Home Sweet Home

By Tara Tallaksen / Published October 2022

Welcome back to your home sweet home in the Sunshine State! We hope you enjoyed your stay up north, but we’re happy to have you back. Being a snowbird can be a joyful lifestyle—you get to experience the different seasons in your favorite weather all year round! With constant traveling, it’s important to prepare your winter home before you flock up north and when you return. At Vesta, we understand that this can be a tedious and sometimes overwhelming responsibility, and we want to inform you on our best practices to make your Florida home lively again. 

     First, you should plan to turn your water back on. This is important as the water system helps your house function properly. When you go to turn the water on, make sure to thoroughly check your valves, water pipes, drains, sinks, and toilets for any debris or other issues. If there is no debris, you should flush every toilet in the house to ensure the flushing process is working correctly. Afterwards, test your water temperature to ensure the water can run hot and cold. If you have no hot water, then you need to inspect your water heater right away. If you can run both water temperatures, then you’re good to go!

     Next, you should check to see if your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is working properly. You can start by inspecting your thermostat for temperature accuracy and operational motions. From here, you can turn off the circuit breakers and make sure there aren’t any loose electrical wiring or suspicious noises from the connections. Then, you need to look for any clogs caused by built-up condensation and drain them. Draining your HVAC system is ideal for reducing mold and other bacterial growth inside your home. Also, you need to clean/replace the air filters to improve the system’s cooling efficiency. 

     Additionally, you should plug in all your appliances around the house. It’s common to unplug your appliances before traveling to save energy and electrical expenses. However, now that you’re back in your winter oasis, it’s time to use your appliances again. Make sure to plug in all your appliances and other devices around the house as well as check to see if they work sufficiently. After you plug in your appliances and check their quality, you should unplug them to sanitize them from any potential germs or dust. All appliances should be deeply cleaned; however, your washing machine and refrigerator take priority. 

     Also, you should check the safety features within your house and replace them if necessary. For example, it would be beneficial to look at your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms around the house and test them to see if they still function. If not, then you need to replace their batteries. This is crucial as these can help alert you if a fire hazard takes place. Another safety feature to check out, if applicable, can be your home’s alarm system. You can test this by activating your alarm on and off to see how it operates. If your alarm is lagging in any way, then you need to get it fixed by a professional. 

     Overall, reopening your winter home properly is important as there can be many factors involved. Of course, everyone has their own routine, but we wanted to make sure we touched on the most common home features to prioritize. 

     At Vesta, we aim to help our residents through informational property management tips. We hope our practices minimized your stress or any other overwhelming feelings of reopening your home. Furthermore, welcome back to the Sunshine State, snowbirds!

Tara Tallaksen

Marketing and Sales Assistant, Vesta Property Services

     Tara Tallaksen is the marketing and sales assistant of Vesta Property Services. She started working for Vesta in amenities as a lifeguard supervisor for about a year before transitioning into her corporate office position. Tara graduated from the University of Florida with her bachelor’s degree. She enjoys exercising and is a certified personal trainer. She plans on continuing her career in marketing and is always willing to learn more about the field. Vesta’s great career opportunities, team support, and diverse trainings can help Tara achieve her professional and personal goals. For more information, visit www.vestapropertyservices.com.