Advice for Extended trip

[oldmanAZ]

Everybody's life and situation are different...
Selling the house and being full-time RVers seems like our best option for now. Long story short:
My MIL and BIL lived here in the southwest. We followed them to the southwest to escape the midwest winters and soon after that for various reasons, our kids followed us here from the midwest. Over the last 5 years or so, my BIL and his wife moved back to the midwest, then my MIL passed, then our youngest and his family moved back to the midwest for better jobs, and this week we learned our oldest and his family will be moving to the midwest due to a career advancement opportunity.
DANG! As we get older we wanted to be closer to our kids and grand kids.

We have 'practiced' full-timing with several long duration trips - last year we 'full-timed' for 6mo and really liked it. But we did resent the on-going expenses and worry about our empty house.

Health issues are a 'roll of the dice' for all of us at almost any age. My DW and I have discussed full-timing many times. And, as far as we know, our health is fine and we are not getting any younger.

So it seems for us that it's 'now' or never.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Everybody's life and situation are different...
Selling the house and being full-time RVers seems like our best option for now. Long story short:
My MIL and BIL lived here in the southwest. We followed them to the southwest to escape the midwest winters and soon after that for various reasons, our kids followed us here from the midwest. Over the last 5 years or so, my BIL and his wife moved back to the midwest, then my MIL passed, then our youngest and his family moved back to the midwest for better jobs, and this week we learned our oldest and his family will be moving to the midwest due to a career advancement opportunity.
DANG! As we get older we wanted to be closer to our kids and grand kids.

We have 'practiced' full-timing with several long duration trips - last year we 'full-timed' for 6mo and really liked it. But we did resent the on-going expenses and worry about our empty house.

Health issues are a 'roll of the dice' for all of us at almost any age. My DW and I have discussed full-timing many times. And, as far as we know, our health is fine and we are not getting any younger.

So it seems for us that it's 'now' or never.

My gut reaction for your situation would be that if you decide to sell your house in the south west to officially full time, roll your equity in to a home in the Midwest near your kids.

I can't claim to be an expert on the subject, but I know that my parents practically lost everything when my mother fell ill and the equity from their home was in savings accounts. I'm sure that there would have been some way to shelter that money if they would have planned a little better, but being left open that way was a real mistake. Had they purchased another home with it, it would have at least been protected when my mother's care costs started to add up.

Again, that is a subject best addressed with a financial planner or attorney. But know, that at least in my parents situation, it became a real issue.

[RogerR]

No body mentioned a home security system. If you had't purchased sensors already you could have gotten water sensors from Simplisafe. In addition I have a low temp alarm in case the furnace fails to avoid freeze. Plus it includes fire and break in alarms.

I have my son as second on the list. Which really worked as he drove over 20 miles and found the sump pump had broken down. Then a year later the sump pump switch died.

$15 a month plus the cost of the system ( about $250) and it is not a long term contract. You can even put it on vacation while you are home if you want to at no charge.

The system uses cellphone connections so you don't have to leave your wifi on, which would have costed me much more per month.

If you want further info PM me and I will post more. If you can, have someone refer you and you get a month free., I would as I really like this system!

[jasum]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

#4....Just turn your water off when you leave and have your grandson turn it back on as needed. There are no worries if it is off.

X2

[Kate Camp]

re: Keep in mind that the P traps and toilets will probably dry out which may make the house smell. I poured cooking oil in ours for our 6 wk trip. Kept the water from evaporating but was a mess to clean up. Maybe there’s a better solution.


Our solution: You can cover the toilet bowl with sturdy plastic wrap and put the seat down over it. That worked well for us. Just be sure to remove before using on your return ......

[Kate Camp]

Most mail Rx companies will mail your prescriptions to a temporary address, if you have a reliable one to use along the way.

[MoBird]

Stop evaporation from P Traps by covering toilet bowl with Saran Wrap and shutting lid. Just don't forget to remove the Saran Wrap when you make that first, mad dash into the house from your long, drive home!!!

Also put stoppers in your sink drains. Has always worked for us.

[Al1]

Originally Posted by MoBird

Stop evaporation from P Traps by covering toilet bowl with Saran Wrap and shutting lid. Just don't forget to remove the Saran Wrap when you make that first, mad dash into the house from your long, drive home!!!

Also put stoppers in your sink drains. Has always worked for us.

I agree completely. However, when I went on my last 3+ month trip I added a cup of Clorox to the toilets. Seemed to work fine.

[Johnynorthland]

I know others Have said it but I’ll say it again because I think I’m allowed to, “SHUT OFF THE WATER MAIN COMING INTO YOUR HOUSE”! Two years ago I came home after an RV trip, opened the garage door and yup, the hot water heater was leaking! luckily I shut my water off so it was minimal! Just make sure to shut the Hot water heater circuit breaker first then the water main, (that’s if you have an electric hot water heater). Then do the reverse when you come home water on first then hot water heater breaker. If there’s no hot water going to the element on electric hot water heater it will burn out the element. Something that also happened to me!

