Log template
| Date and time | Air and smell | Drains and water | Moisture and leaks | Action taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First visit | Note the first impression at the door | Run each tap and flush each toilet | Check ceilings, window wells and under sinks | List what needs follow-up |
| Second visit | Compare with the first impression | Refill any traps that dried | Look for new stains or drips | Record what was fixed |
| Pre-showing visit | Run the furnace blower and smell the vents | Quick check of each drain | Humidity reading if available | Final note before listing |
Suggested rhythm
- Within the first few days
- A first visit after the unit is emptied to set a baseline.
- About once a week
- A short round to run water, check for leaks and note any change in smell.
- The day before showings
- A pre-showing visit with the heat or cooling on.
- After any storm or hard freeze
- An extra visit to check the roof line, basement and pipes.
What to carry
- A flashlight and a phone for dated photographs.
- A spare furnace filter in the right size.
- A bucket or jug for refilling drain traps.
- A humidity meter if the house has a finished basement.
- Trash bags for anything left behind.
Keeping the rounds short
The purpose of a vacancy round is early warning, not deep cleaning. Ten or fifteen minutes with a consistent routine does more than a long visit done rarely. Walk in the same direction each time, so you notice differences, and write down the smell before you start opening windows.
Pay particular attention to places where moisture can sit unnoticed: under sinks, around the water heater, behind the washer and inside the furnace closet. A small drip over a few weeks can become a musty room and a repair bill.
Over time the log becomes a useful record for each property. If the same house shows the same dry trap or damp corner at every vacancy, that points to a fix that is worth making permanent instead of repeating each turnover.
Consider keeping the log in a shared document so that anyone who visits the house can add to it. A few lines from several visitors give a better picture than one detailed entry, and they show whether a smell is changing over time.
Common questions
Is a weekly log too much work?
A short round with the same steps each time takes little effort and often catches small problems that would otherwise grow before the next showing.
General information for Aurora, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.