Dream Home Became a Nightmare – 6 Things Every Homeowner Should Know

Dream Home Became a Nightmare – 6 Things Every Homeowner Should Know, National Records Office Story

Your first home have gone from a long-term dream to a reality. Here are six things every new homeowner should know to keep that dream from becoming a nightmare.

The Importance of Maintenance

We at National Records Office cannot stress enough the importance of maintenance. There is a ton of maintenance that goes into any home. Painting, plumbing, lawn care and the lists go on. A good way to get a feel for your homes needs, weaknesses and strengths is to take a look at the home inspection report provided to you when you bought the houses. This can be a great guide in figuring out just what problems you may run into and also to start your list of home repairs to be done in the near to far future. Maintaining your home on a regular basis can prevent small problems from turning into large costly problems.

Your Home’s Foundation is Important

The foundation will naturally develop hairline cracks over time. You will want to inspect the basement walls of your new home and locate these cracks to make sure they are not allowing water through the wall. Keeping a close eye on these cracks over time, will allow you to stop them from becoming larger cracks that, if not fixed can seriously damage the structural integrity of the house.

Beware of Leaks

The roof should be checked yearly for broken or missing shingles, moss and leaks. If your roof is more than twelve years old, a professional inspection should be done and the necessary repairs or replacement should be made in order to maintain the integrity or your roof.

Electrical Panel

Know where your home’s electrical panel is located. This will be very important in case of a power outage. Check the breakers and test which circuits are connected to which outlets and switches throughout the house. Labeling these breakers will be a real help in the future. Nothing the amperage of the breakers will help you to avoid overloading breakers. Check for rusted circuit breakers yearly. Circuit breakers that are rusted can prevent a circuit from shutting off when being overloaded, potentially causing a fire.

Homeowners Insurance is More Essential Than You May Think

Homeowners insurance is a must have! There are many different types of insurance available from many different providers. Do the research into different types of policies and the different needs and concerns that you have for your home. Some examples are replacement coverage and flood damage coverage.

Locate Shutoffs

Know where the main shutoffs for gas, water and electricity are. Knowing where these are would be crucial in an emergency. Locate and label the shutoffs for each of these and become familiar with them.

Using these six simple DIY guidelines can help protect andmaintain your investment for years to come.

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