Home Watch Services
Whether your home in the GTA is a primary residence, vacation home, or rental property, leaving it unoccupied and unattended for long periods of time is never a good idea. Snow and water damage, mold and mildew and pest infestations are only a few of the many serious problems that can arise in an uninhabited house, condo, townhome, or apartment. Unnoticed and untreated, these issues only get worse.
Toronto Home Watch can help you avoid costly insurance claim denials if there is damage to your property while you are away from home. Our representatives will make scheduled visits to your home to check for any potential problems. If an issue does arise, our representative will contact you immediately to discuss the best options for dealing with the situation, thus eliminating the risk of additional damage and costs.
Below is a sampling of our typical home watch services. But since we know there is no such thing as a “typical” homeowner, we will work with you to develop a customized checklist that addresses your specific needs and concerns:
Exterior Services
A full visual check of your home’s exterior includes but is not limited to:
- Visually checking roof for plugged gutters/ damaged drain pipes.
- Visually checking windows and doors for signs of forced entry/vandalism. Ensuring that all are closed and locked.
- Checking for visible signs of water/pest damage.
- Clearing entrance of newspapers, flyers, junk mail.
- Confirm lawn and garden are being maintained and snow removal is being done.
Interior Services
A full visual check of your home’s interior includes but is not limited to:
- Running water in all sinks and tubs
- Flushing toilets, checking for leaks in visible plumbing
- Visually checking for leaks in ceilings, under sinks and in appliances that use water
- Checking electrical service panel for tripped breakers
- Testing batteries in smoke/carbon monoxide alarms and changing when needed.
- Checking HVAC air filter and changing when needed.
- Monitoring thermostat and seasonally adjusting home temperature to clients’ desired temperature
- Watering indoor and outdoor plants and shrubs
- Setting and checking all house alarms and surveillance systems before leaving property
Arrival Services
Amenities we offer in preparing for your return home include:
- House cleaning
- Home freshening
- HVAC set to desired comfort level
- Stagnant water circulated
- Grocery shopping
- Fresh flowers
- Customized requests available
Departure Services
Services we provide after your departure from home include:
- Ensuring that all doors and windows are closed and secured
- Setting lights and alarms
- Discarding perishable foods
- Conducting full walk-through of home to ensure everything is in order
- Cleaning
- Retrieving and making arrangements to send forgotten items to owner
- Setting HVAC system to client’s desired “away” temperature
Home Watch Service Add-ons:
We also offer additional a la carte services as needed or desired:
Automobile care: Start and idle car/ test drive vehicles to keep them running well. Boost battery or arrange repairs if necessary. Arrange auto detailing.
Emergency Response: Toronto Home Watch will serve as an on-call emergency contact for your alarm systems.
Pre/Post-storm Inspection: Inspect premises before/after heavy rain, snow/ice storm or flooding.
Toronto Home Watch utilizes a state-of-the-art, GPS-based system to keep an exact record of visit times. The system will also track visit results, using the customized client checklist. Why wonder what’s going on at home? You can get all the information you need moments after we leave your property. This short video below provides more detail about the system we use.