Ceiling Leak

Recently we discovered a stain on the ceiling of a client in the Vineyards. Apparently the unit above our client's had a toilet problem and it caused water to intrude into the unit we were watching. We informed the our client and they in turn contacted their neighbor who was kind enough to have the problem repaired. With a problem of this nature, two things of note need to be pointed out. First the leak was not immediately evident to us. It was only after it had begun to dry that the stain was visible so whenever we find a problem like this we can't be sure when the leak actually occurred. Secondly, whenever there is a water problem of this nature, it is the owner who is responsible for the repair and not the person who caused the problem. This emphasizes why you need to have condo insurance.

Another Leak

Here's an example of another leak we discovered in a condo at Lely Resort.

Water Useage Problem

The Schmidt's have been having a very high water bill and asked us to record the water meter readings when we did our weekly visits. Even though the sprinkler system and the water main was shut OFF we began recording the meter reading on each visit. On the first vist the meter read 175730. The next week the meter read 179800 which indicated 4070 gallons of useage. Thinking we may have read the meter wrong we waited until the next visit when the meter read 183950 indicating 4150 gallons of useage. At this point we decided to also turn the water off at the meter itself and when we returned the next day we found 0 useage. At this point the cause of the water useage has not been identified however fortunately water useage has stopped. Needless to say we have kept the Schmidt's informed of our findings and they have decided to have the problem taken care of when they return.

Refrigerator Problem

This is an example of a problem Mike found at a customer in Cedar Hammock. It was reported to the customer who contacted General Electric who ultimately replaced the refrigerator.

Pest Problem

This is what happens when you leave a sugar bowl full of sugar on your kitchen countertop. Remember ALL spices should be stored in the refrigerator prior to your departure otherwise you may end up with an ant problem.

OCTOBER 2008

Dear PEACE OF MIND customers,

Busy, busy, busy. We’re all running around like "three armed wallpaper hangers." The weather has broken, humidity gone, temps lower (at this moment it’s 75 degrees with 75% humidity) and folks are returning in droves. Don’t know what’s going on up north to chase folks south this early but we’re glad to see everyone even though it means a spike in our workload.

Have had our normal active month of problems but another thing we don’t know is what happens to A/C’s when folks decide to return. Seems once we lower the temps when we "open up" they decide to go on strike. Maybe it’s because they haven’t been working real hard and when we crank them up that’s when they decide to sit down on the job and problems occur. Not always the case as evidenced by a recent occurrence... seems between a Wednesday when we checked a unit and it felt nice and cool and Saturday when the owners returned to a warm unit someone must has stolen 3 pounds of coolant from their A/C (a recent phenomenon here in Naples). The owner had the unit checked and the technician found no leakage problems and could only suspect a coolant thief. As if we haven’t had enough problems now we have to watch out for coolant bandits!

Had a couple of refrigerators konk out and ended up calling the Appliance Doctor who fixed things up in a jiff for a reasonable price.

If you return and your car don’t start, it may be time to think about purchasing a "trickle charger" while your in residence. They cost $30-$40 and when connected to the car battery they maintain a charge with very electrical power consumption. If you do not own a garage, just disconnect one terminal on your battery and in most cases your battery will retain it’s charge...newer cars continue to use juice from your battery even if it is parked.

Don’t forget to change ALL smoke detector and thermostat batteries while you’re here. If you hear a beeping when your return your smoke detector battery had probably died and needs replacement.

If you find that you are unable to adjust your digital thermostat up or down, those batteries may be weak or dead.

Lastly, check out the inside of your toilet tanks. The mechanisms inside corrode, rust, spew water and/or leak with the end result water problems. While your at it check that the tank is secure on the commode base. If it’s loose, the brass mounting bolts need to be replaced.

Since this will be our last newsletter of the season, we want to extend our hopes for everyone to have a great stay in Naples this winter. Remember our advice to encourage your upstairs neighbor to sign up with a homeminder so you can feel better that his problems won’t become your problem. Again, enjoy your stay and don’t forget to call us when you leave next year.

Remember....stay cool and relax because you know you have PEACE OF MIND!

Sonny & Joy & Mike
PEACE OF MIND