The Winter season is one of the busiest travel months of the year and leaving your home behind can be a big source of anxiety. No matter if you’re visiting family across the country or taking flight with the other snowbirds, the specter of the film Home Alone tends to haunt otherwise merry travels.
Michael Frey has been an expert in everything relating to homes and maintenance for 10 years. Graduating from Minnesota State University-Mankato with a bachelor’s degree in recreation, parks and leisure services, he started working at Three Rivers Park District in the maintenance department. “[Having an] eye for detail is a huge thing in this business, and at Three Rivers Park District I learned a lot that has suited my credibility in this field,” Frey says.
Frey started his own company in home protection and maintenance after he and his family were on a trip in Colorado. They noticed a lot of homes that seemed to be empty and wondered who was taking care of them. While mulling this over, inspiration struck Frey. Soon after, he and his wife founded Elite Home Professional (EHP) in 2019.
“Our overall goal is to prevent big problems from happening in homes,” Frey says. “Risk mitigation. We’ve caught small leaks in people’s basements, toilets or sinks.” A lot of EHP’s clients are away from their homes anywhere from one month to an entire year, so small, unchecked leaks can create a big problem.
EHP walks through clients’ homes in-person at a rate decided on by the client, whether it’s once every two weeks or twice a week. While in the house,
Frey and his team create the illusion that someone is home while also checking the home’s HVAC system, pipes and anything else that could weigh on a homeowner's mind and wallet. “Cameras in your home can only reach so much,” Frey says. “A person that knows what they are
doing can catch everything.” Frey says that something that sets EHP apart for Plymouth homeowners is its credibility. EHP is part of the National Home Watch Association, an accredited association involving many home watch companies.
Tips to Ensure Safe Holidays
- Make sure all electronics are unplugged before leaving your home.
- Turn off the furnace.
- The thermostat should be set to 62–64 degrees F.
- If you leave your AC on, the thermostat should be set to 75–78 degrees F.
- Turn off your water (optional but recommended).
Elite Home Professional
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