What's Actually Inspected? Inside a Professional Home Watch Visit

Before I arrive: forecast and prep

Every visit starts with me checking the forecast for your specific microclimate — not just "Asheville" but the actual temperature, wind, and precipitation at your address. I check the local power outage map and any storm activity from the last 24 hours. If there was anything significant, I'll know to look for it.

I also pull up your client file: your alarm code, gate code, vendor contacts, any active concerns from the last visit, and any standing instructions you've given me. The point is to walk in knowing what to expect.

The exterior walk (15–20 minutes)

I park at the bottom of the driveway and walk up. That gives me a chance to see the property approach, the driveway condition, any fallen limbs, and the front of the home from a distance.

• ●Roof inspection from the ground. I look for missing shingles, lifted ridge caps, displaced flashing, dented or detached gutters, anything obviously wrong. For larger or more complex roofs, I'll use a drone.
• ●Gutters and downspouts. Are they full of debris? Pulled away from the fascia? Discharging properly?
• ●Siding and trim. Any rot, woodpecker damage, peeling paint, loose pieces?
• ●Windows and doors. Glass intact? Seals good? Any signs of forced entry attempts?
• ●Foundation walk. I do a complete loop checking for cracks, settling, displaced foundation vents, and any animal entry points.
• ●Crawlspace doors and vents. Closed and intact?
• ●HVAC condenser. Clear of debris? Any visible damage?
• ●Decks and porches. Structural integrity, loose boards, railings tight?
• ●Outbuildings. Sheds, detached garages, pump houses — same checks.
• ●Landscape. Mowing condition, overgrown areas, mulch erosion, anything that telegraphs vacancy.
• ●Driveway and walkways. Erosion, washout, fallen branches.
• ●Mailbox and packages. Mail brought inside.

Entry and security check (5 minutes)

• ●Alarm system status. Verify it's armed, no error codes.
• ●Door locks. All locked, no signs of tampering.
• ●Smoke and CO detectors. Visual check for chirping batteries.
• ●Interior baseline. First impression as I walk in — any unusual smells? Temperature feel right? Anything visibly out of place?

Room-by-room interior walk (15–20 minutes)

Every room. No exceptions. Even the rooms you've never used. Here's what I'm looking for as I walk through:

• ●Smell. Above all else, I'm using my nose. Mildew, gas, sewage, dead animal — these all have distinctive smells and they're often the first sign of a problem long before there's anything visible.
• ●Ceilings. Any new water stains? Discoloration? Cracking?
• ●Floors. Any soft spots, cupping, or visible water damage?
• ●Windows. All closed and locked. Condensation between panes (sign of failed seal). Any cracking.
• ●Walls. Cracks, mold, paint issues.
• ●Light fixtures and outlets. Anything obviously not working or showing damage.
• ●Closets. A surprising number of leaks first show up in closet ceilings because nobody looks in them.

Plumbing and HVAC check (10 minutes)

• ●Run every faucet for at least 30 seconds. Hot and cold both. This keeps P-traps from drying out (which lets sewer gas in) and lets me listen for issues with the lines.
• ●Flush every toilet. Same reasoning, plus verifies the wax seal isn't failing.
• ●Hot water heater. Visual check, no leaks, no rust, temperature setting correct.
• ●HVAC operation. Verify the system is running at the temperature you set. Listen to the unit. Check the filter (replace if needed).
• ●Thermostat. Confirm settings, check battery if applicable.
• ●Crawlspace or basement plumbing. Visual check of all visible pipe runs for moisture, rust, or sweating.
• ●Sump pump. If installed, verify operation and battery backup.

Pest sweep (5 minutes)

• ●Walk attic if accessible — droppings, nesting material, wasp nests, animal entry points.
• ●Crawlspace check for insect or rodent activity.
• ●Garage for bees/wasps and rodent signs.
• ●Basement and storage areas.
• ●Bait station check if any are placed.

Refrigerator and pantry (2 minutes)

Quick check of the refrigerator — is it still cold? Any standing water? Any food that needs to be tossed before next visit? The pantry gets a similar quick scan for any rodent signs or expired food that's attracting pests.

Photo documentation (continuous)

While I'm doing all of the above, I'm photographing constantly. A typical Guardian visit produces 18–24 photos covering every room, every system, and any specific findings. Every photo is timestamped and GPS-tagged automatically — no editing, no doctoring, just a complete visual record of what I saw and when.

If I find anything that needs action, that gets extra documentation: a detailed photo with a ruler or coin for scale, multiple angles, and a short note explaining what I'm looking at and why I'm flagging it.

The report — before I leave the driveway

Every visit ends with a report in your inbox. It includes a summary of everything checked, the photos, any findings (with severity level — Normal, Attention, Urgent), the weather at time of visit, and a one-sentence summary you can read in 10 seconds.

If there's nothing wrong, you get an "All clear" report you can glance at and put away. If there's anything you need to know, you see it immediately, with photos, with a recommended next step.

What happens if I find something

Any non-routine finding generates an immediate text or call to you, in addition to the report. We don't make you wait. If it's urgent, you hear within minutes. If it's something that needs a vendor, I either dispatch one immediately (with your authorization) or include the recommendation in the report.

For Guardian and Premier clients, vendor coordination is included or unlimited respectively. We handle the calls, meet the contractor on-site, and supervise the work — all photo-documented.

How long does a visit actually take?

An Essential visit on a 2,000 sqft home runs about 35–45 minutes. A Guardian visit on the same property runs about 50–70 minutes (more checks, more photos). Premier visits on larger homes can be 90+ minutes when they include things like vehicle starts, vendor coordination, or arrival prep.

We're not in a rush. The point of the service is to do it right, not to do it fast. A rushed home watch service is worse than no home watch service at all.