Closing a Surprise House for the Summer

A Surprise owner leaving for the summer can line up four city and utility steps: a police Vacation Watch, a trash service suspension, an away setting on the thermostat and water heater, and a leak alert on the water account.

Each step has its own lead time. The Surprise Police Department asks for Vacation Watch requests seven days before departure (Surprise Police, Vacation Watch), the city's trash suspension runs for at least four months (City of Surprise, Start / Stop Utilities), and Arizona Public Service publishes its own list of settings for a home left empty in summer (APS, Energy Saving Tips). City water customers can also set leak alerts in the WaterSmart portal (City of Surprise, Drought Resiliency).

Last verified: October 19, 2026, against the Surprise Vacation Watch and Start / Stop Utilities pages, the APS vacation tips and the Maricopa County Treasurer's 2026 tax calendar, all reread for this summer closing checklist.

Surprise Police offers Vacation Watch to Surprise residents who will be away for at least two weeks, and the request goes in by phone at 623.222.4277 or through an online form seven days before departure (Surprise Police Department).

The checks are made by Citizen Patrol volunteers, and the department notes that the program is not staffed full time, so a caller who reaches no one should leave a name and phone number for a return call or email the Citizen Patrol. At the time of the request, the department records departure and return dates and contact details on a Vacation Watch form; once the request is approved, volunteers check the home on a recurring basis to make sure it is secure (Surprise Police, Vacation Watch).

The main police line listed on the same page is 623.222.4000, with TTY at 623.222.4004 and 911 for emergencies, and the department's address is 14250 W Statler Plz. 103 (Surprise Police).

Yes for trash: a residential City of Surprise customer can ask for a temporary suspension of sanitation service, with a minimum length of four months (City of Surprise, Start / Stop Utilities).

On the suspension start date the city removes the trash containers, and the city warns that containers left inaccessible for pickup may change the suspension period. The city returns the cleaned containers by the requested date and billing resumes automatically. A suspension longer than 12 months needs approval from the Utility Billing Manager or a designee and carries an additional suspension fee (City of Surprise).

Start and stop requests go through the city's online utility services form or customer service at 623.222.1900, and a customer ending service must notify the city at least one business day before the termination date. City utility bills are issued monthly and due 20 days from the bill date (City of Surprise). Not every Surprise address gets water, sewer and trash from the city, so the city points residents to its online address lookup to find the provider first (City of Surprise, Utility Billing and Rates).

For owners who prefer to settle the year in advance, a prepayment option lets residential-only customers pay ahead for wastewater and sanitation services with a 5 percent discount when the prepay charges are paid on time (City of Surprise, Utility Billing and Rates); stormwater is excluded from the discount, and enrollment must be made before December 31 to be eligible for January billing (City of Surprise, Start / Stop Utilities).

Arizona Public Service says that for a summer absence longer than a day, a household can save by setting the thermostat as high as 85 degrees, then start cooling again before returning and during off-peak hours (APS, Energy Saving Tips).

The same APS vacation list adds several steps for a closed house: set the refrigerator and freezer slightly warmer, and fill extra space with jugs of water because a full unit runs more efficiently; turn the water heater off at the circuit breaker, and before turning it back on, make sure the tank is full by running the hot water tap; unplug the television, which draws power even when off; and turn off all lights except those needed for security, adding a timer or solar lights outside (Arizona Public Service).

For comparison, the 1991 to 2020 normal daily high at the Youngtown cooperative station is 102.2 degrees in June, 104.9 in July, 103.6 in August and 98.4 in September, and the normal low stays at 79.7 degrees in July (NOAA ACIS, Youngtown 1991 to 2020 normals).

For pools and spas, APS suggests turning off the pool heater when the pool will not be used for a long time, and covering and turning off a spa that will sit unused (APS). The City of Surprise outage contact list names Arizona Public Service Co. (Electric) at 602-371-7171 (City of Surprise, Monsoon Safety).

City of Surprise water utility customers can track their water use and set leak alerts through the WaterSmart portal, reached through the online bill payment option on the city's utilities page (City of Surprise, Drought Resiliency).

The city's drought page also notes that private water companies operate in Surprise alongside the city utility, and it describes WaterSmart as a tool for City of Surprise water utility customers (City of Surprise). The City of Surprise outage contact list names EPCOR (Water) at 800-383-0834 (City of Surprise, Monsoon Safety).

Before leaving, the city's water conservation page suggests checking for indoor and outdoor leaks monthly with its Smart Home Water Guide, and it also links to the city's Plumbing Support Grant (City of Surprise, Water Conservation).

Owners unsure which company serves the address can check the city's online address lookup before leaving, since the city says that, depending on location, a home may have a different provider for one or more services (City of Surprise, Utility Billing and Rates).

During the monsoon and after major storms, the City of Surprise keeps Transportation crews on call 24 hours a day to check for and remove downed trees and debris, clear clogged storm drains and assist residents in flooded areas (City of Surprise, Monsoon Safety).

Downed trees and debris in a public right-of-way are reported to the Surprise Police Department non-emergency line, 623.222.4000, and any emergency goes to 911 (City of Surprise). For an outage, the city's advice is to switch off high usage items such as air conditioners, computers and televisions so voltage fluctuations do not damage them when power returns (City of Surprise).

Dust and flood hazards themselves are covered in the Surprise dust storm safety and monsoon season guides on the desert living hub.

The first half of 2026 Maricopa County property taxes was due October 1, and it becomes delinquent on November 2, 2026, after 5 pm (Maricopa County Treasurer, tax calendar).

For owners who return in late fall, the treasurer's calendar adds that December 31 is the final day to pay 2026 full-year taxes without interest for bills over $100, and that full-year bills of $100 or less become delinquent after 5:00 pm that day (Maricopa County Treasurer). Final delinquent tax notices for unpaid 2025 taxes are sent December 1 (Maricopa County Treasurer).