The most expensive home disasters tend to happen while you're 200 miles away on a beach and nobody is around to catch them for a week.

A washing-machine hose that lets go, a summer thunderstorm that knocks out the power and floods the basement, a refrigerator that dies with a full freezer: none of these is dramatic on its own. Left unattended for days, any of them can turn a $20 part into a $20,000 claim.

Run through this checklist before you leave for that summer trip. It takes an afternoon, and it's the cheapest insurance you'll ever buy.

1. Stop water damage before it starts (the #1 priority)

Water is the single most common and most destructive thing that goes wrong in an empty house. A supply line to a washing machine, dishwasher, or toilet can fail silently and run for days.

The gold standard is to shut off the main water valve before you leave. With no water pressure in the house, nothing can flood. Know where your main shutoff is (usually in the basement near the street-side wall) and label it. I'd do this for every trip, even a short one.

If you can't shut off the main (someone's watering plants, the ice maker needs it), at minimum:

Turn off the valves behind the washing machine. Burst washer hoses are a leading cause of home water claims.
Shut the supply valves under sinks and toilets you don't need.
Consider a smart water-leak sensor near the water heater, near the washer, and under sinks. It's a $20–$40 device that texts you the moment it detects moisture.

2. Manage NJ's summer humidity (keep the AC running)

It's tempting to shut the air conditioning off to save money. I wouldn't. New Jersey summers are humid, and a closed-up house with no climate control becomes a greenhouse for mold and mildew, especially in basements.

Set the thermostat up instead of turning it off. Around 78–80°F keeps humidity in check without running the system hard.
With a smart thermostat, you can monitor and adjust it from your phone.
A basement dehumidifier (draining to a floor drain or sump) is cheap insurance against coming home to a musty, moldy basement.

3. Prep for summer storms and power outages

August brings NJ's afternoon thunderstorms and the occasional tropical system, and an empty house plus a power outage is exactly when basements flood.

Test your sump pump before you go. Pour water into the pit and confirm it kicks on and discharges away from the house.
Consider a battery backup sump pump if you're prone to outages or on a well.
Unplug electronics and sensitive devices (TVs, computers) to protect them from power surges.
Clear the gutters and confirm the downspouts drain away from the foundation, so a downpour doesn't pool against the house.

4. Make the house look lived-in

A house that looks empty is a target, so the goal is to make it look like someone is home.

Put a few interior lights on timers or smart plugs. Vary the timing instead of leaving one lamp on 24/7.
Stop mail and packages (a USPS hold, and pause Amazon and other deliveries). A pile on the porch is the clearest "we're away" signal there is.
Arrange for the lawn to be mowed if you'll be gone more than a week. An overgrown lawn broadcasts that nobody's home.
Don't announce the trip on social media until you're back. Vacation photos are fun, but a public "we're in Aruba all week!" is an invitation.

5. Lock up and arm the alarm

Lock everything: doors, windows, the garage service door (a surprisingly common weak point), and the door from the garage into the house.
Arm your alarm and confirm the monitoring contact info is current.
Point a camera or two at the entries. A video doorbell plus one interior camera lets you check in from anywhere.
Move spare keys from under the mat to a lockbox or a trusted neighbor.

6. Handle the kitchen

Toss or cook down perishables. Nobody wants to open the fridge to a science experiment.
Take out all the trash. A week-old bag in August is a smell (and pest) problem.
If you'll be gone a long time, consider setting the fridge slightly warmer. For extended absences, empty and unplug it, and prop the doors open to prevent mold.

7. Ask a person to check in

Sensors and cameras help, but a trusted neighbor, friend, or family member with a key is the best safeguard there is. Ask them to:

Do a quick walk-through every few days
Bring in anything that lands on the porch
Know how to shut off your water and where the electrical panel is, just in case

Leave them your contact info, your plumber's number, and your alarm code.

A note for landlords and house hackers

If you own a two- to four-family and rent out units, give your tenants a heads-up before you travel. Make sure they know who to call in an emergency while you're away (a trusted contractor, a property manager, or a neighbor). A tenant staring at a leak with no way to reach you is how a small problem becomes a big one.

A note for shore and second-home owners

If you own a place down the shore in Monmouth or Ocean county that sits empty during the week, everything above matters twice as much, especially the water shutoff and humidity control. A home that's unattended most of the time needs a reliable local set of eyes and, ideally, remote water-leak and temperature sensors you can monitor from home.

Selling while you're away?

If your home is on the market while you travel, coordinate with your agent on showing access and how offers get handled so you don't miss a buyer. A lockbox, clear showing instructions, and a responsive agent keep the sale moving while you're gone.

The short list

Shut off the water, keep the humidity under control, make the house look occupied, and give one trusted person a key. Do that, and the only thing waiting for you when you get home is your own bed.

Get in touch if you're buying, selling, or just want a second set of eyes on your NJ home. I'm always happy to help, even between trips.

Leaving for Vacation? A NJ Homeowner's Before-You-Go Checklist