The Interior Checklist
Inside, we inspect every room in a fixed route: ceilings and ceiling corners for staining or bubbling, walls and baseboards for moisture and discoloration, flooring for warping, cupping, or lifting, and window and slider interiors for track water, condensation between panes, and failed seals. We record interior temperature and humidity on every visit, because a rising humidity trend is the earliest available warning of both HVAC failure and coming mold.
We check for odor — musty, sewer gas, gas, or spoiled food — which is often the first indicator of a problem that is not yet visible. We look for insect and rodent evidence behind and under appliances, in pantries and cabinets, at door casings, and in garages. We verify interior doors, closets, and attic access where accessible, and confirm nothing has been disturbed since the previous inspection.
The Plumbing and Water Checklist
We run water at every fixture to keep P-traps sealed against sewer gas, flush every toilet to keep wax seals wet and to detect running fill valves, and confirm sinks, tubs, and showers still drain properly. Under every sink we check for active seepage, mineral rings, corroded supply stops, and damp cabinet bottoms.
We inspect the water heater, its pan, and the TPR discharge for moisture and corrosion; the washing machine supply hoses for bulging, weeping, or cracking; the refrigerator ice-maker line and the floor beneath it; the water main, shutoff, and pressure; and any installed water treatment equipment, leak sensors, or automatic shutoff valves. If the property has a well, we inspect the pump, pressure tank, and visible plumbing.
The HVAC and Systems Checklist
Air conditioning gets the most attention of any system in a Florida home watch inspection. We confirm the system is running and holding its set point, inspect the air handler and its closet for moisture, check primary and secondary drain pans, verify the condensate line is clear and draining, look for ice on the coil or refrigerant lines, check filter condition, and inspect the outdoor condenser for debris, standing water, and — especially on coastal properties — salt corrosion on the coil and cabinet.
We also check the electrical panel for tripped breakers, GFCI function where accessible, whole-house or portable generator status and fuel, surge protection, and any automation, camera, or smart-home systems that are supposed to be online. An offline system is a reported finding even when nothing has gone wrong yet, because a hurricane shutter motor or a leak sensor that is offline is a system you no longer have.
The Appliance and Interior Equipment Checklist
We verify refrigerator and freezer operation and interior temperature and look for signs of a power interruption — a partially thawed freezer is one of the clearest indicators that the house lost power while you were away. We confirm the dishwasher, disposal, oven, and laundry equipment show no leaks or damage, and check that the dryer vent area is clear.
On estate properties we extend this to wine room cooling units and their temperature logs, elevators and their emergency phones, water features, outdoor kitchens, and pool heaters. Guest houses, casitas, and staff quarters are inspected on the same checklist as the main residence rather than glanced at.
The Exterior and Roof Checklist
Outside, we walk the entire perimeter and inspect the roof from ground level for lifted, cracked, or displaced tiles and shingles, and for debris accumulation. We check soffits and fascia for staining, separation, or pest entry points, gutters and downspouts for blockage and overflow staining on the wall below, and exterior walls for stucco cracking, efflorescence, mildew, and new water tracks.
We inspect all exterior doors, windows, screens, hurricane shutters and their tracks and motors, garage doors and seals, exterior lighting, and any hardware showing salt corrosion. We look for storm debris, standing water, erosion at downspout discharge points, and anything in the yard that would become a projectile in high wind.
The Pool, Grounds, and Waterfront Checklist
For pools and spas we check water level and clarity, visible algae, pump prime and operation, filter and heater condition, the equipment pad for leaks and corrosion, and whether the pool service company has clearly been on site. Pool water level dropping faster than evaporation explains is a leak indicator we track visit to visit.
On the grounds we check irrigation for broken heads, dry zones, and overspray onto structures, landscaping for overgrowth against walls and roofs, and general condition for HOA compliance issues that generate violation letters. Waterfront properties add dock decking and hardware, piling condition at the waterline, boat lift cables, motors and bunks, seawall cracking and cap separation, and tidal debris.
Security, Access, and Compliance
We verify the alarm system's status and history, confirm no unexplained entry events since the last visit, check door and window locks and gate operation, and look for any sign of attempted entry. We remove accumulated packages, flyers, and door hangers that advertise vacancy, and note vehicles or activity that do not belong.
On the compliance side we flag anything that could trigger an association fine — lawn height, hedge lines, visible trash containers, mildew on walls or driveways, faded paint, storm debris, and parking violations — so it can be corrected before a letter is mailed to an address you are not currently reading mail at.
Photo Documentation and Report Delivery
Every visit produces a standardized photo set — front elevation, entry, main living areas, kitchen, primary bath, mechanical closet, electrical panel, water heater, condenser, pool and equipment pad, rear elevation — plus close-ups of anything flagged. Repeating the same reference set every visit is what makes two reports side by side reveal change rather than just show a house.
The report is generated in the field and emailed the same day to everyone on your distribution list. It contains the date, time, inspector, GPS-verified visit record, the completed checklist with each point marked, the photo set, written notes, and recommended actions. Urgent findings do not wait for the report — you get a call from the property at 561-913-2023, with photos immediately.
What Home Watch Does Not Include
Home watch is inspection and reporting; it is not maintenance, repair, cleaning, landscaping, pool service, or property management, and it is not a security guard service. We do not perform the repairs we find, which keeps our reporting honest — a company that profits from what it discovers has an incentive problem.
What we do instead is coordinate. We contact your vendor or one of ours, provide access, meet the technician on site so nobody works unsupervised in your home, photograph the work area before and after, and verify the fix on the following inspection. Concierge extras — arrival preparation, hurricane shutter deployment, vendor supervision, mail handling, vehicle starting — are available and quoted separately. Call 561-913-2023.
Palm Beach County Communities We Serve
We inspect properties in Wellington, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Manalapan, and Tequesta — along with more than ninety other Palm Beach County communities. Local knowledge matters: each of these communities has its own gate procedure, vendor registration process, and building or association rules, and we handle that credentialing before your first inspection rather than negotiating it at the gate.
