Owning a home is exciting. You spend many months planning, searching, and gathering all the proper paperwork to hopefully settle down for a while in your new place.
However, the job doesn’t end once you have the keys to your new home. Home ownership requires that you keep up with the maintenance of the property.
If you’re not sure what you’ll need to do, take a moment to educate yourself. Here is a brief compilation of a few home maintenance tips you’ll need to take proper care of your new home.
Locate your main water shutoff valve
If your home experiences a bad water leak, you will need to know how to quickly turn off the main water supply to your home. Stopping the water from rushing into your home can save you thousands in damage repairs.
As soon as you start moving into your home, find the main shutoff valve to your water. Water damage is a historically gray area in terms of insurance claims, so be proactive about the situation should it arise.
Find the home’s breaker box
While you’re looking around the new place for the water shutoff valve, keep an eye out for the main breaker box. You are certain to find it along the way. Once you find the breaker box, familiarize yourself with the various fuse controls.
Label the breakers once you’ve identified what they control, so you have a simple reference for the future. That’s about as far as you should go when it comes to meddling with your home’s electrical systems.
Electrical systems are different. It’s wise to call professionals to handle any complicated electrical issues in your home. Pay an electrical contractor to fix or rewire any issues, so you have a warranty on the work and you don’t get hurt.
Call before digging in the yard
Before you do any digging in your yard, it’s wise to make sure you’re not going to hit any pipes, wires, or cables. In the U.S., you can simply call 811 to reach the national dig-safely hotline.
Calling this simple number will make your dig much safer. Plant flowers and perform other landscaping projects with the peace of mind knowing that you’re not going to do any damage.
Check the foundation for any issues
The foundation of your home is important for obvious reasons, so keep a watchful eye on its state of repair over the years. If you notice any cracks in your foundation, address the problem before it turns into a much more expensive issue.
Make sure your gutters and downspouts are properly moving rainwater away from your home’s foundation when it rains. Standing water around your foundation will cause damage over time.