Facts to Consider About Homeownership |
Posted: July 6, 2018 |
Caring for your house will be a lifelong obligation and you won't always catch every problem early. But by doing what you can to prevent problems, you'll be able to avoid many costly repairs. Making the effort to take care of your home will let you enjoy it fully, now and well into the future. While this does not technically pertain to keeping your house, it does concern the safety of your loved ones. Keeping an eye on your washing machine can stop flooding, but being watchful of your dryer may be even more important. The National Fire Protection Association reports that nearly 15,000 home fires come from dryers every year in america. To prevent this from happening in your house, never go to sleep or leave while the dryer is operating. Also, keep the dryer clear and clean out the lint trap, before each use. Also, consider a DIY home security system that can monitor your home automatically with fire and other emergency situations. They are affordable and effective. Switch to LED or CFL Light Bulbs While these bulbs are a bit more expensive than traditional bulbs, they will last longer. Additionally, they use much less energy, which means your electric bills will be reduced. There are now LED bulbs that come with smart home features, so they can even be handled with your mobile device. Even if you don't replace every light bulb, then consider replacing those in heavily used areas, where much of your electricity will be used. Adding more energy efficient bulbs will save you money and, as a homeowner, you'll need all the savings you can get. Some new homeowners don't even think to do this, but there's no way of knowing who still has a set of spare keys to the current locks. To be secure, change all of the locks and create new spare keys for the members of the household. This may give you better control over who has access to your new house. While not every crack on your basement floor and walls represent a severe threat to the base, it's important to keep an eye on them. Cover each crack with a strip of masking tape and use a permanent marker to note the date that you observed the crack. This can allow you to determine which cracks are spreading or worsening, so you can choose if repairs will soon be required. This may also help your contractor evaluate the damage and provide a more precise estimate. Poor caulking can cause energy efficiency issues, so you should check your windows the moment you take ownership of the home. Caulk your windows! As much as 80% of heat is lost through poorly caulked windows, so it's important to check on them every season. By using a high quality caulk, you might be able to avoid having to redo this every autumn. A poorly maintained HVAC system can cause a great deal of wasted energy, in addition to forcing the machine to work overtime to maintain your house's temperatures maintained. As soon as you move into your home, you should contact an HVAC company and request an evaluation of your home's system. A specialist can identify problems early and give the system a tune-up to ensure it will function effectively, when it's needed. Clean Your Clothes Dryer and Keep an Eye on It Get the Furnace and Air Conditioner Serviced!
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