Closing up and opening up a seasonal desert home: the snowbird checklist

Quick answer

Don't turn the AC off when you leave for the summer: valley highs run 104 to 120°F, and a sealed house gets hotter than that inside, which is hard on electronics, adhesives and cabinet finishes. Many owners set a smart thermostat in the mid-80s and watch it remotely, and shut off the main water supply so a failed supply line can't run for months.

Who to call: Coachella Valley Remodeling connects you with our licensed partner contractor, who visits and gives you a written price. Free to you. Get help with my property or call (760) 766-2218.

Updated November 6, 2026 · Typical published ranges, not a quote.

More than a quarter of the homes in Palm Desert, Palm Springs, La Quinta and Rancho Mirage sit empty for part of the year, by the Census count of seasonal and occasional-use units: about 9,988 in Palm Desert, 9,975 in Palm Springs, 6,852 in La Quinta and 5,245 in Rancho Mirage (ACS 2020–2024 via Census Reporter). Indian Wells is closer to 44%.

If yours is one of them, the summer is the hard part. Daytime highs run 104 to 120°F, summer nights stay in the 70s and 80s (Wikipedia, Coachella Valley), monsoon storms arrive with little warning, and nobody notices a dead AC or a slow drip until you're back. This checklist is what owners and the pros who look after their homes actually work through.

The close-up checklist (April–May)

Do this in the last two weeks before you leave. Some of it you can do yourself; the items marked (pro) are worth booking a licensed contractor for.

Cooling and power

• Set the thermostat, don't switch it off. A closed desert house without cooling gets hot enough to warp finishes, cook electronics and stress adhesives. Many owners settle on the mid-80s with a smart thermostat they can watch from home; ask your HVAC contractor what suits your system and what's in the house.
• AC service before the heat (pro). Have the system checked in spring: refrigerant charge, condensate drain clear, capacitor and contactor, condenser coil rinsed of dust. A clogged condensate line is a classic cause of a ceiling stain found in October. See swamp cooler vs AC maintenance.
• New filter. Put a fresh one in on the way out and write the size on the return grille.
• Swamp cooler, if you have one. Drain and dry it if it won't run while you're gone, and close the damper or cover so it doesn't leak hot air into the house.
• Unplug what doesn't need power. Leave the fridge, AC, security, Wi-Fi and any leak sensors on.

Water

• Shut the main, or the house supply. A supply line that fails in June can run until October. If irrigation, the pool auto-fill or a softener shares the line, sort that out first.
• Water heater to vacation mode, or off at the breaker or gas valve per the maker's instructions.
• Look under every sink with a flashlight. Desert Water Agency groundwater, which serves most of Palm Springs, averaged about 14 grains per gallon of hardness in its 2025 report. Crusty angle stops and braided supply lines with white deposits are the ones that let go. Replacing them is a small job before you leave and a big claim after.
• Toilets. Some owners cover bowls with plastic wrap to slow evaporation and keep sewer gas and insects out.
• Dishwasher and washer. Leave the doors cracked to dry. Turn off the washer supply valves.
• Ice maker off, bin emptied.
• Leak sensors under the water heater, sinks, fridge and washer, connected to your phone. They cost little and turn a disaster into a phone call.

Kitchen and pantry

• Empty the fridge of anything that can spoil in a power outage, or empty it entirely and prop the door open if you're turning it off.
• Clear the pantry of anything that attracts rodents or ants. Pack the rest in sealed bins.
• Run the disposal with water, then leave it dry.

Doors, windows and the outside

• Lock and pin sliders. Clean the tracks so they're not packed with sand when you return.
• Close blinds on west and south windows. UV fades floors, furniture and cabinet faces in a single summer.
• Check roof drains and scuppers on flat roofs. Many valley mid-century and condo roofs are flat. One blocked drain in a monsoon storm puts water through the ceiling. Hurricane Hilary dropped 3.18 inches on Palm Springs in August 2023, about 69% of a normal year (Wikipedia).
• Bring in or tie down patio furniture, umbrellas and anything the wind can throw, especially on the windy west end toward Desert Hot Springs.
• Irrigation. Set the controller for summer, not for spring, and give your landscaper the shut-off location.

