Keeping a vacant rental safe between tenants

An empty house has no one to notice a frozen pipe, a leak or the smell of smoke. Fires in vacant homes take longer to be found, so they do more damage, and over half of them spread to involve the whole building. Intentional fires are the leading cause, at about a third, and more vacant home fires happen in unsecured buildings than in secured ones.

Before the last tenant's things are out

• Find the main water shutoffKnow where the valve is and how to work it before you need it.
• Note which outdoor faucets aren't frost-proofHomes built before 2010 typically don't have frost-proof outdoor faucets. Shut off their valves inside and insulate them.
• Check the washer and dishwasher hosesCheck the supply hoses' age. Fittings and rubber gaskets on hoses more than 10 years old wear out and leak, so have them replaced.
• Photograph the condition of each roomA dated video or photo record makes a damage claim easier.

While it sits empty

• Keep the heat at 55°F or aboveSet the thermostat to at least 55°F so the pipes don't freeze, even with no one home.
• Shut off the water for a long freezing stretchIf the house will sit empty more than a week below freezing, close the main valve slowly. Then let a couple of faucets on the lowest floor drain.
• Lock every door and windowMore vacant home fires start in buildings left unsecured than in ones that are locked up.
• Test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarmsTest them at least once a month, and change the batteries every 6 months.
• Keep the gutters and downspouts clearClear gutters let water drain away from the house and cut the risk of ice dams.
• Walk through it each weekLook for water on floors and ceilings, a sagging ceiling, cracks or stains, and doors or windows that stick. Weak or no water flow can mean a frozen pipe. If so, shut off the water and call a plumber.