Opening Your Florida Home for the Season: An Arrival Checklist

What should you check first when you get back?

Before suitcases come in, walk the whole house with your phone camera ready. You notice more in the first ten minutes than you will once you're settled.

1. Smell as you open the door. A musty or sour note points to humidity, a dry drain or something in the refrigerator.
2. Read the thermostat. Note the temperature and, if it shows one, the humidity. Above 60% is a sign the summer setting wasn't keeping up.
3. Look for water: ceilings, the base of walls, under every sink, around toilets, the water heater, the air handler closet and the laundry area.
4. Look for pests: droppings in drawers and the pantry, ant trails along baseboards, insects near the lanai doors.
5. Check the electrical panel for tripped breakers.

Photograph anything unusual before you touch it. If you had home watch over the summer, compare what you find with the last report; our post on what a home watch report should include explains what those reports should show.

Turning the water and water heater back on

If you shut off the main valve, open one or two faucets first, then turn the main back on slowly. Air and some discoloration may sputter out. Let the cold taps run until the water is clear, then walk the house again looking for drips at supply lines, the washer hoses and the water heater.

• Remove drain stoppers and plastic wrap from toilets, then flush each toilet and run every sink, tub and shower to refill the drain traps that keep sewer gas out.
• Turn the washer supply valves back on and check the hoses for bulges or cracks.
• Let a hot tap run until water flows steadily before you switch an electric water heater back on at the breaker. Heating an empty tank can damage the elements, so follow the instructions on your heater's label or ask a plumber.

AC, humidity and that first musty smell

Set the thermostat back to your normal living temperature and replace the AC filter. Then check the condensate drain line where it exits the house to confirm it's dripping when the system runs. The EPA advises keeping AC drip pans clean and drain lines flowing, since a clogged line is a common source of hidden water.

A mild stale smell often fades once the AC runs, linens are washed and drains are refilled. A strong musty smell, visible growth or damp spots is different. The EPA warns not to run an HVAC system you know or suspect is contaminated with mold, so call your HVAC company first. Our guide to that musty smell when you get back walks through the usual sources in order.

Kitchen: refrigerator, freezer and pantry

If you left the refrigerator running, UF/IFAS suggests leaving a bag of ice cubes in the freezer before you go. If it's a solid block when you return, the power was off long enough for it to melt and refreeze, and anything in the freezer should be thrown out.

• If the refrigerator was off with the doors propped, wipe it out, plug it in and give it time to reach temperature before you stock it.
• Run the dishwasher empty for one cycle and run water through the disposal.
• Check sealed pantry containers and cabinets for insects before you add groceries.

Outside: storm season isn't over yet

Most seasonal owners arrive in the fall, but the National Hurricane Center counts the Atlantic season through November 30. Walk the outside before you settle in:

• Roof, gutters and soffits from the ground, looking for missing tiles or shingles.
• Screens, the pool cage and lanai enclosure for tears or bent panels.
• Pool level and clarity, and the pool equipment. Call your pool service with anything that looks off.
• Irrigation heads and timer, and any standing water where mosquitoes breed.
• The car battery, if a car stayed behind. Months of sitting can drain it.

Inside, replace smoke alarm batteries and test the security system. Check the backup batteries in thermostats and irrigation controllers too.

What an opening clean covers

A house that has been closed all summer collects fine dust and pollen on every flat surface, ceiling fan and slider track, even with the AC running. An opening clean clears that before you live in it.

We tell owners to plan for the clean, not to do it themselves on day one after a long drive. Our opening cleans get the dust and pollen of months off the surfaces, make the beds, freshen the kitchen and baths, and set the lanai furniture back out, so the first night feels like home rather than a project. If the house needs a deeper reset, see how often to deep clean a Florida house.

How to book it so the home is ready before you land

Fall is busy in Naples and on Marco Island because seasonal residents return within the same few weeks. Book your opening clean as soon as you know your arrival date, and schedule it for one or two days before you land, so there's time to deal with anything the cleaners or your home watch reporter flag.

If something turns up, such as a leak, an AC problem or pest activity, you'll want a licensed specialist booked before you arrive, not after. Tell us your dates and our seasonal opening clean team will have the house ready.