Buying a new home is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences you can have.
It’s the pay-off for many years of saving up and spending wisely.
You probably cannot wait to start filling out your new home with furniture and appliances but before you do so, it’s important to take some precautionary steps first.
After making such a significant investment into your new home, the last thing you want is to leave yourself vulnerable.
Presenting you the top five things you should absolutely do as soon as you move into your new home.
1. Change Your Locks
Over the course of construction, many people likely had access to your new home’s locks such as the contractor, the architect, and several other individuals.
You obviously don’t want them maintaining that easy access to your home so a lock change is in order.
You should also consider changing your locks even if you bought an already established home because you don’t want to give the old owners that kind of access as well.
According to BobVila.com, you should expect to spend somewhere between $40 to $300 on a new lock and $80 to $200 if you want to have said lock professionally installed.
The good news is that many of the high-quality locks available today can be installed easily as long as you have the right tools and follow the included instructions.
2. Replace Your Air Filters
The home you bought may already be equipped with an HVAC system and that’s great!
However, if the HVAC system attached to your home is not brand new, you may want to look into replacing its air filters.
Clogged air filters could end up costing you money if you don’t swap them out in time.
Since there’s more gunk in the air filters, the HVAC system will have to consume more energy in order to maintain the same level of comfort you prefer inside your home.
HVAC systems also become more prone to damage if their air filters are clogged.
You could also be cycling allergens into your home constantly if you leave the HVAC system’s air filters unclean.
Address those filters right away so that your HVAC system can work as intended.
Angie’s List reminds homeowners to check the replacement filter to see how long it’s expected to last.
Many replacement filters can last for up to six months.
However, most probably you will need to replace some of them even sooner.
3. Inspect Your Heating System
Speaking of HVAC systems, you will want to check on the one attached to your home as you’re getting settled in.
The last thing you want is to realize that you’re not receiving adequate heating from your HVAC system just as the cool night gets underway.
Inspect your HVAC system for any possible damage and give it a try to see if it’s performing as expected.
It’s better to know right away if something’s wrong so that you or a professional can fix the issue sooner rather than later.
Related Article: 5 Steps to Designing & Building Your Dream Family House
4. Check on the Walls and Flooring
One last thing for you to do after you buy your new home is to check the walls and the flooring.
Checking on the walls and floors is important not just because it allows you to spot superficial damage. Those parts of your new home could also hint that there are underlying issues that need to be addressed.
If you see a wet spot on one of the walls or on the floor, that could be because there’s a leak nearby.
Try knocking on the walls too and listen for a hollow sound.
Hollow sounds could mean that there are pests nesting inside your walls.
By examining the walls and floors of your home right away, you can prevent potential problems from getting out of hand.
Getting excited about moving into your new home is quite ok.
But don’t overlook the fact that you’re taking on some added responsibility as well.
Be sure to take the precautionary steps listed above as they will help you take better care of your new home.
5. Keep Rats Away from Your Home
Investing in rodent control is a great idea if you’re a new homeowner.
Rats are notorious household pests and they can be threatening in more than a few ways.
If rats find a way to get into your home, they could leave behind waste materials that can be hazardous to your health.
Rats are also notorious for stealing food from you or possibly your pets.
On top of all that, rats may also deal with damage to your possessions.
They can easily nibble through any wired electronics you left on the ground and they can also damage structural materials such as wooden beams and wall insulation.
Prevent rats from getting into your home by sealing off all possible entry points, restricting access to garbage containers, and using traps.
If the rats are still finding a way in, consider enlisting the help of a professional pest control service.
James is the Founder & CEO of GurusWay.com. Majoring in Business and other life-changing sectors, James covers helpful content and shares his experience with the targeted audience.