Sonny & Joy

Sonny & Joy are the owners/operators of Peace of Mind a company that has been serving Naples homeowners for the past 24+ years and during that time we are proud to say that we have achieved the reputation as one of the foremost companies that provide "homeminder" services. Our service consists of weekly internal & external inspections. During our first visit and all subsequent ones, we will enter your home and check that the proper temperature and humidity are being maintained in order to prevent mildew and other fungi and that no break-ins have taken place. While you're away..."We'll take care of your home as if it were our own" and if we discover any problems they will be reported to you immediately before they escalate into major catastrophes. For inquiries....Email us at POM950@GMail.com or phone us at 239-450-1699. 

Door Damage

 Recently we were checking units in a section of a community that was having their five (5) buildings painted. The paint project put extra work demands on us at POM because we not only had to move cars so car ports could be power washed prior to them starting to paint the buildings but we also had to facilitate access to no less than six (6) units who had paid extra to have their lanais painted. Although this sounds like an simple task it turned out to be more than we bargained for because the project began during a rainy period and the painting schedule was delayed first one day then another day then another each time we would unlock doors for the painters then lock them back up because of the delay then re-open and re-lock them several times until finally they finished and we thought we were through. Guess again! The following photos show no less than 5 units that had their storm doors damaged by the painters so now we had to notify property management so they in turn could withhold payment until the problems were resolved all of which took even more of our time and effort. We pride ourselves on "taking care of your home as if it was our own" and this was definitely an example of that proclamation.

Mis-communication Result

.

Sometime in late June or early July we received a phone call from a client who wanted to find out if we were still in business and we assured him that we were. He seemed satisfied with our reply and said he'd get back to us when he finalized his departure date...he never did. As a result we never resumed our weekly condo checks because we assumed that with his lack of communication he must have made other home watch arrangements. In our business this happens all the time. We were taken back when we received a phone call from him on August 21 telling us that since he hadn't seen a "Peace of Mind" check clearing from his bank reconciliation he realized he had forgotten to call us to tell us he was leaving for the season. We immediately kicked in our service and went to check the unit. The attached photos show what we found. Yup, that's what mildew looks like and what we found on two couches. We immediately did a close inspection of the entire unit and fortunately the problem was limited to these two areas. We notified the owner of what we discovered and initiated an effort to prevent any further extension of the problem by adjusting the A/C and humidistat settings to the coolest settings. Needless to say he will have to deal with the problem when he returns but with POM checking the unit every week the problem won't worsen and I'm sure our client will remember to firm up his homewatch start dates prior to his leaving next year whether it's with POM or some other company.   

 

Best A/C Setting for Snowbirds

Here is a copy of the question from a "snowbird" and the response from FPL to a question posed by some who wanted to know what FPL suggests as the best A/C settings for snowbirds. Keep in mind that Peace of Mind Homeminders check our client's Florida home weekly and as such make A/C setting adjustments whenever we feel a unit is too cool, too hot or too humid. Most important we ask our clients to monitor their monthly electric bill to check for any major changes is Kwh useage and to notify us if they feel it's either too high or too low.






What are the best A/C settings for snowbirds?

By Energy Expert

Asked on: February 18, 2014 by Scott F., Englewood

I have my thermostat/humidistat set to 80/60 while away up north. I watch my usage via my energy dashboard, but wondered if these are the best settings to save energy and prevent issues?
There are definitely ideal settings that can help you maximize your savings while you’re away from your winter home in Florida, while preventing moisture and other issues in your home. You’re off to a good start!
The right setting for manual thermostatsOur research found that setting a manual thermostat to 80 degrees for homes and 77 for condos typically provides enough dehumidification to prevent mold. Since you also have a humidistat to control humidity, you have the flexibility to set the temperature higher at 88 degrees, while setting your humidistat’s relative humidity, or RH, to 58 percent. This will help you save even more energy while still keeping the indoor humidity in a safe range.
Increased control with programmable thermostatsFor customers with programmable thermostats without humidity control (without a built-in humidistat), FPL recommends programming thermostats at 72 degrees for just two hours each morning before sunrise and at 88 degrees the rest of the time. This will prevent mold by removing moisture from the air during the cooler hours when RH is highest and your A/C runs most efficiently.
Even more efficiency and mold preventionThe most energy-efficient way to help prevent mold from developing in vacant homes is to use stand-alone dehumidifiers. Use one dehumidifier for every 1,000 square feet and set the controls to 58 percent RH. Locate them by a sink or shower so water from the drainage tube can go down the drain.
Other tips for your homeAs an additional precaution, we recommend having your A/C ductwork checked for leaks by requesting an FPL duct test. Check for air leaks around doors and windows, too.  Both are good ways to minimize the amount of moisture getting into your home.
We’re happy to hear that you are finding the Energy Dashboard helpful in monitoring your usage while you’re not in Florida. We highly recommend that customers log into their online account to view their own personal dashboard, especially while they are away, to watch for any unusual changes in energy usage which could indicate an equipment malfunction.
Visit www.FPL.com/seasonal for more energy-saving tips while away from your home.

