Leaving a home empty? Don’t leave it to memory.
Away mode is a free, private checklist for second homes, vacation homes, rentals between tenants and any house you won’t be in for a while. Turn it on for a home and you get a plan for leaving, a plan for coming back, and a simple log of every check-in.
What you get
- An away switch for each home. Add the date you’re leaving and, if you know it, the date you’re back. Estodia shows how long the home has been empty and how long is left.
- A leave checklist. Water shutoff, draining the lines, the water heater, thermostat setting, appliances, mail, locks and outside tasks, with a short note on why each one matters.
- A return checklist. A safe order for coming back: check the outside, restore the water slowly, refill the water heater, bring the heat up and test the alarms.
- An insurance reminder. A nudge to call your insurer about vacancy before you go, and a spot to keep what they told you.
- A check-in log. A dated note each time you or someone you trust looks in: who, what the temperature was, whether everything looked fine.
Your privacy comes first
🔒 Your away dates and notes are private to you. They’re never shared with pros, never added to a quote request, and never emailed to anyone. Your phone number and email are never shared with pros, and your street address goes only to the pro you choose, when you book.
A home with a known empty stretch is something you should be careful about sharing, so Away mode keeps that information in your account and nowhere else. There’s no public page for your home, no map and no tracking.
How it works
- Add your home to a free Estodia account (it takes a minute).
- Open the home and choose Away mode. Enter your dates.
- Work through the leave checklist and tick items off as you go.
- Log check-ins while you’re gone.
- Use the return checklist when you get back, then turn Away mode off. The trip is saved in your history.
What Away mode isn’t
It isn’t a camera, an alarm or a monitoring service, and it doesn’t contact anyone on your behalf. It’s a clear plan and a record that you keep yourself. If you want a pro for any step, such as draining plumbing, servicing a furnace or clearing gutters, you can request free quotes from local pros in the same account, without sharing your phone number or email.
Related guides
- How to winterize a vacant house or second home
- How to prevent frozen pipes
- Water heater maintenance checklist
- Home maintenance checklist for any U.S. home
Quick answers
What is Away mode?
Away mode is a free tool inside your Estodia account. Turn it on for any home you’re leaving empty and you get a leave checklist, a return checklist, an insurance reminder and a check-in log for that home.
Does Away mode cost anything?
No. Away mode is free for homeowners, with no card needed. You only pay for work you choose to book through Estodia, and you never have to book anything.
Who can see my away dates?
Only you. Away dates, checklist progress, insurance notes and check-in notes stay in your account. They are never shared with pros, never added to a quote request, and never emailed to anyone. Your phone number and email are never shared with pros either.
Does Away mode watch my house?
No. There are no cameras, sensors or tracking. Away mode is a set of checklists and a log you fill in yourself. If someone checks on the home for you, they can tell you what they saw and you add it to the log.
Why does Away mode remind me about my insurance?
Many homeowners policies limit or exclude coverage once a home has been empty for a stretch, often 30 to 60 days in a row. Policies differ, so Estodia just reminds you to call your insurer or agent before you leave and gives you a place to write down what they said. It’s not insurance advice, and Estodia doesn’t contact your insurer.
Is it only for winter?
No. The leave and return checklists work any time of year. The water, heat and security steps matter most before freezing weather, but a home left empty in summer still benefits from a shutoff, a thermostat setting and someone checking in.
Do I need to buy any sensors or devices?
No. Away mode works with nothing but your account. Some owners add leak sensors or a low-temperature alarm on their own, and the checklist mentions them as an option, not a requirement.