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It’s a good idea to shut off your water entirely, but if there’s a late rainy season, that may not be a good idea for your yard. At least lines leading to hose connections, such as your washer, should be turned off.

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A compressor that blows can’t be forecast, but it pays to make sure your air conditioning lines are clear before you leave for the summer. It’s also helpful to keep, or have your caretaker, keep a list of the maintenance companies you use for electricity, plumbing and air conditioning.

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As summer approaches, many local snowbirds will make their yearly migration back up north for the warm season, leaving their Naples houses and condos unoccupied.

If you are one of them, leaving the winter nest may be a familiar ritual by now. But for many of you the process will be a new one, and now is the time to make sure your home will be secure and looked after during your time away.

“Here in Florida with the heat and the weather, the risk factor is intense for an unoccupied home,” warns Derek Chorlton, a real estate broker with John R. Wood.

According to Chorlton, the anecdotes are legion about the unlucky homeowner who returns home for winter only to discover the harrowing consequences of inadequate planning.

“Maybe there’s a storm your air conditioner stops working and mold starts to grow in the house. Mold is the biggest one of all. It can cost you endless money.

“Or sometimes the pool service doesn’t show up and suddenly the water level is low and the pump breaks. You may leave food lying around or a little sugar on the floor and suddenly you’re inundated with bugs. Many, many things can happen,” he said.

Because of the possible calamities that could befall the typical Florida home, having someone monitor it can be invaluable.

“It’s a really important safeguard to make sure your property is visited frequently while you’re away,” said Carlos Rincon, personal service manager of Vineyards Services, a local homeowner service.

Agencies like Vineyards Services are for those without a neighbor or friend nearby to check in on the house regularly. For $68 a month they’ll come to the house weekly, checking that the property is properly monitored and maintained until you return.

Smart steps

Rincon recommended a number of safety measures homeowners should take before leaving town, procedures commonly practiced by his home service company.

• Make sure all windows and doors are locked, including the overhead garage door.

• Write down the make and model of all appliances in the home in case they have home maintenance or warranties on equipment.

• Remove valuable items when you leave.

• Shut off the water valve outside the house, and switch off the hot water heater to save a couple extra dollars.

• Turn the maximum temperature for the air condition up, but not off.

“We usually set the AC and humidistat and make sure the air levels stay monitored -- not a super-cool temperature, since nobody’s using it,” Rincon says.

It’s also a good idea to have lights that come on in the house at night to give it the appearance of being occupied. Collier County Crime Prevention Practitioner Dennis Huff advises the use of photo cell light fixtures that adjust automatically according light levels, rather than risking a power outage resetting lights working on timers.

Help the police

Huff advises alerting your local sheriff substation or police department to the fact that you’ll be leaving so that a deputy can drive by periodically; make sure to give your contact information should they need to reach you. Details such as the type of car officers might expect to see in the driveway when your designated caretaker is stopping into the house also help eliminate possible confusion.

Above all, Huff emphasizes vigilance among members of the community.

“Nothing’s more important than a good relationship with your neighbors,” Huff said. “Ask them to keep eye on your stuff. Then you can reciprocate one day. It’s really important that neighbors band together and watch out for each other’s things. In one incident I was involved in several years ago the suspects backed a moving van up to a house and literally took everything inside. Several neighbors saw it, but nobody called law enforcement because they didn’t know the people were gone.”

Think ‘hurricane’

In the advent of a hurricane, it’s crucial to have someone with access to the house who can put up storm shutters. Home service agencies will do this if contracted for it. Some homeowners opt to secure the storm shutters for the entire duration of their absence, but that’s a sure sign to would-be burglars that nobody’s home. Besides, it’s better to have light in the house than an environment favorable for growing mushrooms.

Gary Beaumont, president of Beaumont Electric Company Inc., advises preparing the house for electric storms by unplugging all inactive appliances and being sure to connect those still active to surge protectors. For more thorough protection Beaumont recommends a whole-house surge protector installed into the main electrical panel to guard the AC unit and other unprotected appliances.

“It’s also a good idea to check your air conditioning filter to see if it needs replacing, because you don’t want any clogging that will affect your ventilation and raise your energy bill,” said Frank Dekevich, owner of Home Watch Management of Naples.

His company offers storm preparation as one of its services to out-of-town clients. Running the dishwasher, starting the car engine for a few minutes, sorting through mail -- Dekevich’s company will do it all at the client’s behest. His rates are fixed depending on the size of the property.

The fridge question

What to do about the refrigerator? Dekevich suggests cleaning it out and moderating the temperature to keep only imperishable items rather than unplugging it and leaving the door open, although both methods are used.

Remember that in choosing a home service it’s important to check to be sure the company is licensed, insured, and bonded.

Should your alarm system go off for whatever reason, it’s most important that the sheriff be able to contact you. Huff emphasized the importance of leaving your contact information with the sheriff substation or a neighbor.

“Nothing makes us feel worse than walking away from a house we can’t secure,” he said.

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Before you go

Read this list and follow its directions. It was originally written by Judy Lawrence for the Naples Daily News in 2000, and, with few changes, still is a good checklist for winter residents.

• Turn the water off at the emergency cut-off valve outside the home.

• Unplug the computer and remove the phone jack from the wall if you have a modem.

• Leave the refrigerator on, but do not leave any food in it or in the freezer.

• Prop open the dishwasher door to prevent mold growth from residual moisture.

• Turn off the water to the washing machine and the hot water heater.

• Unplug the hot water heater or flip the circuit-breaker.

• Unplug lamps, televisions, stereos.

• Close the fireplace flue.

• Turn down the volume on the phone so it won’t ring endlessly for outsiders to hear and know you’re not home.

• Don’t move plants to group them together for easy watering. They may not adjust to their new locations.

• There is no need to unplug the stove.

• Give a trusted friend or neighbor a key and any security alarm information and a number where you can be reached.

• Don’t leave the house empty-looking. Have someone open or close the drapes occasionally and check for circulars left outside and any gardening needs.

• Put a radio on a timer to make it seem the home is still occupied.

• If you contract with a service, make sure it is licensed, bonded and insured.