Congratulations on making it to your new home. Before you explore and connect with the community around you, you should conduct a thorough home checkup to ensure everything is running smoothly. Need help figuring out where to start? Don’t worry. Here are tips to make settling into your new home a breeze.
Get Everything Working
Moving into a new home brings new responsibilities. You need to inspect and clean the home, find the electrical panel, and main water controller, arrange furniture, add accentuating features, etc. Though faced with numerous tasks, prioritizing the essential responsibilities might get the pressure off your back. Below are some of the most essential steps to take when settling into your new home.
Change The Door Locks
Your realtor may have handed you the keys, but you aren’t sure whether you are the only one possessing them. Hire a locksmith to change the locks to prevent anyone possessing the copy keys from accessing your home and reduce the risk of theft. In addition, your locksmith service should reprogram the garage door remote and codes to prevent intruders from entering your garage.
Check the Electrical System
Flaws in the electrical system can risk you of electrocution. It can cause property losses from short circuits. Before you move in, call a licensed electrician to inspect your residential electrical work to ensure it’s operating flawlessly. Besides the inspection, the professionals should advise you on the safety measures you can take to avoid electrical injury or damage.
Inspect the Water and Gas Systems
Errors in the water system can lead to water damage or lack of water in your home. On the other hand, a faulty gas line can result in dangerous fire outbreaks, resulting in property damage. Calling the right professionals to review the systems before settling is paramount to avoid associated accidents.
Clean Out the Drains
The drains in a home can become clogged due to the gradual accumulation of scum and other debris. These clogs can interfere with the smooth flow or block the wastewater passage from your home. So, you should hire drain cleaning professionals to check your drainage system before settling into your new home.
Professional drain cleaners know how to identify and correct the problem areas in advance to avoid costly repairs. Also, they have access to the right equipment, meaning they can meet your cleaning needs efficiently.
Typically, drains are a perfect home for bacteria and pathogens, and DIYing the cleaning operation could put you at risk of getting a serious infection. Also, DIYing the drain cleaning could risk you and your family from contacting hazardous chemicals. Having the job professionally done remains the only option, as these experts know the right safety measures to uphold and the best eco-friendly cleaning chemicals.
Besides, professional drain cleaners will ensure that your plumbing system’s components comply with the plumbing codes, relieving you from huge penalties for non-compliance. Ensure your drain cleaning professional is licensed and experienced to get the best results.
Get the HVAC System Inspected
HVAC systems can develop operations problems like leaks, poor air quality, and unpleasant noises due to installation errors or wear and tear. These problems can deny you the much-needed comfort in your new home. As such, you should contact the local HVAC services to inspect and repair the HVAC components before settling into your new home. Why HVAC professionals?
Licensed HVAC technicians have the right expertise. Indeed, most states issue HVAC installation and repair licenses to persons who are trained and experienced in the working of HVAC systems. In other words, HVAC experts know how to troubleshoot and repair system problems. If you hire one, you can rest assured that your system is in safe hands.
Please note that checking your system once before settling isn’t enough. After the first inspection, you should continue with the inspection at least once a year to ensure flawless operation.
Clean the Chimneys Before Winter
Chimneys are essential in eliminating harmful gases from the furnace. Over time, these units may become less effective or even blocked due to the accumulation of soot, creosote, or blockage from animal nests, dead tree leaves, and twigs.
If left unattended, these elements may risk your home of serious fire damage, especially during winter, when the furnace is mostly used. That’s why you should hire one of the local chimney sweepers to clean off any chimney buildup/ blockage before settling into your new home.
Why hire a professional chimney cleaner when you can DIY the project? Professional chimney cleaners can spot almost all areas that need some TLC, like missing caps, damaged flues, bad flashing, etc., which a normal handyperson may not troubleshoot.
Additionally, chimney cleaners have access to the right equipment. Therefore, they can meet all your cleaning goals, whether you want to remove dead tree leaves, bird nests, or creosote accumulation. If the company you hire to clean offers chimney repair services, they may suggest certain repairs and upgrades to prevent damage from rodents, birds, and other culprits.
When hiring a chimney sweep, work with a licensed professional. Being licensed means that the company is experienced in the job, as most states require individuals to attend training and years of apprenticeship to qualify for the license. That means they can complete your chimney cleaning job faster and more efficiently.
Clean The Gutters Before Spring
During the onset of the spring, the gutters in most buildings tend to accumulate unwanted elements like fallen tree leaves, plant seeds, powder wash, and tree twigs. These elements, if not cleaned, may host critters and insects like mice, wasps, and ants, which may finally invade your home. That is why you need professional gutter services to clean out the debris before settling into your new home.
Besides preventing pest infestation, having your gutters professionally cleaned inhibits the growth of molds. Why? Clean gutters allow melted ice water to flow flawlessly to the ground. That means there won’t be water accumulation to promote the growth of molds. Additionally, well-functioning gutters will direct the rainwater away from your home’s siding and foundation, thus avoiding water damage.