Storing Jugs Over Laundry Area

The following entry is a problem we discovered on several occasions while checking units. The first time we came across it, it was the result of a gallon plastic jug of soap detergent (TIDE), next time it was from a jug of fabric softener and this last time from a jug of bleach. All three clients had stored these jugs on a common wire shelf atop the washer/dryer area as shown in the left photo. Apparently when hefting the jug up onto the shelf, somehow a very tiny hole penetrated the plastic jug which over time caused the contents of these jugs to seep out then drip down the back of the washer/dryer or in this latest case atop the dryer. The soap and fabric softener were discovered only after they had seeped onto the floor and out the front side of the appliance. The bleach which is somewhat caustic, wasn't discovered until it had left it's mark on the lid of the dryer as shown in the right photo.

Broker Slider Door Glass

Although this problem doesn't occur too often we've come across it on several occasions and still are unable to determine the root cause. While checking a veranda unit in Countryside we discovered that the glass on one of the slider door panels had shattered. At first we thought it was caused by an errant golf ball but although it was facing the golf course it was located in a spot where that would be almost impossible. We immediately notified the owner and then set off to get the glass replaced. We contacted a window repair contractor, gave them access to measure the glass panel and ultimately to replace the broken pane of glass. Unfortunately the glass was a custom size and had to be special ordered which would take several days to procure so in the meantime we had to do something to prevent the elements from getting into the unit. The panel was 81x42 inches so we had a large area to cover which in itself poses a problem. Fortunately we were able to use a large sheet brown paper that painters use as a drop cloth by securing it to the walls with tape. Total cost to the owner was $325 for the pane of glass and $85 for them to cleanup the broken glass chards. Our efforts cost $0...all part of doing our job!

A/C Line Set Problems

This purpose of this posting is to describe what happens when the A/C to a unit stops cooling as a result of loss of coolant. Recently we encountered this problem in a 1st floor condo in Countryside. The owner had a service contract with a well known company so we contacted them and gave them access to the unit so they could troubleshoot the A/C. They determined that the line set that carries coolant from the outside compressor to the inside air handler was leaking allowing the coolant to escape. They isolated the problem by cutting each end of the two coolant lines, sealing them off at both ends (inside & outside) then installing a pressure gauge on one of the lines. After this was done they pressurized the lines until there was 400psi in the lines. They returned a day later to see if the pressure was being maintained and it wasn't...it had dropped to 235psi indicating that the line set would have to be replaced at a cost of $4500! Why so costly? Normally they would have to run the lines up the outside wall to above the third floor through the wall into the attic crawl space, then down through the 3rd floor unit, then the 2nd floor unit then and finally into the 1st floor unit. When the owner told us the price that the A/C company had given him, we suggested that he get a second opinion which he did and they in turn confirmed that the line set was defective however they gave him a price estimate that was 1/3 less than the first  estimate  given. Instead of running the lines the way the first company suggested they decided to run the lines in a ditch underground, along the
outside of the condo, then up the wall (see photo #1) then into the condo, across the bedroom ceiling (see photo #2), then re-connect them to the air handler (see photo #3) all of which could be done far less costly than the first estimate. He elected to go with the more economic estimate and ended up with a significant savings. This line set problem, although not a common every day occurrence, seems to be happening more often as buildings and A/C units get older. The moral of this posting is to "always get a second opinion" and don't rely on the first estimate. 
Meanwhile we just added a photo below of what the bedroom looks like after the A/C line set was enclosed. Great job huh?

Casrport Disaster

BEWARE!...If you live in a condo with carport parking be very, very careful when backing out of a parking space or you'll end up with the cost of replacing the carport support (see photo) to say nothing of what the cost of getting the damage to your car repaired. The photo left shows the results of what can happen if you're not careful however they had to tow the vehicle away before we had a chance to take a photo of the damage to the car.

A/C Drain Problems?

Came across this flyer on the bulletin board at one of the condo buildings where we check units. It's an offer from Service America at two price points. During the course of checking units, over time, we have encountered a number of clogged drain lines which can cause one of two problems...the condensation from the A/C fails to drain properly and backs up into the condo causing a flood or it causes the kill switch that many of the newer A/C units have and shuts down the A/C completely. If you haven't had your A/C serviced for awhile it might be worth looking into by contacting them at 1-800-314-4621.

