Southwest Florida runs on a seasonal rhythm. Homes across Naples, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, and Punta Gorda fill up in winter and sit quiet through summer — and the plumbing in a house nobody visits fails differently than the plumbing in a house someone lives in. A small drip that a full-time resident notices in an hour has five months to work in an empty seasonal home. These two checklists are how snowbirds avoid coming back to a surprise.
Closing Up: Before You Head North
- Shut off the main water supply. The single most valuable thing on this list. No pressure in the lines means no leak, no matter what fails while you are away. Our shut-off guide covers finding and testing the valve.
- Turn off the water heater. Breaker off for electric, or the gas control to “vacation.” An electric element energized in a drained tank burns out fast, and there is no reason to heat water for an empty house all summer.
- Drain the lines. Open the lowest faucets and let the system relieve itself, which leaves less standing water sitting in pipes for months.
- Deal with the traps. Water in P-traps evaporates over a long absence, and an empty trap lets sewer gas into the house — the classic returning-snowbird smell. Pour a little mineral oil into each drain after a final flush; it floats and slows evaporation dramatically.
- Run the disposal and dishwasher empty, then leave the dishwasher door ajar so it dries instead of growing mildew.
- Set treatment equipment for absence. Softeners and filters should not be regenerating on a schedule for a house with no demand. Ask your provider how your specific system should be left.
- Handle hurricane season. You are leaving during it. Work through the hurricane season plumbing checklist and line up someone local to check the property after a storm.
- Arrange periodic checks. A neighbor, property manager, or service that walks the house monthly catches an air conditioner drain backup or roof leak long before you would.
Opening Up: Coming Back for the Season
- Walk the house before you turn anything on. Look under every sink, behind toilets, around the water heater, and at the ceilings for stains that appeared while you were gone.
- Open the main valve slowly. A sudden surge into empty lines produces a pressure spike that can find the weakest joint in the house. Take your time.
- Fill the water heater before energizing it. Open a hot tap and wait for a steady stream, confirming the tank is full, then restore power or gas. Reversing that order destroys electric elements.
- Flush every fixture. Run each faucet, shower, and toilet for several minutes to clear stale water and sediment. Water that sat in pipes for months is not water you want to drink.
- Recheck for leaks under pressure. Repeat the walkthrough once the system is charged, then look at your meter with everything off — movement means a leak somewhere.
- Restart water treatment. Sanitize and restart softeners and filters, top up salt, and replace prefilters. Well owners should test the water before drinking it, especially after a summer of storms — see 5 Signs Your Well Water Needs Treatment.
- Watch the first bill. An unexplained jump after reopening is a classic hidden-leak signal — see High Water Bill or City Leak Notice.
The One to Book in Advance
If your water heater is approaching ten years, replace it on a scheduled visit rather than gambling on another season — an empty house is the worst possible place for a tank to let go. The same logic applies to a plumbing system with a history of repeat leaks, where repiping ends the cycle.
Seasonal Home Plumbing Service in SWFL
West Coast Plumbing & Water Treatment helps seasonal owners close up and reopen homes across Naples, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Punta Gorda, and throughout Southwest Florida — including leak checks, water heater service, and water treatment restarts. Free estimates, 24/7 emergency service, licensed and insured (FL Lic. CFC 1427865). Call (239) 340-8224 or book online.
