6 Things Every New Homeowner Should Know

Owning a home is a big responsibility, and it can be hard to sort out everything new you will encounter as a homeowner.  The best thing you can do for yourself is to break it all down into small pieces.  

Absorb one piece of the puzzle that is home maintenance at a time, and prepare yourself for a long, happy existence in your home.  Here is a brief look at just a few things you’ll need to know about owning your home.  

Know how to take care of your HVAC unit

Repairing and/or replacing your home’s HVAC unit is a very expensive situation.  You will want to do everything you can to prolong the life of your heating and air unit.  

Learn the basics of HVAC maintenance, and find what every homeowner should know about their HVAC system.  Start by changing the air filter in your home once per month.  There’s much to be gained by adding HVAC maintenance skills to your repertoire.  

Check your home for cracks and gaps

If you want your home to be as efficient as possible, you’ll need to do a yearly scan for cracks and gaps along windows, doors, and in attic and basement spaces.  

When air is able to seep in and out of your home, you’ll use more energy heating and cooling the space.  You can apply simple fixes for most issues you discover, but large cracks in your home’s structure should be assessed by a professional.  

Learn to properly tend to your water heater

Your water heater makes for a lot of good times in your home.  You don’t want it to go bad before it’s time, and you definitely don’t want to clean up the mess it could cause.  

Learn to properly keep up with your home’s water heater maintenance, and avoid catastrophe.  Drain the water heater every couple of years to relieve the unit of built up water sediment. Built up sediment can cause your unit to malfunction or cease to function altogether.  

Know how to shut off the water

When you own a home, it’s a good idea to know how to shut off the water supply.  If one of your pipes springs a leak, you need to know how to stop the flooding quickly to save your home from further damage.  

Call 811 before digging any holes in the yard

If you choose to do any landscaping on your new property, you should take precautions before you start digging up dirt.  It’s best to call the national dig-safety hotline before you dig holes, as you could accidentally hit a water or gas line.  Dial 811, and you can get the answers you need to dig safely.