Car Left in Garage

One of our clients in a home at Lely Resort leaves a car with a convertible top in their garage with the battery disconnected and windows and doors tightly closed. Because the garage isn't temperature controlled with A/C we regularly poke our nose inside the car to make sure there are no problems. Because of the lack of air conditioning in the garage it has always had a musty odor but there was nothing we could do to improve the situation. Several weeks ago we checked the car as always and we discovered the start of mold/mildew on the center console as shown in the photo. We contacted the owner and decided the only course of action was to leave the doors open and place a Damp-Rid container inside. Fortunately allowing the car to air out along with adding the Damp-Rid all signs of mildew have subsided. Keeping our fingers cross that things stay that way!

Mystery Water Intrusion

Checked in on a condo at the Naples Boat Club and discovered a small puddle of water on the floor. Tried to determine the source but was mystified. Since we have had a few driving rain storms the only conclusion we could come to was that it came from the slider doors. We're keeping a close eye on any reoccurances but since we first discovered the problem things have been staying dry.

A/C Service Problem

Recently we facilitated acces to an A/C company to do their scheduled annual inspection. One of the things they do is to blow out the A/C drain line to ensure that they are clear of clogging from algae buildup. Unfortunately when they did this to a home in Stonebridge they caused the PVC drain pipe to seperate at the elbow and instead of insuring condensation draining outisde they caused it to drain inside. Because the A/C unit was located in the garage and the owner had stuff stacked in front of the air handler unit we didn't discover the problem until several weeks after the A/C was serviced but soon enough to prevent any major problems. The moral of this story for us is to check closely whenever service companies have done work in a clients home. If you look closely at the photos you can see the location where a new elbow was installed during a service callback by the A/C company.

Lookout for that slice!

Here's yet another broken window caused by and errant golf ball in Forest Glen. We made a temporary repair until the window replacement people could schedule a service call... FOUR!!!!!

More Bug Issues

Here are photos of a condo in the Vineyards where we discovered an infestation of bugs which were the result of the owner leaving a large bag of dry dog food opened in a kitchen closet. At first we thought they were fleas but after notifying the owner and facilitating acces to the pest control people they told us that they were food mites. Apparently bugs are also attracted to dog food...I guess when your hungry you'll eat anything!

Bathtub Problem

Here's a strange one...how did this bathtub floor get a crack in it? We have no idea and it remains a mystery to us. Whether expansion or contraction from temperature variations or by misuse from a recent tenant...we discovered it when recently checking a condo in Tiburon and are still searching for an answer. 

Ice Maker Supply Line Leak

One of the most difficult problems "to find" during our weekly inspections is a leaking ice maker water supply line. Even though the water main had been turned OFF in a Stonebridge home, apparently the pool service people were periodically  turning the water main ON in order to maintain water levels and that's how the problem began. Because they're located behind the refrigerator it's impossible to discover this problem until the problem has advanced to the point where it becomes obvious with water on the floor or as was the case of this house a stain began to show on the wall on the opposite side of the refrigerator. The top right photo was taken behind the refrigerator and the bottom photo right was taken of the wall on the opposite side of the refrigerator which was how we discovered the problem.  Fortunately we found the problem shortly after it began to show and the rug was easily cleaned with no longlasting stain. To prevent this occurring again we turned OFF the supply line and in the future, the owner will have to turn it back ON when they arrive for the season and OFF when they leave.
 

 

Ants Galore

This past summer we came across yet another "ant invasion" that baffled us. One of our clients had left a tightly sealed glass cannister atop her kitchen counter and somehow the sugar attraction was

so great that ants were able to find their way insde with little trouble. After cleaning up the mess we put her entire cannister set inside the refrigerator well out of the way of any further access to ants. How they were able to get inside the cannister and where they came from is one of the ongoing mysteries of Florida living but it's also a reminder to always store dry goods in the refrigerator whenever you leave for the season.

Who Pays for Water Damage

The following is an article by Rob Samouce who writes a column on LEGAL MATTERS that I read Sunday December 4th in the naples Daily News. I wanted to share it with anyone interested in finding out who foots the cost of damge to a condominium as a result of water damage. Read on....

Due to many changes in the Florida Statutes affecting condominium associations in recent years, now is probably a good time to review who is responsible for the cost of repairing and/or replacing condominium property damaged by water leaks.

The insurance provisions contained in Section 718.111(11)(f) and (j), Florida Statutes were changed dramatically.

Paragraph (f) now provides that all condominium association insurance policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2009 must provide primary coverage for: "All portions of the condominium property as originally installed or replacement of like kind and quality, in accordance with the original plans and specifications" plus any properly approved material alterations to the common elements or association property.

However, Paragraph (f) also states that the association policy "must exclude all personal property within the unit or limited common elements, and floor, wall and ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water heaters, water filters, built-in cabinets and counter tops, and window treatments, including curtains, drapes, blinds, hardware, and similar window treatment components, or replacements of any of the foregoing which are located within the boundaries of the unit and serve only such unit. Such property and insurance thereupon is the responsibility of the unit owner.

