AZ Nomad wrote:

On Wed, 9 Dec 2009 18:00:00 -0500, Jim Sherman wrote:
I'm a snowbird and worry about a furnace failure while I'm away. I've heard
that there is a temperature sensing switch that will turn on a lamp if the
house gets too cold. I'd like to set a lamp in the front window so my
neighbor can check the place as he drives by without coming inside. Does
such a switch exist? Who sells it? Thanks in advance.

Have a plumber install a drain plug and drain the water before leaving and then
you can keep the heat completely off.
Why pay for something that you don't use?

A pretty good reason to pay for maintenance level heating while you're
away is the rapid deterioration that is experienced in unheated,
unoccupied buildings.