What Should Snowbirds Prepare for Before Leaving Home?

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people migrate to follow the mildest climate. From going north in the summer, to south in the winter, if you’re migrating – you’re not alone. When planning to become a snowbird, it’s essential to prepare for switching homes during the year.

Prepare Medically To Be a Snowbird

Generally, most snowbirds have a preferred location for medical care – whether it’s their summer or winter home. It’s important to make annual physical appointments and general care when in the preferred location. This can help identify anything that may become an issue when at the secondary home.

If needed, Air Ambulance Worldwide also helps with long-distance medical transportation. Whether it’s transporting elderly people to residential living facilities or nearer to family members, or if it’s transporting someone closer to their preferred medical facility, we help with both emergency and non-emergency medical transportation.

When you’re a snowbird, it is important to be able to find your medical records quickly and have important doctor numbers on hand. It can be easy to make a note on your phone or a file on your computer that has relevant medications, doctor phone numbers and other important information.

Snowbird couples should also ensure that both spouses know where important information can be accessed in the event that one partner becomes ill or hospitalized for an extended period of time. How to turn the water back on in the home or where the banking passwords are kept.

Prepare Your Home to Be a Snowbird

One of the hard parts about leaving home for any length of time is having one home be empty or rented out. There’s lots to coordinate for having two residences.

Things to Make it Easier to Manage Two Homes

Consider installing a lock with a combination rather than just a key. This makes it easier to give people access to your home if they need to for maintenance or general checks. A WiFi connected lock also allows you at add new codes from afar for extra security.

A WiFi connected thermostat is also a great idea – you can monitor the energy usage from afar and see if the heater or AC is having problems early.

Consider getting WiFi connected water sensors for below your sinks. In the event a sink starts leaking, it’s a terrible thing to find months later when you get home.

Of course, an alarm system is critical. Again, one you can disarm or arm through the Internet can be especially helpful if you’re trying to let maintenance people in.

Things to Do Before You Leave

Make sure to leave the dishwasher unloaded and open when you’re gone for months on end – otherwise water gets trapped in there and can create mold

Double check your windows and doors to ensure they are all watertight and there are no leaks coming into your home.

As much as possible, make your home energy efficient. Close blinds and curtains and unplug unnecessary items that will slowly draw power.

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