Suggestions for Lake Ashton Residents Leaving for the Summer or Vacation

 Leave contact information & a house key with a trusted friend or neighbor.
 If you want copies of the LA Times magazine mailed to your summer address, please pay the $6-$10 monthly fee online or at the Clubhouse Activities Office. The magazine is also sent out via email blast.
 Arrange mail forwarding with the Postal Service.
 Cancel or suspend newspaper delivery.
 Check with telephone service about vacation service, but beware: if the phone is placed “on vacation” the alarm may work locally but may not dial the monitoring service who call the police.
 Unplug your answering machine if it will not be in use.
 Arrange for pool/spa care as needed; never drain water from pool or spa.
 Arrange for lawn care & yard maintenance.
 Arrange for a house-sitting service.
 Lock all doors & windows; set alarm.
 Disconnect electric garage door opener to prevent burglars from entering.
 Lock the electronic garage door for additional security.
 Consider disconnecting battery cables to vehicles including golf carts.
 Set air conditioners/thermostats at 80º to prevent mold growth & humidistat should be at 40% - 52% relative humidity.
 Open all interior doors, including closet doors, to promote airflow.
 Turn off water to house or disconnect valves to ice maker, dishwasher, toilets, washing machine, etc.
 Leave water for outside lawn sprinklers on.
 Clean toilets & add a cup of bleach to bowl, raise the seat & cover bowl with plastic wrap.
 Close drains in showers & tubs to prevent pests from coming inside.

 Leave washing machine & dishwasher lid open to prevent mildew.
 Unplug & empty refrigerator, freezer, & microwave & drape a towel over the doors to circulate fresh air. Place a new box of open baking soda in each appliance.
 Dispose of or donate perishable foods.
 Place dry food goods in airtight plastic boxes. Beware: sealed plastic bags are not strong enough to deter ants. Ants can get into unopened sealed factory bags that contain brown sugar, candy, cereal, etc. Ants can also nest around appliances.
 Empty all trash cans, waste baskets, & garbage disposal.
 Secure patio & porch furniture indoors to prevent damage in case of high winds.
 Turn off circuit breakers not needed for AC, sprinklers, ADT & other security lights.
 Turn off breaker for water heater.
 Unplug television, radios & cable cords.
Consider removing clock & radio batteries.
 Check with your insurance company about policy for specific “away” requirements. Some policies may be void if the property is unoccupied or unattended for extended periods of time.
 Inform your bank you’ll be making your withdrawals from a different location. If you don’t do this, your bank may automatically block your accounts after a few days because of “irregular behavior.” You should also inform your bank when you’re back home again.
 Double check your baggage for often forgotten items like eyeglasses, Driver’s License (check expiration date), medications (check refill dates), extra book of checks & extra keys, phone numbers for your house caretaker, Lake Ashton offices phone numbers (first page of your L.A. Times), and pet supplies including medical and vaccination records.

This checklist has been prepared using a compilation of many resources. Please bring written suggestions, updates,
and corrections to the Clubhouse Office. Thank you!