How to Protect Your Vacant Home

September 25, 2026
Moving Tips
Billy Cole

A vacant home can invite trouble, especially if you still own it. Maybe you bought a new home and moved in, but your old home hasn’t sold. Or maybe you’re leaving for a long summer trip.

Even a one-week trip is reason to guard your home while you’re gone. An empty house can draw burglars. It can also suffer damage from trespassers, fire, and leaks no one sees.

Facing a residential move or an extended vacation? Follow these steps to protect your vacant home, no matter how long you’ll be gone.

The short answer: make the house look lived in, keep its systems stable, and confirm your insurance still covers it. Most Texas insurers stop coverage once a home sits vacant for 60 days, so plan before you leave.

Vacant vs. Unoccupied Home: What Your Insurer Means

Insurers use these two words in different ways. The difference affects your coverage.

Unoccupied: your furniture is still inside, and you plan to come back. A vacation or a seasonal second home usually fits here.
Vacant: no one lives there, and most of your belongings are gone. This is the typical state of a house after moving day while it waits to sell.

Chubb calls a home vacant when only built-in appliances and fixtures remain and no one has lived there for over 30 days. Vacancy clauses target that second group. If your move leaves the house empty, this guide is for you.

How to Protect a Vacant House in 9 Steps

1. Use an Alarm

Arming your security system while you’re away makes good sense. First, many Texas insurers offer a discount for a monitored burglar or fire alarm, says the Texas Department of Insurance. Second, you get peace of mind knowing someone watches the house when you can’t.

Many alarm systems link to monitoring companies that call fire and police when the alarm trips. That means a faster response if something goes wrong. You get a phone alert right away, too. A system with video lets you see who’s on your property.

Keep the power and internet on while the house sits empty. Cameras, sensors, and smart locks need both.

2. Use a Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat lets you set your home’s temperature from your phone, no matter how far away you are. It also saves money. ENERGY STAR says its certified smart thermostats cut heating and cooling bills by about 8%. That’s roughly $50 a year.

For an empty house, the goal shifts from comfort to protection:

Winter: keep the heat at 55°F or higher so pipes don’t freeze.
Summer: set the AC warmer, but don’t turn it off. The AC pulls moisture out of the air. The EPA advises keeping indoor humidity below 60% to limit mold growth.

Many smart thermostats send an alert when the temperature or humidity drifts too far. Turn those alerts on before you leave.

3. Install Exterior Lighting

Exterior lights on timers can scare off thieves and intruders. Trim the bushes around the front of the house to give burglars one less place to hide. Place remote-control lights on your front post, above your door, on detached garages and even on sheds. Lights at night show the neighborhood that someone’s home, even when no one is.

Put a few indoor lamps on timers, too. Set them to switch on and off at different times each night. Motion-sensor lights near doors and the driveway help as well.

4. Get Updates from a Neighbor

Having someone you trust check on your house often gives you peace of mind. It also makes the house look lived in. Your neighbor picks up the paper and mail and turns lights on and off.

Plus, that friend can alert you if an emergency comes up, such as a burst pipe or broken window.

Ask your neighbor to park a car in your driveway now and then. Give them your cell number and a spare key, and let your local police know the house will sit empty.

5. Prep Your Home

Make the necessary preparations to your home before you leave, such as replacing worn or broken locks. Keep blinds semi-open, enough to let natural light in yet closed enough for privacy from prying eyes.

Before you lock up for the last time:

Install deadbolts on every exterior door and lock all windows, gates, and garage doors.
Seal pet doors so animals and intruders can’t get in.
Remove any spare keys hidden outside.
Unplug electronics and small appliances.
Set the water heater to vacation mode or its lowest setting.
Hold off on posting about your move on social media until the house sells.

6. Shut Off the Water and Protect Your Pipes

One leak in an empty house can run for weeks before anyone notices. North Texas also gets hard freezes. The February 2021 winter storm burst pipes in homes across Dallas-Fort Worth.

Turn off the main water valve before you leave.
If a freeze is in the forecast, drain the lines by opening the faucets after you shut off the main. A plumber can also winterize the house for you.
Place smart leak sensors near the water heater, washing machine, and sinks.
Keep the heat at 55°F or higher even with the water off.

7. Stop the Mail and Deliveries

A stuffed mailbox tells everyone that no one’s home. USPS Hold Mail keeps your mail at the post office for 3 to 30 days. For a longer stretch, forward your mail to your new address.

Cancel paper and subscription box deliveries. Ask your neighbor to grab flyers and packages left at the door.

8. Keep Up the Yard and Exterior

Tall grass is one of the clearest signs of an empty house. In Dallas, grass or weeds over 12 inches high break city code. The city can issue a citation or bill you for its mowing service, according to Dallas Code Compliance.

Hire a lawn service to mow on a set schedule. Have someone clean the gutters and point downspouts away from the foundation.

9. Call Your Insurance Agent Before You Move Out

This step guards against the most costly surprise. The Texas Department of Insurance says most companies stop coverage when a house is vacant for 60 days or more. Liability coverage usually continues. A company may also refuse to renew your policy for that reason.

Ask your agent three questions before moving day:

When does my policy’s vacancy clause start?
Which losses, such as vandalism, stop being covered during vacancy?
Can I add a vacancy endorsement or buy a vacant dwelling policy?

Get the answers in writing.

What to Do If Squatters Move Into Your Vacant Home

Don’t confront the person. Call the police and take photos from a safe distance.

Texas added a faster removal process under Senate Bill 1333, effective September 1, 2025. It lets a homeowner file a sworn complaint asking the county sheriff to remove a person living there without consent.

It only applies if the person is not a current or former tenant or a family member. You must also have told them to leave. Keep your deed and photo ID where you can reach them. For your specific case, talk to a Texas real estate attorney.

Vacant Home FAQs for Texas Owners

How long can a house sit vacant in Texas?

No state law sets a limit. Your insurance policy does. Most Texas insurers stop coverage after 60 days of vacancy, so call your agent before you reach that point.

Can I leave my house empty for 3 months?

Yes, if you prepare it and carry the right coverage. Past 60 days, you’ll likely need a vacancy endorsement or a vacant dwelling policy. Arrange regular visits from a neighbor or property manager for the full stretch.

How do I make a vacant house look occupied?

Use timers on interior and exterior lights, and keep the lawn mowed. Stop the mail, leave blinds semi-open, and ask a neighbor to park in the driveway.

Shorten the Time Your Home Sits Empty

The fewer days a house sits empty, the less can go wrong. A tight move plan is one of the easiest ways to shrink that window.

Map out each week with our moving timeline checklist.
Book movers early so the old house empties in one day.
Moving outside the metro? Compare local and long-distance moving options, or read our cross-country moving guide.
Once the house is empty, line up cleaning services after the movers leave so it’s ready to list.

Contact Around the Clock Moving and Storage in Mesquite and Dallas

Choose residential movers that can get you in and out fast. Our Dallas movers and Mesquite moving company crews handle homes across the metro. Stuck with a gap between your old home and your new one? We can store your things, too.