Frequently Asked Questions

In Southwest Florida, unlike many other places in the US, we live in a subtropical climate zone, meaning that during many months of the year we experience excessive heat, humidity and rainfall. Your air conditioning system is one of the most crucial components in keeping your home protected from two of these important elements; Heat & Humidity. Excessive humidity in a home (typically 60 percent relative humidity and higher) can cause damage to furniture, computer equipment, wall coverings, wood fixtures, art and may lead to organic growth (commonly called mold or mildew) in your home.

There are two important steps you can take to help protect yourself from excessive humidity in your home. The first step is to make sure your air conditioning system is running properly and is maintained by a licensed, Florida air conditioning company. Preventative maintenance should be performed on your system at least two times per year. Failure to maintain your air conditioning system may cause the condensate pan and drain to become clogged, resulting in water leakage and poor system performance. The second  step to help protect your property is to hire a reputable home watch service to inspect your home on a regular basis when the home is unoccupied. This is especially important if you are a Seasonal Resident. One of the most important inspections a home watch service should perform is to check (and document) the relative humidity present in the home at the time of inspection. We recommend a relative humidity inspection check at least once per week. At this time, if relative humidity in the home is excessive, the source of the excessive humidity needs to be determined and corrected to prevent any damage from occurring in the home. In many instances, we have seen this occur from water intrusion through the roof, a leak from a running faucet or toilet, faulty windows and the improper use of hurricane shutters.

In some instances, the cause of excessive humidity in your home may be due to a mechanical failure of your air conditioning system or even an electrical disruption. In many cases this can be corrected with a simple repair; however, it is important to remember that if the house is not being watched by a reputable home watch service, the resulting air conditioning failure may go undetected and lead to significant damage in your home.

Conditioned Air cannot be responsible for mold growth or other damage due to an improperly maintained air conditioning system, acts of nature, water intrusion in the home, or from the failure to notify Conditioned Air in a timely manner in the event of any mechanical breakdown of your air conditioning equipment, regardless of cause.

Yes, We at Star Home Watch want to be as thorough as possible while conducting a home watch inspection.  Key or code access will be required to gain access into your home to:

• Inspect interior for obvious insect infestation or pest presence.
• Check doors and windows for signs of forced entry, theft, or vandalism.
• Check for signs of flooding.
• Run the air conditioning and record the output temperature to check for efficiency.
• Check and record the humidity and temperature to prevent possible mold/mildew.
• Check for signs of water damage on floors and ceilings.
• Check refrigerator operation (if left on by homeowner).
• Run water in sinks, tubs, showers, and flush stagnant water in toilets to ensure drains are working properly and traps stay filled.
• Check back of toilets and under sinks for leaks.
• Check circuit breaker box for any signs of a surge.
• Check hot water tank for leaks.
• Check for unusual odors.
• Check for signs of mold and mildew.
• Run garbage disposal to help prevent lock up.

• Secure deliveries that were prearranged with Star Home Watch and/or provide contractor(s) access to perform work.

Yes, arrangements with advanced notice can be made with Star Home Watch Services to receive deliveries on your behalf and/or provide contractor(s) access to your home to perform work.  We will stand by as needed while the work is performed.

We at Star Home Watch Services are committed to ensuring your home is prepared in the event of a significant weather event.

We offer single story install of your shutters prior to your departure or start of hurricane season and take down upon your return or end of hurricane season. Hurricane season is June 1 until November 30.  We cannot guarantee install if a severe weather event is approaching SW Florida and the homeowner did not contract Star Home Watch to install prior to the start of hurricane season or prior to homeowners’ departure.

Yes, as a client of Star Home Watch Services you will receive a detailed, GPS coordinate, time/date stamped inspection report, with photographs, delivered to your email the day of the inspection.