Notify your alarm monitoring company if you have one.

Notify your homeowners association if you live in a community.

And I also advised you to not post any dates on social media of your comings and going‘s. You don’t want to give anybody an opportunity of breaking into an empty house!

These are all things we do when we are out on a long adventure.

Safe travels and Enjoy your trip.

[jd99336]

Thanks everyone,

After all the advice, we have decided to shut off our water and have shown our daughter and grandson how to turn it on when they visit. Lowest cost/stress option.

Our neighbor will be diligent in watching our property as we did that for several years for them when they lived elsewhere. We share a driveway, so not much goes un-noticed.

P-Traps, our daughter and grandson will cycle the toilets and run water on a weekly basis so don't anticipate that being a problem. We have a couple of sinks/tubs that don't get used except every few months and never noticed an issue with this before.

Timed lights, motion lights already installed and set up. Trying to decide on alarms and camera's but we have kind of decided.....it's all insured.

Really appreciate the advice. O

[ltnunes]

No to oil in toilet, etc. That goes directly into you water treatment facility and is not good for it. Just have your grandson flush and run water occasionally. We have started installing Nest products and love the flexibility and remote smart app control. We have the Nest thermostat and will be installing the doorbell camera next. All set up to work from my smart phone.
Also, for your trip - make sure you have cell coverage that works the best in the areas you will travel. In general, Verizon has the best coverage in North America.

[rkymntsno]

Originally Posted by RogerR

No body mentioned a home security system. If you had't purchased sensors already you could have gotten water sensors from Simplisafe. In addition I have a low temp alarm in case the furnace fails to avoid freeze. Plus it includes fire and break in alarms.

I have my son as second on the list. Which really worked as he drove over 20 miles and found the sump pump had broken down. Then a year later the sump pump switch died.

$15 a month plus the cost of the system ( about $250) and it is not a long term contract. You can even put it on vacation while you are home if you want to at no charge.

The system uses cellphone connections so you don't have to leave your wifi on, which would have costed me much more per month.

If you want further info PM me and I will post more. If you can, have someone refer you and you get a month free., I would as I really like this system!

X2. We have SimpliSafe also and love it. We have a glass breakage sensor, motion sensor and three door sensors. Everything's covered and their response when the alarm goes off is so much quicker than ADT. Manage everything from your smart phone. The system even tells you if your house loses power and when it comes back on. We like it.

[putz]

I always take anything in the pantry that bugs might get into and place the items in the ref.
Then take long lasting indoor bug spray and spray around all the base boards in the kitchen and bathrooms. Outside
I use strong bug spray on any outlet like sewer fittings.
I unplug my water softener and any elect. items that
are not needed.
I have auto pay on all my utilities.
Don't forget to stop the paper.
On my credits cards I have a permission for them to
debit my checking account if I do not pay it on time.
Keep at least one credit card in a separate place in case you misplace your wallet. You also could keep different cards in your wife's purse in case you have to
cancel all the lost cards.
It a good idea to keep some cash because some places without internet are cash only. Like a tow service.

[garyp4951]

Be sure to empty the ice maker, and turn it off.
While I was gone for two months the power went out for 4 days, and the ice melted all over the floor, and the re frozen food was thrown out when I returned.

[GHen]

We live in a small town, local police like to know when we are gone, they will drop by regularly and even check all the doors and windows.

[Gailscott]

Rv anti freeze for the toilet and Saran Wrap it to stop evaporation. Also, sign up for ‘house checks’ from your local police dept. they will come around and walk around your house... great service.
Ps don't forget to turn down the thermostat, so your furnace doesn’t run all the time.

[txauditr-ret.]

If you turn off the water then turn off the water heater also. My friends burned out their water heater by turning the water off.....water got too hot.

[twdenman]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

#4....Just turn your water off when you leave and have your grandson turn it back on as needed. There are no worries if it is off.

Turn off water.

[haweinberger]

We just came back from 3 months on the road and 10,000 miles.

We live in the Arizona desert with a septic tank. We covered the toilets with cellaphane and poured vegetable oil down all the sinks to fill the P traps.

Got home and all was good. Good luck and enjoy your trip. We did ours.

Have been on the road 6 months out of the last 9 months. Total of 14,000 miles. Have a 2017 37 rsts Jayco pinnacle, except for some minor
cosmetic issues has been great. Never back to the dealer.

[larryrebos]

shut 201off the water to your washing machine. the hoses are rubber and may burst.
have a great trip !(retired plumber)
2016 195RB
Toyota Tacoma crew cab w/ tow pkg
wife and Gracie the wonder dog