Can you own a house and leave it empty?

Generally, if you plan to leave your home vacant or unoccupied for 30 days or more, you’ll want to purchase unoccupied or vacant house insurance. While terms vary by policy, most insurance companies will deny claims that are made if your home is left alone for longer than 30 days.

How long do buildings last without maintenance?

While some buildings will last for more than 50-60 years without problems, some will start developing problems after few years of construction. The designs used in concrete buildings also play a part in how long they will last.

What happens when a house is vacant for a year?

A vacant home to one is a haven to another. Critters of all varieties can turn into seasonal squatters in a home where no one is there to keep them away. Raccoons, especially, love to nest in attics where there’s lots of soft insulation to bed down.

What happens when there’s no one inside a house?

If there’s nobody living inside, windows and not-so-casually thrown objects seem to find each other with an unfortunate amount of regularity. Beyond intentional damage, storm damage is another problem. A tree branch here and a wind-blown object there, and a vacant house might sit for months before anyone even notices.

What happens when you build a home without humans?

The problem: Over time, a home without humans can become a refuge for many woodland creatures . Squirrels who have access to the roof from unpruned branches can chew access holes that they—and many of their critter counterparts—use as a revolving door. They can also chew insulation and wiring, and, as Grzelka found out, they can be hard to detect.

Why are broken windows a problem in vacant homes?

Broken windows are practically a plague on many vacant homes. If there’s nobody living inside, windows and not-so-casually thrown objects seem to find each other with an unfortunate amount of regularity. Beyond intentional damage, storm damage is another problem.