Tips All New Homeowners Should Know

Published: November 01, 2016

Moving into a new home is a very exciting thing! But as exciting as new homeownership can be, there are also a lot of hidden costs and activities that make homeownership a bit more complicated than most people realize. Save yourself money and time in the long run but doing these things as soon as possible once you move in.

Add more insulation to the attic

Does your home have an unfinished attic? Then you’ll want to check as soon as possible that it has at least 6 inches of insulation throughout the entire attic between the beams. This will help you save on heating and cooling costs.

Lower your water heater temperature

Since most people don’t use water hotter than about 120 degrees, it makes sense that your water heater shouldn’t be any hotter than that. Not only does this eliminate risk of scalding, it can also help you save money on your energy bill!

Wrap exposed pipes in insulation

Wrapping exposed pipes in insulation helps them to prevent heat loss during the transfer of water from the water heater to the shower or faucet and will help you eliminate excess spend on your energy bill.

Dust your vents

Check each room in your house to ensure that the vents aren’t covered or blocked by anything or have excessive dust build up, which can cause your A/C unit to work overtime.

Install LED bulbs

Energy efficiency is key! Switch to Led or CFL bulbs wherever you can to cut down on costs (plus they tend to last longer than traditional lightbulbs).

Check toilets for leakage

Running toilets is an oft-overlooked home improvement issue that can be costing you big time! Put some food coloring in the tank of the toilet and check the toilet bowl after an hour to see if the color has seeped into the bowl. If so, you’ll want to replace the flapper to prevent running water.

Replace your air filter on a regular basis

Be sure to replace your air filter every single month to protect the health of your AC unit. It literally takes about 10 seconds to do, so it’s the easiest thing on this list to accomplish.