How do I prepare a house for a six month absence?

[Richard K]

We will be spending the winter in Arizona and our house in southern Colorado will be vacant for six months. This was previously a vacation home and we sometimes didn't get down here for two months. I just turned off the water and set the heat at 55 degrees. After two months the toilets would be almost dry.
My concern is that after six months they would be completely dry and the house would be full of sewer gasses. I thought about pouring RV anti-freeze in all the sinks and washer drain and plugging them but what about the toilets? Will RV anti-freeze evaporate like water does? Can't use automotive anti-freeze because of the septic system.
At the house in AZ we have a service that comes in once a month and makes sure all the p traps and toilets are full as well as inspecting the house overall. There's no such service available at the house in CO.
Any thoughts?

Thanks

[merl]

A little vegetable oil can be used to form a skin and stop evaporation.

[jslo]

Maybe upside down water filled "jugs" in the bowl. Think of those cheep automatic water bowl feeders that used 2 liter bottles.
Haven't tried it but seems the same principle might work.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Plastic wrap the bowls after you clean them thoroughly. Zero evaporation.

[O2HeN2]

Plastic wrap the bowls after you clean them thoroughly. Zero evaporation.

Not zero, you still get evaporation via the stack. But I can't imagine that amounts to much.

O2

[driver]

When looking for a house I noticed some of the vacant ones had something blue in toilets and plastic wrap. Maybe go anti-freeze with plastic wrap.

[ruthabagah]

A little vegetable oil can be used to form a skin and stop evaporation.

+1 to this. Works great.

[Irving]

Discuss this with your insurance agent so you are clear on how your policy handles vacancies.

[Great-Kazoo]

You need to shut the water off at the main, OR have it drip, OR have someone check the house. If you don't turn off the water and we get a cold snap, your lines may break. If you leave the water on and slow drip. It will keep the p-traps full and not freeze. However being gone as many months as you will. It probably isn't feasible.

[sniper7]

Maybe a neighbor or someone could come check on the house?