.
Climate control is worth the extra monthly cost for wood furniture, photographs, artwork, and electronics. Beach chairs, a kayak, and patio cushions can sit in a cheaper drive-up unit without much risk. Bicycles are the exception people miss. Salt air reaches them anyway, so wipe the chains and store them indoors or under a breathable cover.
Someone Has to Check on the House
Many homeowner policies limit coverage once a home sits empty past a set period, often 30 or 60 days. Owners discover this after a pipe bursts.
Read the vacancy clause before leaving, then arrange for a neighbor or a paid house watcher to walk through every week or two and log the visits. Shut the water main off unless an irrigation system depends on it. Leave the thermostat around 78°F with the dehumidifier set to drain into a floor drain or sink, because a full collection bucket shuts the unit off on day three.
Shut Down Appliances and Plumbing Fixtures Before You Lock Up
A closed refrigerator with no power is a mold-growing cabinet in a Lowcountry summer. Empty the refrigerator and freezer completely, including condiments. Clean and dry both interiors. Either leave them running or unplug them and secure the doors partly open. Turn off the ice maker and close its water supply valve.
A running refrigerator should stay at 40°F or below, but that does not give food an unlimited shelf life. Without power, an unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours. A full freezer holds its temperature for roughly 48 hours, or 24 hours when half full. A single storm outage while you’re away is enough to spoil anything left inside, which is why even a running fridge should go north empty. Clear out or seal pantry food too, since an empty house is an open invitation to ants and rodents.
Set the water heater to vacation mode or follow its shutdown instructions. For an electric tank, switch off its dedicated breaker. For gas, use the manufacturer’s specified pilot or off setting. There is no point keeping a tank of water hot for months when nobody will use it. Before restoring an electric heater, confirm the tank is full.
Close both washing-machine supply valves. On a front-loader, wipe the door seal dry and leave the door ajar so trapped moisture can escape.
Refill sink, shower, and floor-drain traps with water before leaving. Over several months, that water can evaporate and let sewer gas into the house. A small amount of mineral oil over the water slows evaporation. Leave toilet bowls at their normal water level, and add trap and bowl checks to the house watcher’s list.
Unplug TVs, computers, and countertop appliances to reduce standby electricity use and exposure to storm surges. Keep the dehumidifier, any leak or humidity sensors, and the internet router powered.
Fit a fresh HVAC filter before the system settles into its 78°F holding pattern. Test every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. Replace batteries where you can, and check the expiry date on sealed 10-year units. An empty house still needs working alarms, especially if they’re monitored or a neighbor can hear them.
Prepare the Exterior for Hurricane Season
Leaving in April and returning in October puts the house on its own through much of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. Storm protection needs a named person and a plan before the driveway empties.
Check shutters and their fasteners for salt corrosion. Confirm that protection fits each window and glazed door, or have existing impact-rated openings inspected for damage. If shutters or panels need installing before a storm, agree who will do it. Give the house watcher access to the hardware and arrange a backup installer. Shutters stacked in the garage protect very little.
Move patio furniture, empty planters, and kayaks indoors or into the drive-up storage unit. Store the grill once it is clean and cool, following the facility’s fuel rules. Propane cylinders stay outside in an approved location, never inside the house or storage unit. Anything left loose can become something that breaks a window.
Have overhanging and damaged limbs trimmed. Clear gutters and downspouts, then check that discharge flows away from the foundation. Arrange a roof check for loose shingles and damaged flashing around vents and chimneys. In an empty house, a small leak has months to do its damage.
If irrigation needs the water supply left on, reduce its schedule for seasonal conditions and test the rain sensor. Check sprinkler heads so they water the landscape rather than soak the siding.
Photograph the exterior and room contents before leaving. When you read the vacancy clause, also confirm wind and hail coverage and deductibles. Some coastal South Carolina policies exclude wind and hail, requiring separate coverage. Standard homeowners insurance excludes flood damage, including storm surge, so flood protection needs separate insurance. Photographs help document a loss; they cannot fill a coverage gap.