Why can't I just turn everything off in a Florida home?
Because Florida's heat and humidity don't stop when you leave. Shut the AC completely off in a closed-up home and indoor moisture climbs fast — which is exactly what mold, mildew, warped wood, and musty odors need to take hold.
A home that sits at high humidity for weeks can grow mold on walls, furniture, and inside closets. The goal while you're away isn't to cool the home like you live there — it's to keep humidity controlled and the plumbing safe with as little energy and risk as possible. That starts with understanding controlling humidity and preventing mold.
How should I set up my home before I leave for the season?
Work through this checklist before you lock up. It keeps humidity in check, protects the plumbing, and lets you keep an eye on things from afar.
-
Set the thermostat around 78–82°F
Leave the AC running, but set it warmer than you'd keep it while living there — many recommend somewhere in the 78 to 82°F range. If you have a smart thermostat, use a humidity hold targeting roughly 55 to 60% relative humidity instead of chasing a low temperature.
-
Do NOT switch the AC fully off
Turning the system completely off in a closed-up Florida home lets humidity climb fast, and that's exactly what mold and mildew need. The goal isn't to keep the house cold — it's to keep moisture under control while you're away.
-
Shut off the main water supply
Close the home's main water shutoff valve before you leave. An unattended leak or burst supply line can flood a vacant home for weeks before anyone notices, and shutting off the water at the source is the single best way to prevent that.
-
Set the water heater to vacation or low mode
Many water heaters have a vacation or low setting. Switching to it saves energy heating water nobody's using while keeping the tank ready for when you return. If you're comfortable doing so and it's off the main water anyway, some homeowners turn it off entirely.
-
Consider a smart thermostat plus water-leak sensors
A smart thermostat lets you monitor and adjust temperature and humidity from afar, and inexpensive water-leak sensors near the water heater and under sinks alert you to trouble early. Together they turn 'hope nothing happens' into 'I'll know if it does.'
-
Arrange periodic check-ins or a maintenance plan
Have someone you trust look in on the home periodically, or lean on a maintenance plan, so small problems — a tripped breaker, a musty smell, a sensor alert — get caught before they become expensive surprises while you're up north.
-
Before you return, lower the temperature remotely
A day or so before you arrive, use your smart thermostat to bring the home back to a comfortable temperature and humidity. You'll walk into a cool, dry house instead of waiting hours for the system to catch up.
Don't set it too low
It's tempting to crank the AC way down so the house is freezing when you return, but in an empty home that wastes energy and can actually freeze the coil. The job here is humidity control, not deep cold — a warmer setting or a humidity hold is the right call.
How do I protect the plumbing while I'm away?
An unattended water leak is one of the most expensive things that can happen to a vacant home, so the safest move is to cut the water off at the source.
- Shut off the main water supply so a failed line or fixture can't flood the home for weeks unnoticed.
- Set the water heater to vacation/low so it isn't heating water nobody's using all season.
- Add water-leak sensors near the water heater and under sinks for an early warning if something fails.
- Mind slab-on-grade homes: many Brevard homes sit on a slab, where a hidden leak under the foundation is hard to spot — shutting off the water lowers that risk too.
Hard water leaves its mark
Our area has hard water, which can leave mineral buildup in fixtures and the water heater over a long, idle season. A pre-departure plumbing check is a good time to catch any issues before the home sits empty.
What smart tech helps snowbirds most?
A little technology turns 'I hope nothing goes wrong' into 'I can see and control my home from my phone.' The most useful for a seasonal Florida home:
- A smart thermostat with remote temperature and humidity control
- Water-leak sensors near the water heater and under sinks
- A smart water shutoff that can close the main automatically
- High-temperature and humidity alerts to your phone
A smart thermostat is the centerpiece — its humidity hold and remote control are tailor-made for a home that sits empty for months.
How Anna's helps snowbirds and seasonal residents
We help seasonal residents across the Space Coast set their homes up to ride out the off-season safely — from configuring the AC and humidity settings to a pre-departure plumbing and water-heater check.
As a woman-owned local team, we'll get your system dialed in before you head north, and a maintenance plan keeps your home on our radar year-round. Need plumbing help before you go? See Anna's plumbing services.
Planning to be away for the season?
Ask us about getting your home set before you leave — and a visit to cool it back down before you return. [GATHER: confirm whether Anna's offers seasonal or vacant-home check-in visits, and any membership perks for seasonal residents]