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It’s great to get away on vacation, or, if you have a second home, to leave for the season. But what about your house? Is locking the door behind you enough? Or installing security cameras?

“Anybody can put in a security system to watch the outside and inside of their house but it’s not going to find the leak coming through the roof. It’s not gonna smell a gas leak in that house, says Chris Long, owner of Home Watcher Services. “It’s very important to have that human element.”

Long, a licensed home inspector, has tapped into a growing market in our area for home watchers. “I watch the property. I go in at intervals that the homeowners selects, typically it’s every other week or once a month. I literally go through the entire house, check all the water, the appliances, check everything on the outside making sure that there are no security issues and just give them peace of mind that somebody that’s accredited and licensed and insured is watching the house while they’re away.”   He can also supervise a construction or renovation project while a client is out of town.

“The need for home watch companies is growing on a daily basis,” according to the National Home Watch Association. “There are more and more unattended and unoccupied homes.”

Long says many people ask a friend or neighbor to watch their house – pick up mail, turn lights on and off – while they’re away, but they may not be able to deal with a major issue, such as a flood. Home watchers generally have contacts for plumbers, electricians and other tradespeople, and are accredited and insured. And Home Watchers will email you a report on the status of your home.

The severity of recent storms in the area is the main concern for some. According to Chubb North America Personal Risk Services, “The time between when a leak occurs and when it is discovered is the single greatest factor in determining the amount of damage… As a result, leaks that occur while you’re away result in greater amounts of damage, in terms of both cost and severity.”

“I’ve had people say to me, ‘I really don’t need your services,’ because they have  cameras,” Long says. “Well that’s great, but I don’t want you to watch your house wash away.”