Buying your first home has to be one of the most exciting things you can do.
All that hard work and saving finally pays off and you are able to spend it on something which will change your whole life. Getting a foot on the property ladder though can be tough, especially for the younger generation and it can take years for us to be able to afford a home of our own.
It's a great feeling when you finally get the keys, but there is still a lot for us to learn about owning a house and looking after it. Whether you need to find the right plumber to hire, know how to check your meter or install insulation in the walls: I've put together some handy life hacks for new homeowners today to help you through.
1. Check Your Insulation
When you move into your home you're probably busythinking about decor and furniture, you might not immediately think about things like the insulation in the walls and the ceiling, but it is something you shouldn't forget. It is important for a new homeowner to have enough insulation in the house because it will protect the structure of your home as well as keep it warm and keep those bills down. Make sure to check the insulation you currently have, if any, and decide whether you need to upgrade it.
2. Set up your heating
Pretty much any new home you move into will have a small heating panel or remote control somewhere in the house which will allow you to set the temperature of your home throughout the day. It is crucial for you if you want to keep the Home nice and warm as well as not use too much energy, that you set the heating system up. correctly. Make sure that the heating is set low while you aren’t in the house and set it to decent temperatures when you come home.
3. Insulate Your Hot Water Tank
Your hot water tank, if you have one, is a big part of the home and it will help you to enjoy your hot showers and baths. It is important to keep this machine a little warmer so that it takes less energy from the home to heat your water to the desired temperature. You can buy some cheap insulation blankets from hardware stores and wrap this around your tank.
4. Check the meter
One of the first things you should do is check your meters to provide an accurate reading from when you took over the property so there are no arguments later on. Checking your meters is something which you won’t necessarily always have to do for yourself, but it is always good to know where your meters actually are for when the meter reader people come to the house. You should have an electrical meter and a gas meter and some houses will also have a water meter. It is important to make sure that the meters are kept safe and dry so that they are able to function correctly.
5. Wrap your pipes
If you live in an area which has pretty harsh winter weather, it is a great idea for you to wrap your water pipes. When the weather is cold outside and below freezing this might cause the pipes to freeze and this will prevent you getting any fresh water to the home. They can also burst if they freeze. By covering the pipes in insulation it will ensure that the pipes won’t freeze and you're kept warm and dry throughout the winter.
Those are just a few of my tips. Let me know if you have any.
Love Tx
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