If you have a torn or old-looking roof, the gutter cleaning professionals may install a new roof to improve your home’s curb appeal. If they don’t offer roofing services, they can recommend the best roofing company in the locality, saving you the time and money you would have wasted looking for a reliable one.
For best results, find a reliable gutter service to inspect and clean the gutters at least twice a year. One way to ensure you are working with the right company is to look at their credentials, reputation, and reviews to see what past customers say about them. That way, you’ll get a gutter cleaning service you can trust.
Install a New Hot Water Heater
Winters can be hard to endure without hot water. That’s why you must ensure your water heater works effectively before settling into your new home. With water heaters in place, you would have 24/7 access to hot water for cooling, bathing, and performing other cleaning operations.
The efficiency of your water heater will depend on the type installed. Tankless water heaters are among the most energy-efficient, as they heat water instantly when needed. Also, they need less installation space and are more durable than their tanked counterparts. However, these benefits come at a cost, so don’t be surprised to find them costlier than their tanked water heaters.
The other water heaters you can install in your home include heat pump water heaters, solar water heaters, and condensing water heaters. Your installation professional should advise you on the best type of water heater to install in your home, depending on your budget and efficiency goals.
If you bought an old home, the installation professionals should inspect and repair the water heaters or replace them if outdated.
Set Up Essential Delivery Services
Moving to a new location might mean connecting with new local essential service providers to get your essential services promptly and efficiently. For instance, if you use propane to power boilers, furnaces, and the backup generator in your home, establishing a relationship with propane service delivery is essential for continuous supply.
One advantage of connecting with local delivery services is always having supplies. If you contract a propane delivery service, you will seldom run out of propane, meaning your tanks, fuel lines, and valves will stay pristine.
Hiring propane services saves you the time you would otherwise have spent purchasing, transporting, and refilling the propane tanks. Moreover, hiring essential delivery services allows you to plan better for your finances. Knowing the prices and the payment dates allows you to plan how to cover your monthly costs.
Over and above that, most delivery service companies are insured. That means they take full liability for any damage that might happen to your goods while in transit, giving you an advantage over DIYers.
Get Your Home Fully Inspected
Whether moving to a new or old home, you must inspect your entire home to ensure everything is up to the required standard and running efficiently. That means working with different professionals to inspect and correct different sections of your home. The common areas that need inspection include:
The HVAC System
The HVAC system’s ductwork, furnace, vents, air conditioners, and other components can become problematic due to poor installation. So, having your HVAC system professionally checked is a must to ensure the system is operating optimally.
The Roof
New roofs need a careful inspection by professional roofers to establish whether they are structurally sound and if they deliver the desired impression. Your roofing professional should identify and correct errors like sagging roof, errors in fascia and soffits, signs of leaks, missing or loose tiles/shingles, uneven shingles, exposed nails, and other signs of poor workmanship.
Water and Drainage Systems
The water and drainage system can benefit from inspections too. Typically, these systems carry in and eliminate water from your home, and a slight installation error can result in tremendous water damage. So hire a professional plumber to inspect the systems and provide a long-lasting solution.
The other systems worth professional inspection before settling into your new home include the electrical, security, and septic systems.
Pump Out the Septic Tank
The septic tank is another area that needs some TLC before settling into your new home. Typically, septic tanks hold all types of soluble waste from home and may develop a water build-up spill to your property if left unchecked. To avoid the worst, you should hire a septic tank pumping service to pump out excess wastewater and make any necessary repairs regularly.
Besides preventing water build-up, professional septic tank cleaning and pumping will enhance the flow of household sinks and faucets and avoid the development of bad odors. It will also prevent unsightly discoloration in the lawn resulting from the absorption of nutrients from the septic system.
You need to work with qualified septic professionals to enjoy the above benefits. To get the right professionals, advertise your need for septic pumping service in your local publication. Then narrow your selection list by checking the individual applicants’ credentials and experience. You can also get a reliable septic pump service by asking friends, family members, and acquaintances for recommendations.
Hold Off on Major Projects for at Least a Year
Deciding to move into a new home means you are satisfied with its interior and exterior designs. So, you need time to relax and enjoy your new home before undertaking any remodeling projects. Besides, your budget may not allow you to engage in kitchen redesign and other major projects immediately after purchasing or building a home.
However, as part of settling into your new home, you can hire professionals to undertake minor projects like painting the doors and windows, installing wallpapers, building a garden bed, decorating the interiors, painting kitchen cabinets, installing shelves, arranging flowers, and much more.
Suppose you don’t have the money to hire different professionals. In that case, you can hire a handyperson’s contracting service to execute most of your minor tasks at a relatively lower cost.
Final Words
Settling into your new home can be stressful, given the numerous responsibilities waiting for you. We have outlined the above steps to simplify your settling process. Make sure you follow all of them and work with the right professionals to reap the most benefits.