Troubleshooting Tips
1. I've plugged Sherlock in but can't get him to turn on.
2. I turned Sherlock on for the first time but haven't received a welcome email.
3. Sherlock's status indicator light is glowing red.
4. Sherlock's cellular connectivity status light won't turn green.
5. I've ordered but haven't received an OnDemand Report.
6. I've stopped receiving my weekly HomeData Report.
7. I'm receiving alerts via email, but I'm not receiving texts.
8. Sherlock's temperature readings don't match my other home thermometer.
9. My services seem to work sometimes and not others, or have stopped working altogether.
1. I’ve plugged Sherlock in but can’t get him to turn on.
Check to see that the power cord is fully plugged into the rear of Sherlock’s base. Also, check that there is power at the outlet, and make sure that you press the power button until you hear a click and hold it in that position for a full second.
2. I turned Sherlock on for the first time but haven’t received a welcome email.
Sending the welcome email requires Sherlock to connect to the HouseSetter data center to confirm service activation and device settings, which may take up to 5 minutes. If after 5 minutes you still haven’t received the email, check your spam/junk mail folder. If it’s there, add Sherlock@housesetter.com to your contact list to insure future delivery. If it’s not in your junk mail folder, log into your personal Subscriber Control Panel at www.housesetter.com and check the email addresses you have listed for the device to make sure they’ve been entered correctly. Also, you should confirm whether the other email addresses you have listed for the device have received the welcome email: if they have, this which could indicate a problem with your primary email account.
3. Sherlock’s status indicator light is glowing red.
Sherlock’s status indicator light glows red when he’s inactive, which means he isn’t connected to an active account and can’t deliver any services. First check the status of your account by logging into your personal Subscriber Control Panel at www.housesetter.com. If it’s expired, follow the instructions for reestablishing your subscription and reactivating Sherlock. If your account is already active and the light is red, press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, which triggers Sherlock to attempt to reestablish services. If these suggestions don’t resolve the issue, use a thin object (paperclip, toothpick, etc.) to press and hold the button labeled “RESET” which is located in a recessed opening on the bottom of Sherlock’s base.
4. Sherlock’s cellular connectivity status light won’t turn green.
Cellular signal strength varies geographically across the country and from room to room within your home, and a green indicator light means Sherlock is receiving a signal roughly equivalent to three or more bars of service on a typical cell phone. If Sherlock’s light isn’t green, try moving him to different rooms (letting him sit in the area for a minute to receive an accurate measurement). Many factors affect signal strength, with basements, interior rooms, and enclosures (e.g. - wine cellars, cabinets, closets) usually causing lower readings. Depending on the circumstances you may be in a location where the network’s signal strength just won’t produce a green indication. In those cases Sherlock should still work so long as his light remains consistently red/green. A red light indicates an unsuitable location to put Sherlock OnDuty as the signal is so weak that it will prevent HouseSetter from providing reliable services.
5. I’ve ordered but haven’t received an OnDemand Report.
Log in to your personal account page and check to make sure the email addresses you’ve listed for the device are accurate. Also check your spam/junk mail folder, and confirm that you’ve added Sherlock@housesetter.com to your contact list. If you’re an Elementary Package subscriber, confirm that you have an active credit/debit card on file, as separate charges apply. If these suggestions don’t resolve the issue, wait five minutes and retry your OnDemand request.
6. I’ve stopped receiving my weekly HomeData Report.
You should continue to receive weekly HomeData Reports as long as you have a valid subscription for the device and Sherlock is operating in OnDuty mode. Expired subscriptions, or intentionally placing Sherlock in OffDuty mode by pressing his power button to turn him off, will stop all future weekly reports until he is reactivated or manually placed back OnDuty by pressing his power button.
7. I’m receiving alerts via email, but I’m not receiving texts.
Log in to your personal Subscriber Control Panel at www.housesetter.com and verify that the mobile phone numbers you have listed for your device are accurate. Also, confirm that your cellular service is functioning properly and is set up to receive texts.
8. Sherlock’s temperature readings don’t match my other home thermometer.
Many factors can influence the readings, with the largest variations typically resulting from the tolerance range of the measurement devices themselves, and their precise physical location within your home. Sherlock’s sensors are calibrated to +/- 1 degree F, and +/- 3% RH, which are similar to many common digital home temperature and humidity gages (typically +/- 3 degrees F and +/- 4% RH). Depending upon where each device falls within its range, differences of up to 4 degrees F or 7% RH are possible with normally functioning devices. Also, locating Sherlock in direct sunlight or near other heat sources (such as electronic equipment or near heat vents), or placing him in areas which restrict air flow (like directly on a carpet or in an enclosed setting like a cabinet) can distort his readings and prevent him from accurately reporting on the actual conditions in your home.
9. My services seem to work sometimes and not others, or have stopped working altogether.
While it shouldn’t happen in normal circumstances, there may be rare situations that require a Sherlock “reboot.” If you’re experiencing problems with Sherlock that you cannot otherwise resolve, you can trigger the reboot by using a thin object (paperclip, toothpick, etc.) to press and hold the button labeled “RESET” located in a recessed opening on the bottom of Sherlock’s base. Once the reset has been triggered you’ll hear Sherlock say “I’m activating services, you should receive a welcome email shortly”, followed by an OnDuty email and text alert when the reboot is complete. This procedure has the potential to resolve many issues, and, if successful will reestablish services while retaining your device’s existing personalized settings (alert selections and thresholds). You can confirm the settings by logging into your Subscriber Control Center or reviewing the alerts section of your HomeData reports.