What We Check on Every Property Visit
A step-by-step look at our visit protocol, the technology behind it, and every item we check — every single time
Every Walkthrough is Built Around Your Property
Most home watch services work from a generic list. Every property on our roster starts with a baseline assessment where we document exactly what your home has — your mechanical systems, pool equipment, generator, irrigation zones, wine cellar, well system, number of water shutoffs, and seasonal quirks, and build all of it into your property's permanent record in our visit software. Every time we arrive, your custom checklist loads on our device. Nothing gets skipped because something was added after you enrolled. Nothing is assumed.
✎The checklist below reflects a typical property. Homes with pools, wine cellars, generators, well systems, guest houses, or seasonal winterization needs have additional items built into their specific protocol. Contact us to build yours.
How Every Visit Works
Every visit follows a deliberate, room-by-room protocol. Here's what that looks like from start to finish. The same sequence every time, because consistency is what makes a home watch genuinely protective.
Before We Pull Into the Driveway
We review your property file before we arrive: your specific instructions, notes from prior visits, current weather conditions, and anything you've communicated since our last check-in. Every home has its own protocol, and we confirm we have yours right before we step out of the truck.
Full Exterior Perimeter Walk
We walk the complete exterior before going inside: roofline, soffits, foundation, gutters, decks, outbuildings, generator, AC condensers, and grounds. We collect any mail or packages and photograph everything. Problems start at the edges, and we're looking carefully at all of them.
Water Main & All Fixtures
If your water main is kept off while you're away, we turn it on now so we can run every faucet, flush every toilet, and check every cabinet under every sink for active leaks. Dry drain traps, slow leaks, and supply line failures are caught here. At the end of every visit, the main is confirmed off and photographed.
Room-by-Room Interior Walk
Every room, every closet, ceiling to floor. We're looking at ceilings for water staining, walls and baseboards for moisture intrusion, windows for seal failures, and closets for microbial growth. Mountain homes face high humidity and tight construction, and we know where to look first.
Mechanical Systems Check
HVAC zones confirmed running, water heater in correct mode, electrical panel photographed, sump pump operational, smoke and CO detectors noted, HVAC filter condition logged, water softener or filtration status checked, irrigation system status recorded. Every system, every visit.
Securing & Report Delivery
Every door and window confirmed locked. Water main shut off and photographed. Alarm set. The digital visit report, with all photos attached and timestamped, is finalized on-site before we leave. If anything needs your attention, you hear from us directly.
The Water Zone Method
We are graduates of Home Watch Academy and trained in the Home Watch Water Zone method, a disciplined framework for moving through a property that ensures nothing gets overlooked. Rather than walking room to room and making general observations, we approach each property as a series of water zones: areas where water is present, flows, drains, or has potential to intrude.
Pipes, fixtures, appliances, HVAC systems, condensate lines, roof penetrations, crawlspaces, exterior drainage. Each zone is evaluated with a critical eye, because in mountain homes it is almost always water that causes the most serious and most expensive damage. The Water Zone method turns a casual walkthrough into a structured, methodical visit. It's why the checklist below is organized the way it is, and why every item on it is there for a reason.
Purpose-Built Visit Technology
We built our own visit software for this work, designed specifically for the conditions our properties have and the documentation our homeowners need.
GPS-Timestamped Arrivals
When we arrive at your property, our visit software logs exact GPS coordinates and timestamps confirming we were on-site. That proof of presence is included in every report delivered to you.
On-Site Digital Reporting
The checklist is completed in real time on our mobile device during the visit, with photos attached and captioned as we go. Reports are never reconstructed from memory after the fact.
Homeowner Portal
Every report filed for your property is accessible from your personal homeowner portal, viewable on any device, at any time. A full history of every visit, every issue noted, and every item checked.
Persistent Issue Tracking
When an issue is flagged, it carries forward to the next visit and appears on your portal dashboard until it's resolved. Nothing gets forgotten between reports or buried in an email thread.
Offline-Capable
Our visit software works without cell signal. Many mountain properties have no connectivity. We don't abbreviate the visit or skip documentation steps because we're off the grid.
Custom Property Checklists
Your checklist is built around what your property actually has, not a generic template. Pools, generators, well systems, wine cellars, guest structures, and irrigation zones all get their own entries.
Full Visit Checklist
Every item below is checked on every visit. Properties with additional features have items added to their specific protocol.
| Walkthrough Item | Every Visit |
|---|---|
| Exterior Walkthrough | |
| Full perimeter walkthrough | ✓ |
| Roof condition & visible damage | ✓ |
| Gutters & downspouts clear | ✓ |
| Driveway, walkways & steps | ✓ |
| Foundation & crawlspace vents | ✓ |
| Windows & doors secured | ✓ |
| Decks, porches & railings | ✓ |
| Exterior lighting functional | ✓ |
| Garage doors & outbuildings | ✓ |
| Fencing & gate condition | ✓ |
| Interior Walkthrough | |
| All interior rooms checked | ✓ |
| Ceilings & walls for water staining | ✓ |
| Signs of pest or wildlife entry | ✓ |
| Interior doors & locks | ✓ |
| Basement & crawlspace condition | ✓ |
| Attic access checked | ✓ |
| Fireplace & chimney damper | ✓ |
| Window seals & interior condensation | ✓ |
| All faucets run & toilets flushed Not performed if home is winterized with antifreeze in lines | ✓ |
| Under-cabinet leaks checked | ✓ |
| Shades & blinds positioned | ✓ |
| Appliances & Kitchen | |
| Refrigerator & freezer operating | ✓ |
| Dishwasher seals & door check | ✓ |
| Washer & dryer condition | ✓ |
| Wine cooler temperature (if applicable) | ✓ |
| Mechanical Systems | |
| HVAC thermostat & system status | ✓ |
| Plumbing fixtures & visible pipes | ✓ |
| Water heater condition | ✓ |
| Electrical panel visual check | ✓ |
| Sump pump operational | ✓ |
| Generator status check | ✓ |
| HVAC filter condition noted | ✓ |
| Smoke & CO detector check | ✓ |
| Water softener / filtration systems | ✓ |
| Irrigation system status | ✓ |
| Grounds & Exterior Care | |
| Lawn & landscape condition noted | ✓ |
| Seasonal debris removal noted | ✓ |
| Pool / hot tub visual check | ✓ |
| Reporting & Communication | |
| Timestamped photo report | ✓ |
| Issue notification upon finding | ✓ |
| Walkthrough documentation for insurance | ✓ |
| Detailed written summary each visit | ✓ |
| Issue severity rating & recommendation | ✓ |
| Vendor coordination & scheduling support | ✓ |
| Mail & package handling | ✓ |
| Water main confirmed off | ✓ |
| Alarm armed on departure | ✓ |
| Concierge Services | |
| Pre-arrival home preparation | Add-on |
| Grocery & pantry stocking | Add-on |
| Linens, firewood & climate ready | Add-on |
| Departure weatherization & close-up | Add-on |
| Storm & Weather Response | |
| Post-storm property check | ✓ |
| Emergency damage report | ✓ |
| Emergency repair coordination | ✓ |
A Full Report, Delivered to Your Inbox
After every visit we send you a complete, photo-documented report covering every item status, issues noted with detail, overall condition rating, and visit notes. It arrives as an HTML file you can open in any browser, save as a PDF, or file for insurance purposes.
- ✓ Every checklist item logged as Checked, Issue, or N/A
- ✓ Photos attached with captions, timestamped on-site
- ✓ Overall condition rating and written summary
- ✓ Retained on file and accessible from your homeowner portal
- ✓ GPS-stamped arrival and visit timestamps included