Is House-Sitting a Good Strategy to Prevent Water Damage When the Homeowner Is Traveling?

6/9/2022 (Permalink)

Blog Summary: SERVPRO of Media helps homeowners determine if hiring a house sitter is the right decision.

The water damage restoration experts at SERVPRO of Media understand the reservation and angst that homeowners feel when taking an extended vacation or long business trip. The thought of leaving a residence unattended for a couple of weeks or even a month or two to visit family or travel the country leaves a pit in the stomach. What if something happens, such as a fire, smoke, or water damage disaster. What if the home is broken into, vandalized, and robbed? Imagine a river of water from a burst water pipe snaking its way through the upstairs hallway, then cascading down the stairs for two weeks, a month, or longer. A flow rate of ten thousand gallons of water per day (seven gallons per minute) is a lot of water flooding into a home. After a week of unrelenting water flow, there would be seven feet of water in a basement measuring 2500 square feet. The homeowner’s concern and worry are legitimate!

The Benefits of Hiring a House Sitter

Hiring a house sitter to live in the home or apartment while the owners are away or to check on the residence daily offers many benefits.

Benefit: Provides a measure of home security

A house sitter can ward off unwanted opportunists who would burglarize, vandalize, or take up residence in the home while the owners are away. Activity in the home or the presence of a vehicle in the driveway alerts potential criminals that someone is present and will protect the house.

Benefit: Ensures claims payment should the home be robbed

A home left vacant for more than 30 days might not be covered by insurance if the residence is robbed. Also, insurance premiums may increase once a house is burgled.

Benefit: Cares for pets

A house sitter providing care for two medium-sized dogs can save the traveling homeowner several thousand dollars in boarding fees over a period of a month. Boarding kennels and catteries can be expensive in the Metro Philadelphia area.

Benefit: Provides basic home maintenance

A house sitter will collect the mail, keep the yard clean, and take care of any home maintenance emergencies, including property damage disasters, that might occur while the owners are away.

Caution: Be aware of potential liabilities should the house sitter cause a property damage disaster.

If the house sitter is a friend or family member and causes water damage by allowing the tub to overflow or causes a house fire by unsafe smoking practices, insurance may not cover the damages. The homeowner may be responsible for damages to the home, apartment, or other apartments in the complex.

Real estate experts offer the following advice: “If you’d hired a professional house-sitting service, you’d have a better chance of getting them to cover the damage. But not so with a friend looking after your place for free.”

Alternative Options to Hiring a House Sitter

Options other than a professional house-sitting service or a family or friend staying in the home or apartment are available, but these alternatives have some drawbacks.

Option: Install a home security system with optimal camera coverage.

Modern surveillance technology is affordable and features amazingly clear video and audio that can be managed from an app on the homeowner’s smartphone or other devices. However, constantly monitoring the app while on vacation, in a business meeting, or visiting the grandchildren can feel like a chore.

Option: Install leak sensor technology.

Advanced leak detection technology is capable of sending a notification of a leak to a cell phone or computer. Some devices can also shut off water flow to the leaky pipe. Devices can also be installed to shut off the water main in the event of a burst pipe. Shut-off mechanisms limit the scope of the water damage, but the homeowner will not have access to running water until the leak is repaired and the water main is turned on.

Pre-Qualify SERVPRO of Media for Water Damage Cleanup and Restoration

Experienced, trained, certified, and trustworthy technicians from SERVPRO of Media can be on the scene in about an hour, which is a more rapid response than many plumbers can provide when a call comes in at 2:00 am in the morning. Arrangements can be made so that if a property damage disaster occurs while the occupants are out of town, the SERVPRO team can enter the premises, mitigate the water leak, inspect and assess the damage, and provide an estimate with images, video, and written documentation. Meanwhile, the crew is at work beginning the water damage cleanup and restoration process. SERVPRO is a franchise built on a solid foundation of integrity, trust, and exceptional customer service. For the homeowner planning a lengthy vacation or just wanting to remove the guesswork from dealing with a property damage disaster, pre-qualify with SERVPRO of Media, PA, today.

To learn more about emergency water damage restoration services in Springfield, PA, and surrounding areas, call SERVPRO of Media at (610) 566-5720. The office can also be contacted by emailing office@SERVPROmedia.com