6 Things To Do First When You Move To A New Home

Buying a new home is an exciting time!  When you get the keys to your new home there are a few things you should do for the safety of your family before you start unpacking to ensure the excitement of your new home is long lived.  Some of these may seem obvious, but they are worth repeating.

 

  1. Replace the door locks – You really don’t know who else has keys to your home, and it’s better to be safe than sorry, so change the locks. That ensures you’re the only person who has access. Install new deadbolts yourself for as little as $10 per lock, or call a locksmith — if you supply the new locks, they typically charge about $20-$30 per lock for labor. Watch a how-to video at: https://youtu.be/2vmOj4DII8I
  2. Check your plumbing – Your home inspector should do this for you before closing, but it never hurts to be sure.   Keep an eye out for dripping faucets and running toilets, and check your water heater for signs of a leak. Check your water meter at the beginning and end of a two-hour window in which no water is being used in your house. If the reading is different, you have a leak. You’ll also want to make sure all the faucets and sprayers don’t need replacing.  Learn how to turn off your main water valve in case you have a plumbing emergency. It’s better to know how before you need it.  Just locate the valve, it could be inside or outside your house, and turn the knob until it’s off. Test it by turning on any faucet in the house; no water should come out.
  3. Steam Clean the Carpet – Do this before you move your furniture in, and your new home life will be off to a fresh start. You can pay a professional carpet cleaning service, usually it’s around $50 per room.  You can also rent a steam cleaner for about $30 per day and do the work yourself.  Watch a how-to video at: https://youtu.be/zTyDJurqO-Q
  4. Clean the Cabinets – You don’t know how clean the previous owners were.  Before you put your dishes down be sure that you give the surfaces a good once over.  There are horror stories of finding mouse droppings and even a dead fly on a cutting block. Don’t take a chance on your family’s health.  Putting down new contact paper is a great way to start with your personal touch and ensure your dealing with a clean surface.
  5. Remove Unwanted Guests – Check for and protect against critters.  Ants, bugs, spiders, mice and the like may be lurking in the dark corners.  If you see any signs make sure you take action right away, it will be easier before you get all your stuff in.  There are any number of DIY ways to get rid of pests, but if you need to bring out the big guns, an initial visit from a pest removal service will run you $100-$300, followed by monthly or quarterly visits at about $50 each time.
  6. Check Your Electric – Locate and test the outlets.  This will be helpful when you are trying to hook up your electrics, and let you know if all the sockets work.  Find the circuit breaker box and label it. This will take two people: One to stand in the room where the power is supposed to go off, the other to trip the fuses and yell, “Did that work? How about now?”
     

A little extra effort a the beginning of home ownership could save you a lot of headaches and money down the road.  For more moving tips and tricks, call Helen today at 847.967.0022 or email [email protected].