Paragraph (j) provides that: "Any portion of the condominium property, that must be insured by the association against property loss pursuant to paragraph (f) which is damaged, shall be reconstructed, repaired or replaced as necessary by the association as a common expense."

Some exceptions are then listed in paragraph (j) such as if the damage was caused by the negligence of the owner or if the owner failed to timely reports the property loss to the association which damage or loss would then be the responsibility of the owner rather than the association.

A particular condominium association's members may vote by the approval of a majority of the total voting interests to opt-out of the provisions of paragraph (j) for the allocation of repair or reconstruction expenses and instead allocate repair or reconstruction expenses in the manner provided in the declaration as originally recorded or amended.

Any association voting to opt-out must record a notice in the public records of the county evidencing the opt-out and once opted-out an association could always vote to reverse the out-out effectively opting back in.

So, if an association has not voted to opt-out of paragraph (j) and a water leak occurs as a result of an insurable event such as a pipe break or storm damage and there was no provable negligence by anyone, the association is going to be responsible for the cost of replacing all damaged drywall in and around the unit.

Many association's insurance policies have a $5,000 deductible for water leaks, so the association will end up having to pay out of pocket up to $5,000 for drywall repair.

Many association's declarations provide that the owner is responsible for maintaining all portions of his unit and the boundaries of the units are usually the unfinished surfaces of the perimeter walls. In such cases, the owner is responsible for the maintenance of the interior drywall but unless the members have voted to opt-out of paragraph (j), the association will still have to pay for the interior drywall damage repairs because these drywalls are also insured by the association policy because they are portions of the condominium property as originally installed.

If the owners have voted to opt out of paragraph (j) and the Declaration provides that the owners are responsible for maintaining interior unit drywalls, then the owners will be responsible for the cost or repair of the damage to the interior drywalls rather than the association.

Some associations prefer to vote to opt-out of paragraph (j) in order to make their owners more responsible in preventing water leaks as the individual owners will then have a larger stake in the costs of repair from water leaks.

The question also arises as to who is responsible for the cost of "dry out" of the unit. The statutes are pretty silent on this issue.

However, because the dry out benefits both the unit owner and the association in mitigating the amount of damage to both the owner's property and the association's property, the cost of dry out is usually split proportionally between the owner and the association as to the amount of benefit obtained by each.

There are some other ways to prevent water damage in the first place. We find some of the best methods to do so is to amend the Declaration of Condominium with approval of the members to put strict negligence on the owners for the cost of all damage caused by a water leak if they do not replace their water heaters (within 10 years), utilize steel-lined washing machine hoses, replace dishwashers (within 14 years), contract for ongoing air-conditioning maintenance service, or fails to turn off the main water valve to the unit if the unit will be unoccupied for 48 hours or more.

The above are general guidelines as to how water leak damage costs may usually play out after a leak. However, because the individual facts causing leaks vary greatly, it is best to consult with your association's attorney after a leak occurs to determine exactly how the costs will be shared in a particular instance.

For additional information, visit http://www.smglawfirm.com/.

Grande Finale???...I sure Hope so!!!

Just when I thought things would quiet down a bit because most of our clients have already returned to Florida for the winter months, I was met with an unpleasant suprise when I checked a unit in Forest Glen the other day. I turned the key, opened the door and was met with what looked like a swimming pool that was obviously in the wrong place. Water, water, water...everywhere. See photo #1. Needless to say my heart dropped to my feet!!! How could this happen? We always have the water main turned OFF so I knew we had done our job so it had to be coming from outside the condo. After doing some preliminary investigating I was unable to determine where the water was coming from so I immediately contacted Tropical Isles Property Management and the Association Building President and advised them that we needed to get a plumber, Fire Sprinkler people and lawn maintenance people there ASAP to help determine the source of the problem. Once they arrived it was the plumber who discovered that a water main supply pipe to the upstairs unit was in fact leaking from under the building slab/foundation and was rising up through an inside wall in the guest bedroom. See photo #2. I notified the owner and contacted a Disaster Restoration Company and they are currently in the process of getting the unit back to it's original condition...removing all the carpeting, drying the place out with no less than 16 commercial blower/dryers. See photo #3. and doing what needs to be done as required by Florida Code. This experience is just one more reminder that having insurance on your condo is, not only Florida Law but also essential because the unit owner is responsible for any and all claims inside the walls of their unit regardless of who may or may not have been at fault! As for POM, it turned out to be just another day at the office!!!

Dead Palmetto Bug Solution???

Here's a photo of the dead palmetto bugs we swept up in a client's house in Lely Resort last summer. Needless to say we had "pest control in to spray several times but these pests just continued to showup. This year was quite different...our client placed bay leaves all around the house, kitchen, bathroom etc. and this year we have NOT seen one dead palmetto bug. Don't ask us how it works, we just know that it does.