How do I prepare a house I am leaving empty in winter?
The insurance conditions, the heating decision, and the checks that prevent a small problem becoming a flooded house.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 1 hr
- Read
- 2 min
- Safety
- caution
Short answer
Check your insurance conditions first — most policies require specific steps after about 30 days unoccupied. Then either leave low heating on or drain the system; leaving it cold with water in the pipes is the expensive option.
An empty house in winter has one serious risk: a pipe freezes, bursts, and nobody notices for weeks. Everything below is about removing that possibility or making sure someone finds it early.
Safety
Step by step
- Read the insurance conditions first.Most policies define an unoccupancy period — often 30 days — after which conditions apply: water off, minimum temperature, regular inspection. Not meeting them can void a claim entirely.
- Decide between heating on low or draining down.For a short absence, heating at a low constant setting is simplest. For a long one, turning the water off and draining is safer and cheaper.
- If leaving the heating on, set it properly.A constant low temperature rather than timed bursts — enough to keep pipes above freezing throughout. Leave internal doors open so warmth reaches everywhere, and open loft hatch and cupboard doors near pipes.
- If turning the water off, drain the system.Stopcock off, then open all taps and flush the toilets to empty the pipes. Water left in a drained-down but unheated system still freezes.
- Arrange for someone to check it.Weekly is typical for insurance purposes. Give them the stopcock location and your contact details, and ask them to run taps and look for anything wrong.
- Clear the gutters and check outside before you go.Blocked gutters overflow onto walls all winter. Ten minutes before leaving prevents months of saturation.
- Deal with post and appearances.Redirect or have post collected — a full letterbox signals an empty house. Timer switches on a couple of lights help.
- Turn off what does not need to be on.Unplug appliances at the socket, turn off the water heater if draining down, empty and prop open the fridge if it is going off. Leave the heating and any alarm on.
Tips
- A cheap wifi temperature sensor that alerts your phone if the house drops below a threshold costs very little and gives real peace of mind.
- Tell a neighbour, and give them a key and the stopcock location. Early discovery is worth more than any preventive measure.
- If the property will be empty for months, professional draining down is worth paying for. Doing it incompletely is worse than not doing it.
Questions people ask
Should I leave the heating on in an empty house?
For short absences, a low constant temperature is simplest and prevents freezing. For long ones, turning the water off and draining down is safer and cheaper.
Does insurance cover an empty house?
Usually with conditions after a defined period, often 30 days — water off, minimum temperature, regular inspection. Check your policy, because not meeting them can void a claim.