Healthy Homes have prepared a list of eco-friendly tactics and product suggestions that are designed to decrease energy costs and help you in your day to day life. Being a homeowner can be exciting and fun at times, with lots of freedom to make it your own space but it also comes with lots of responsibilities. These survival tips will make you a happy homeowner who will thrive for years to come in your home. After months of house hunting, you finally found the home that works for your budget and needs. Congrats! It’s also one of the largest financial investments anyone will ever make. For this reason, it’s especially important for new & existing homeowners to start on the right foot. Here are some essential tips to make your first homeownership experience a success. But don’t worry. We have some homeowner tips and tricks that will help you prepare for those surprises and maybe even save you a few thousand down the line.
- If you fix a single drippy faucet, you can save up to 212 gallons of water per month.
- Installation of low-flow toilets can save up to 3.5 gallons of water per flush.
- Use CFL (compact fluorescent lights) bulbs instead of old light bulbs. It will last 8-12 times longer and reduce your electricity bill charges.
- Replacing showerheads with low-flow showerheads could reduce your water usage by 20,000 gallons per year.
- Installing shades and drapes will block light on hot sunny days and keep cooling costs down.
- Caulk windows and doors.
- Weather-strip your doors.
- Maintain an updated list of phone numbers of your plumber, electrician, utility company, landscaper, HVAC, etc. so you can contact them quickly when needed.
- Have an emergency fund for any unexpected costs.
- Know your major appliances such as fridge, stove/oven, dishwasher, washer/dryer and how they work, how to maintain them (like changing your filters), who to call for repairs, and how old they are now, and their life expectancies. How long they last depend a lot on your care of them and also your specific product. For example, a fridge can last from 9-13 years; an air conditioning unit from 8-15 years, a water heater 10-11 years.
- Every homeowner should have some basic knowledge about tools; not necessarily to renovate their home themselves, but for smaller projects, like hanging a picture, changing a door, etc.
- Buy tools you’ll use regularly to maintain your home and to make minor repairs. Every homeowner should have a toolbox. Experts say you should buy a tape measurer, utility knife, four-in-one screwdriver, hammer, putty knife, saw wrench, pliers, drill/driver.
- Complete One Project at a Time. If you have some works to be done, don’t work on multiple home projects at once. You may want to get all your improvements finished as soon as possible, but this isn’t the answer. Not only will you exhaust your finances, but you will also make your new home unlivable and add unnecessary stress to your everyday life. Instead of starting all your projects at once, learn how to plan a home remodel that won’t make you miserable.
- If you are going on vacay or out of town for some work, don’t post your plans online or tell too many people about it. This will make your home a target for miscreants. Only inform a certain and limited group because if something bad happens in your absence, they can take care of your home.
- When have you done your last Home Inspection? You haven’t done any Home inspection at all. It is very crucial to do a home inspection to know the exact condition of your home you are living in.
- We know that you know a lot of DIYs. And that’s very essential and handy. But for more complex jobs that you cannot handle, please contact a home repair company like Healthy Homes who is an expert in this field.
- Phew… that was a lot! But keep these tips in mind so your home will run smoothly and you will hopefully avoid any mishaps!
The Bottom Line
It would help if you managed your finances well enough to keep the house and maintain the home’s condition well enough to protect your investment and keep your family safe. Don’t let the excitement of being a new or an existing homeowner lead you to bad decisions or oversights that might jeopardize your financial or physical security.
