Canadian Home Watch Month: Five Questions to Ask Before You Leave Home

September 11, 2026 sbredy

Canadian Home Watch Month is a consumer awareness initiative of the Canadian Home Watch Group (CHWG) and National Home Watch Association (NHWA), designed to help homeowners make informed decisions before seasonal departures, extended travel, and other periods when a property may be unoccupied.

September marks the Second Annual Canadian Home Watch Month, an initiative led by the Canadian Home Watch Group (CHWG) and the National Home Watch Association (NHWA) to increase awareness of accredited and certified Home Watch services across Canada and help homeowners better understand the risks and responsibilities that can come with leaving a property unoccupied for an extended period.

Home Watch matters throughout the year. So why dedicate September to talking about it?

For many Canadian homeowners, September is when plans for the months ahead begin to take shape. Snowbirds are preparing for seasonal departures. Winter travel is being planned. Seasonal residences are being closed. Temperatures are beginning to fall, and homeowners are making decisions about heating, winterization, snow removal, insurance requirements, and who will look after their property while they are away.

That makes September an important time to stop and ask whether your home is truly prepared for an extended absence.

Canadian Home Watch Month is an opportunity to do exactly that.

Leaving a home unoccupied doesn’t mean it stops needing attention. Accredited and certified Home Watch services provide scheduled visual inspections designed to identify visible concerns and keep homeowners informed while they are away.

Rather than simply telling you that Home Watch matters, we want to encourage Canadian homeowners to ask some important questions before they leave.

Does My Insurance Policy Have Requirements While I Am Away?

This is one of the first questions we encourage homeowners to investigate, and the answer should come directly from their insurance provider.

Insurance policies differ, and requirements can vary based on the insurer, the policy, the property, the length of the absence, and whether the home is considered vacant or unoccupied.

Depending on your policy and circumstances, there may be requirements or conditions related to inspection frequency, documentation, heating systems, water shut-off procedures, monitoring devices, or other precautions during an extended absence.

Do not assume that having someone occasionally stop by your property satisfies your policy requirements.

Before you leave, contact your insurance provider and ask what is expected of you during your absence. Find out whether inspections are required, how frequently they must occur, whether they need to be documented, and whether there are other conditions you need to meet.

Knowing the answers before you leave gives you an opportunity to put the appropriate arrangements in place.

Do I Understand the Difference Between Vacant and Unoccupied?

In everyday conversation, we often use “vacant” and “unoccupied” interchangeably. When it comes to a home and its insurance coverage, however, the distinction may be important.

A furnished home that you leave for several weeks while travelling may be treated differently from a property that has been emptied and is awaiting sale or its next occupant.

The definitions and implications can vary by insurance provider and policy, which is another reason a conversation with your insurer should be part of your pre-departure planning.

Ask how your insurer will classify your property during your absence and whether that classification changes any of your responsibilities.

The important thing is not to assume. Understand how your specific policy applies to your specific circumstances before you leave.

Is My Home Prepared for the Conditions It Will Face While I Am Away?

For Canadians leaving home during the fall or winter, preparing the property involves more than locking the doors and adjusting the thermostat.

What happens if temperatures fall significantly while you are away? Is your heating system ready for winter? Have exterior water sources been properly prepared? Is snow removal arranged? Are there areas of the property that may be vulnerable to ice, wind, moisture, or changing weather conditions?

Your preparations will depend on your home, location, length of absence, and the season.

The important question is whether you have considered what your property will need while no one is living there day to day.

A home does not stop requiring attention simply because its occupants are away.

Who Will Be Checking My Property, and What Does “Checking” Actually Mean?

This is where understanding Home Watch becomes important.

The National Home Watch Association defines Home Watch as a visual inspection of a home or property, looking for obvious issues.

Home Watch is different from house-sitting or simply asking someone to drive past the property periodically.

A Home Watch visit can include scheduled interior and exterior observations, documentation of the visit, identification of visible concerns, and communication with the homeowner when something requires attention.

Homeowners should also think about how they will stay informed while they are away. Will they receive updates? Will visits be documented? Will photographs be provided? Understanding how information will be shared can be just as important as deciding who will be checking the property.

Depending on the property and circumstances, a visit may identify visible signs of water intrusion, heating or HVAC issues, storm damage, pest or wildlife activity, security concerns, exterior damage, or other unexpected conditions.

Home Watch cannot eliminate every risk associated with leaving a property. What it provides is structured, documented oversight while you cannot be there yourself.

That distinction is an important part of Canadian Home Watch Month.