Pool and spa

• Keep the pool service running all summer; a pool left alone turns green fast in the heat.
• Confirm the auto-fill works and isn't leaking. A stuck fill valve is one of the more common surprise water bills.

Pests

• Desert subterranean termites swarm July through September (UC IPM Pest Note 7415). If you've seen mud tubes or soft baseboards, have a pest inspection before you go.
• Seal gaps at garage door seals and under doors. Scorpions, rodents and roof rats all look for a cool, quiet house.

Paperwork and access

• Tell your insurer how long the house will be empty and read the vacancy wording in the policy. Many policies have conditions for unoccupied homes.
• Tell your HOA you're leaving, and confirm who's on your gate list for the summer. Many clubs require a contractor's insurance certificate on file before the guard will let them in.
• Leave a key plan in writing: who has a key or code, who can let a contractor in, and who you call if something goes wrong.
• Leave a one-page house sheet: water main, gas shut-off, breaker panel, AC filter size, alarm company, pool service, landscaper, and your contact preferences.

While you're away (June–September)

Someone should walk the house regularly. Every week or two is common, and always after a big storm or a long power outage. A useful check takes 20 minutes:

In the complaints we reviewed from absentee and rental owners, the costliest stories were problems nobody reported: a guest who mentioned a leak to a manager who never told anyone, cabinet damage found months later. So the rule for anyone checking your house is the same rule we hold contractors to: report the same day, with photos.

If you want repairs done while you're gone, summer is the easiest time in the valley to get on a contractor's schedule. The second-home services page covers how to run work from a distance, and remodeling while you're away covers bigger projects.

• Daily photo updates

  “I flew in three times and nothing was done.” · Top fear of absentee owners

  Our standard: See your project every day it's being worked on, without flying in.

  Our partner agreement requires end-of-day photo updates on every work day for absentee owners, through a shared project thread, plus a weekly summary of what was done, what's next and any decisions needed.

• Problems reported the same day

  “Nobody told me about the leak for weeks.” · 45% of absentee-owner complaints involve oversight

  Our standard: If our partner contractor finds a problem at your home, you hear about it the same day, with photos.

  Our partner agreement requires any damage, leak or surprise condition to be reported to you and to us the same day, with photos and a recommendation. Nothing is hidden until your next visit.

• Proof before payment

  “I was billed for work that was never done.” · 45% of absentee-owner complaints involve billing

  Our standard: Every invoice comes with before and after photos of the work.

  Our partner agreement requires dated before and after photos with every invoice line. You pay only for work you can see was done.

• Keys and access handled safely

  “A stranger had my lockbox code and things went missing.” · 20% of absentee-owner complaints involve theft or conduct

  Our standard: You'll know exactly who enters your home, and when.

  Our partner agreement requires named workers only, agreed access hours, lockbox or smart-lock codes changed after the job, and no subcontractors you haven't been told about.

• Scheduled around your rental calendar

  “A no-show cost me three nights of bookings.” · Recurring among STR hosts

  Our standard: Work is scheduled around your blocked rental dates, and turnover deadlines go in the scope.

  We collect your blocked dates at intake. Our partner agreement requires start and finish dates that fit them, with day-before confirmations.

• Built for a closed-up summer house

  “The cabinet finish cracked while we were away.” · Recurring in second-home complaints

  Our standard: We'll steer you to materials that hold up in a hot, closed-up desert home.

  Our partner contractor discusses heat tolerance for cabinet finishes, adhesives and stone sealers, and documents care instructions for homes left closed in summer.

• One local point of contact

  “My manager farmed repairs out to random apps.” · Recurring in STR-manager complaints

  Our standard: One local contractor and one person at our office, not an answering service.

  Your project has a named local contact at the contractor and at our office. We don't pass your job on to gig apps.

• Pay as work is verified

  “I paid nearly the full price on a job that wasn't finished.” · Recurring in absentee kitchen complaints

  Our standard: Payments follow completed, photographed milestones, never ahead of the work.

  California caps down payments at 10% or $1,000, whichever is less. Progress payments follow milestones you can verify by photo, and the final payment follows a walkthrough, in person or by video.

