I had checked the flight three times and the heating plan not at all. The night before we left, my sister asked what she should do if the house felt cold when she came to water the plants. I had no answer beyond 'call me'.
I put the suitcase down and wrote a proper note. It included the normal thermostat mode, the agreed away setting, the service contact and where our equipment instructions were kept.
Use a plan that suits the house
NRCan's guidance on operating a home makes clear that thermostat operation depends on the heating system. Heat-pump setbacks and recovery need particular care. A temperature copied from a travel forum cannot account for pipes in cold areas, the house's heat loss or the equipment's controls.
I checked the equipment advice and our home-insurance requirements before settling on a setting and visit schedule. An insurer may have specific conditions for winter absences; I wanted those in writing, not inferred from a neighbour's policy.
A notification needs a person who can act
Remote access was useful, but it depended on power, connectivity and someone noticing a message. We agreed who could visit, who had a key and what they should do if heating failed. My sister would not be opening panels or repeatedly resetting equipment.
We also made sure she knew to leave and call emergency services from outside for a gas smell or CO alarm. The ordinary no-heat plan did not replace that emergency response.
I tested that she could find the note and contact details before we left. The plants were still on the list, but the heating had moved above them. I checked the flight one final time on the way to the airport, mostly out of habit.