As Home Watch continues to develop as a service category in Canada, homeowners should understand what the service is, what it is not, and what they should reasonably expect from someone entrusted with monitoring their property.

What Happens If Something Goes Wrong While I Am Away?

Having someone discover a problem is important.

Knowing what happens next is equally important.

It’s also worth considering how you will know things are going well. Regular updates and visit documentation can help homeowners stay informed about their property while they are away, whether a concern has been identified or everything appears to be in order.

If water is discovered where it should not be, the heat is not functioning properly, storm damage is visible, or there is evidence of a security issue, what is the plan?

Who contacts you? What happens if you cannot immediately be reached? Who can provide access to the property if a qualified service provider is required? Have you established who is authorized to take appropriate next steps?

These questions become considerably more important when you are hundreds or thousands of kilometres from home.

Before leaving, consider not only who will check your property, but also how an unexpected situation will be handled if something is discovered.

Home Watch provides homeowners with an established point of contact and a structured process for documenting and communicating visible concerns. Depending on the services arranged, a Home Watch provider may also help facilitate access or coordinate with appropriate third-party service providers when an issue requires further attention.

One More Question: Who Am I Trusting With My Home?

Your home is likely one of your most valuable assets. If you are entrusting someone with access to it while you are away, it is reasonable to ask about their qualifications and standards.

Not all businesses offering property checks, Home Watch services, house-sitting, or similar services operate under the same standards.

Ask questions.

Is the provider properly insured? Are they bonded? Have they completed recognized Home Watch training? Are they accredited or certified through recognized industry organizations? Do they follow established standards and ethical practices? Are visits documented? What procedures are in place for communicating concerns?

Canadian homeowners should take the time to understand the qualifications, experience, certifications, accreditations, and standards behind anyone entrusted with monitoring an unoccupied property.

Building Awareness and Raising Standards Across Canada

Canadian Home Watch Month serves as an annual reminder for homeowners to review their plans before seasonal travel, extended absences, and winter departures.

September arrives at a time when many Canadians are preparing for winter travel, seasonal departures, and extended periods away from home. It gives homeowners an opportunity to stop before they leave and consider whether the right plans are actually in place.

It also creates an opportunity to build greater awareness of Home Watch as a professional service supported by accreditation, certification, and industry standards in Canada.

Canadian Home Watch Month highlights the growing network of accredited and certified Home Watch providers across Canada who are committed to protecting homeowners through education, accountability, professional standards, and ethical business practices. As awareness of Home Watch continues to grow, so does the importance of helping consumers understand what they should expect from a qualified provider.

As a Certified Home Watch Professional® and Canadian Advisory Board Member for the Canadian Home Watch Group and National Home Watch Association, Acuity Advantage founder Sandi Bredy is proud to contribute to that work.

Home Watch continues to grow across Canada, and with that growth comes a responsibility to promote education, accreditation, certification, ethics, accountability, and standards that protect homeowners and strengthen trust in the industry.

Canadian Home Watch Month gives Home Watch providers across the country an opportunity to have those conversations with homeowners.

Our hope is that by the end of September, more Canadians understand not simply what Home Watch is, but what questions they should be asking before leaving their homes for an extended period.

So, before your next trip or seasonal departure, ask yourself:

Does my insurance policy have requirements while I am away?
Do I understand how my property will be classified during my absence?
Is my home prepared for the season ahead?
Who will be checking on it?
How will I remain informed about what is happening at home?
What happens if something goes wrong?
And who am I trusting with my home?

The goal of Canadian Home Watch Month is simple: to help homeowners make informed decisions before they leave and to encourage greater awareness of the accredited and certified Home Watch standards that help protect properties across Canada.

The best time to ask these questions is before you leave. The best time to put the right plans in place is before they are needed.

About Acuity Advantage

Acuity Advantage provides accredited Home Watch and lifestyle management services throughout Calgary, the Foothills, Rocky View County, Airdrie, Red Deer County, and Whitehorse, Yukon. Led by Sandi Bredy, Certified Home Watch Professional® and Canadian Advisory Board Member for CHWG/NHWA, Acuity Advantage is committed to professional accountability, proactive property oversight, risk mitigation, and service well above expectations.

About Canadian Home Watch Month

Canadian Home Watch Month is an annual consumer awareness initiative of the Canadian Home Watch Group (CHWG) and National Home Watch Association (NHWA). The campaign promotes homeowner education, accreditation, certification, professional standards, and greater awareness of accredited and certified Home Watch services throughout Canada.

Visit the Canadian Home Watch Group Website
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