From about 1,600 public complaints (BBB, Yelp, CSLB) about kitchen and cabinet work that we read in 2026. How we counted

The open-up checklist (October–November)

Book this in spring. October to December is when seasonal owners return, and handyman and HVAC schedules fill quickly.

First hour

1. Walk the house before you unpack. Look up at ceilings, down at floors, and under every sink.
2. Turn on the water main slowly and listen. Then check under sinks, behind toilets and at the water heater for drips.
3. Run every faucet and shower for a minute, hot and cold, to flush stale water and clear air. Expect some sputtering. Clean or replace aerators that are crusted with scale.
4. Flush every toilet and watch the fill valve shut off. A valve that runs on is common after a dry summer.
5. Water heater back on. Check the pressure-relief line for drips once it's hot.

First day

• AC and air quality. Replace the filter. If the house smells musty, have the condensate drain and coil checked.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Replace batteries; replace alarms past their date.
• Run the dishwasher and washer empty on a short cycle and check for leaks.
• Fridge and ice maker. Run the ice maker for a day and throw out the first batches.
• Sliders and locks. Clean the tracks, lubricate rollers, test every lock.
• Garage door. Run it a few times; the opener's safety reverse should still work.
• Pool and spa. Confirm the heater fires before you need it.

First week: the repair list

Most returning owners find a short list: a stuck slider, a dripping cartridge, a stucco crack, a toilet that won't stop running, a light fixture that died, cabinet doors that sag. That list is the best time to get a handyman visit priced as one bundle rather than six separate calls. See honey-do list pricing for how to write it up so the price holds.

Who should do what

California's rule is simple: a job of $1,000 or more in labor and materials, or one that needs any permit, needs a licensed contractor. Our guide to what a handyman can legally do covers it in full.

Paying for work when you're not here

• Approve the price before work starts, in writing. A text is fine for small items.
• Pay on completion with photos for small jobs. For larger work, California caps the down payment at 10% of the price or $1,000, whichever is less, and later payments shouldn't run ahead of work done.
• Ask for before-and-after photos of each task, not one photo of the house.
• Never pay to personal Zelle or cash for someone you haven't verified at cslb.ca.gov.

By city

The seasonal-home rhythm is the same across the valley, but HOA access rules, water and storm exposure differ:

• Palm Desert second-home services
• Palm Springs second-home services
• Rancho Mirage second-home services
• La Quinta second-home services
• Indian Wells second-home services
• Sky Valley second-home services

Common questions

What temperature should I leave my AC at for the summer?

Don't turn it off. Valley summer highs run 104 to 120°F, and a sealed house gets hotter than that inside, which is hard on electronics, wine, art, adhesives and cabinet finishes. Many owners set a smart thermostat somewhere in the mid-80s and watch it remotely; ask your HVAC contractor what suits your system and contents.

Should I turn the water off when I leave for the summer?

Most owners shut off the main, or at least the supply to the house, so a failed supply line can't run for months. If you have irrigation, a pool auto-fill or a water softener on the same line, plan around them with your landscaper or pool service before you close the valve.

How often should someone check on an empty house in the desert?

There's no legal rule, but many insurers expect regular checks on a vacant home, so read your policy's vacancy wording. A walkthrough every week or two in summer, plus after every big storm or power outage, catches a dead AC or a leak before it becomes a claim.

When should I book open-up help for the fall?

In spring, before you leave. October to December is when seasonal owners return and handyman and HVAC calendars fill up fast. Booking early also lets the contractor schedule summer repairs while the house is empty.

Can a contractor handle repairs while I'm away?

Yes, with the right setup: a written key and gate-access plan, before-and-after photos on every task, prices approved by you before work starts, and invoices only with photo proof. Our partner contractor agrees to all of that in writing.

Are you a home watch or property management company?

No. Coachella Valley Remodeling connects you, free, with our one licensed partner contractor for open-up, close-up and repair work that fits its license, and you hire and pay the contractor directly.

Last reviewed November 6, 2026. Prices and rules change; confirm details with your contractor and your city or county building department.