Closing Up a Seasonal Home in Southwest Florida
You fly out in three weeks and the house has to survive a Florida summer without you. Last year somebody on your street came back to mould on the bedroom wall, and somebody else came back to patio furniture in the pool. You have a list somewhere from the previous owner and you are not sure it is right.
Starting at $149 · free flat-rate quote before we start
Closing up a Southwest Florida home for the summer is mostly about humidity, water, and pests. Leave the air conditioning running to control moisture rather than switching it off, shut off the water supply, empty anything that spoils, and bring every loose outdoor item inside before storm season.
How it works
Air conditioning stays on — this is the big one
An empty house through a SWFL summer without conditioned air is how mould problems start. Most seasonal owners leave the system holding a moderate temperature, often with a humidistat so it runs on humidity rather than heat alone. The power bill is far cheaper than remediation.
Water off at the main
A supply line that fails in July does not get noticed until October. Shutting the main is the single cheapest insurance on the list. Turn off the water heater breaker at the same time, and note that it must be refilled before power is restored in the autumn.
Everything loose comes inside
Patio furniture, planters, grills, umbrellas, pool equipment, door mats, wind chimes. In a named storm these become projectiles, and you will not be here to bring them in. This is the task most people underestimate and most often hand off.
Empty what rots and seal what attracts
Refrigerator emptied and propped, pantry cleared of anything that opens, bins emptied. Palmetto bugs and ants find food in an empty house within days. Some owners leave the refrigerator running; either is fine, but not a full one switched off.
The details that matter
Organized seasonal storage
Patio chairs, cushion bags and a folded umbrella are organized in a dry garage.
- Seasonal home closing
- Organized seasonal storage
The final home walkthrough
A homeowner and worker check a sliding door during a final walkthrough of a furnished home.
- Seasonal home closing
- The final home walkthrough
Worth knowing before you start
Closing up is a hurricane-season decision, not just a travel one
You leave in April and season runs June through November, peaking August to October. Whatever is loose in the yard when you go is loose for the whole of it. That is the real reason the outdoor list matters more here than it would up north.
Tell your insurer if the house will be vacant
Many policies treat an unoccupied dwelling differently, and some require specific conditions. A call before you fly is much better than a discovery during a claim. Ask specifically about vacancy periods and what they expect you to have done.
Someone should physically check on it
A neighbour, a property manager, or a paid service. Remote cameras are useful, but they do not notice a smell, a soft spot in a ceiling, or a dead A/C unit until the damage is visible. A monthly walk-through catches things while they are still cheap.
Book closing help early — everyone leaves at once
The departure window is as compressed as the arrival one. April and early May fill up fast across every trade in the region. Two to three weeks ahead is the realistic minimum.
You may not need to hire anyone for this
The parts you can genuinely handle on your own. We would rather tell you than sell you.
- Shut off the water at the main and the water-heater breaker
- Set the air conditioning to hold a moderate temperature rather than switching it off
- Empty the refrigerator and prop the door, and clear the pantry of anything that can open
- Run every drain briefly and add a little water to seldom-used traps so they do not dry out completely
- Unplug electronics and small appliances against summer storm surges
- Tell your insurer the property will be unoccupied and ask what they require
Where seasonal home closing comes in
- Patio and outdoor furniture brought in and stored properly
- Lanai cleared and secured ahead of storm season
- Grills, planters, and pool equipment moved inside
- Furniture covered and moved off exterior walls where damp collects
- Smart-home, camera, and thermostat shutdown or handover to remote monitoring
- Anything you have decided not to keep, removed before you go rather than waiting until autumn
Seasonal Home Closing — starting at $149
Seasonal closing starts at $149 and scales with the house and how much goes into storage. Book two to three weeks before you fly — (239) 494-3305 or online.
Text us a photo and a quick description. We'll send a flat quote — usually within the hour.
Text Us a PhotoStarting pricesFrequently asked questions
Should I turn the air conditioning off to save money?
Most seasonal owners here do not, and that is the general local practice. A closed, unconditioned house through a Florida summer holds humidity, and humidity is what causes mould. Running the system at a moderate hold costs meaningfully less than remediation. Your A/C contractor can advise on the right setting for your specific system.
Do I really need to shut the water off?
It is the cheapest protection on the list. A failed supply line or water heater running unnoticed for months is one of the more expensive things that happens to seasonal homes here.
How far ahead should I book?
Two to three weeks. April and early May are the departure crush, and availability disappears in the same way it does for arrivals in November.
Can you also open the house when I come back?
Yes, and it is easier when the same people closed it — we know what went into storage and where.
What about hurricane shutters?
We can bring in everything loose and clear the lanai. Installing shutters or panels varies a lot by system and some are specialist installs; tell us what you have and we will tell you honestly whether it is ours or a specialist's.
Related services
Flat-pack, beds, patio sets, BBQs — built right the first time.
You land in Fort Myers or Naples, drive to a house that has been shut since April, and open the door onto stale air and a faint smell you cannot place. The A/C has been running at a holding temperature all summer. There is something in the lanai screen. You would like to be sitting outside with a drink this evening, not troubleshooting a water heater.
The storm has passed, the power is back, and the yard is full. There is a pile of branches by the road, a soaked mattress in the garage, torn lanai screening in a heap, and drywall and carpet you pulled out before the mold started. Somebody has already knocked on the door offering to haul it all for cash. You are not sure what you are supposed to pay for and what the county takes for free.
TV mounting and home installs, done in one visit.
Bought it? We'll go get it and bring it home.
An extra set of hands for the heavy stuff — by the hour.
Need it fixed, moved, or hauled?
Call, text a photo, or send a quote request. Most jobs quoted same day.