Every October the Grand fills back up. Cart traffic returns to the paths, the courses get busy, and owners who left in April reopen houses that have sat through a Valley summer. A little planning in the first week makes the season start smoothly.
What should you check first when you walk in?
Start with your senses. A musty smell can point to trapped humidity from monsoon season, and a sewer smell usually means a drain trap dried out. Run each faucet and shower for a minute and flush each toilet so the traps refill. Then look at ceilings and the walls under windows for new stains.
How do you bring the A/C back safely?
Step the thermostat down gradually instead of dropping it far below the summer holding temperature. Check that air is coming out of every vent and that the unit is draining. Replace the filter now, because it has been collecting dust for months. If the system struggles, call your A/C company early in the season, before the fall rush for service.
What outside items need a look?
Walk the yard and check the irrigation controller, since a summer power outage can reset the schedule. Look for dry or broken drip lines and dead plants that the Community Association expects removed. Check the pool water level and make sure the pump is running. Look along the foundation and in the garage for signs of pack rats, such as gnawed items or piles of sticks.
Do not forget the golf cart and the car
Batteries lose charge when carts sit all summer. Check the water level in each flooded cell and charge fully before the first drive. A car that has sat for months needs its tire pressure and battery checked as well.
Can someone get the house ready before you arrive?
Yes. That is what our fall homecoming is for. Before you land, we open the water main, bring the thermostat down to your usual setting, raise the blinds, and run every tap, then tell you what we found. You step into a fresh house instead of a project. You can read more about it on how home watch works, or contact us to set it up for next fall.