How can a landlord monitor a vacant rental for frozen pipes?
Leave the heat on at 55°F or higher, put an internet-connected temperature sensor near the plumbing in each vacant unit, and route alerts to the person who can get there fastest, not just to you. Add an alert for when a sensor stops reporting, since a vacant unit with the power or internet shut off is exactly the one that freezes.
Between tenants is the risky window
Nobody is there to notice a furnace that quit, and utilities are often being switched between accounts. Confirm heat and power stay on in your name before the tenant's service ends.
If the unit will sit empty all winter, shutting off and draining the water removes most of the risk.
What to install
One sensor near the most exposed plumbing (often a kitchen or bath on an exterior wall, or the basement) and a leak contact by the water heater. The unit needs a working internet connection, or a cellular sensor if it has none.
Alert at 38–40°F so there is time to send someone, and turn on forecast warnings so you can check the building the day before a hard freeze.
Managing several properties
Keep each property separate so an alert names the address, and give your maintenance contact their own alerts. A record of readings and alerts is also useful evidence for an insurance claim if something does go wrong.
ProbeHarbor's property management page describes how it handles multiple properties.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should a vacant rental be kept at?
No lower than 55°F while the water is on, following the American Red Cross recommendation for a home nobody is in.
Can tenants be asked to help?
In occupied units, yes: ask tenants to keep the heat on when they travel and to report a furnace problem right away. Monitoring covers the cases where nobody is home to notice.
Related
- ProbeHarbor for landlords and property managers
- Claims evidence pack
- What temperature should I leave my house at in winter when I am away?
Sources
Get a freeze alert for your space
ProbeHarbor watches probes in garages, crawlspaces, and cabins and alerts you before pipes freeze. The free plan includes email alerts; bring an ESP32 probe or connect Home Assistant.