Did you just buy your first home? This can be a very exciting time. However, before you can start enjoying your home, you need to ensure that everything is functioning as it should. Here are some tasks that should be on your 1st home checklist.
Make Sure the Plumbing is Running Properly
Your plumbing is one of the most important systems in your home and should be a priority on your 1st home checklist. This is why you need to hire a plumber to solve any problems that you may have and to inspect your plumbing. While you may do the inspection yourself, there are chances that you will miss certain things and delay fixes, which may lead to more complicated plumbing problems that are costly to address. A professional plumber can look for issues with your toilet, water heater, plumbing system, and even your well. After you hire a well drilling company, you may want to make sure that the well has been installed correctly and that you won’t have problems in the future.
Keep in mind that only a professional licensed plumber can identify problems with your plumber and how much it might cost to fix those problems. To begin with, the plumber will look for leaks and damaged areas in your home’s plumbing. They will also inspect your toilets. Keep in mind that even if the toilets might seem like a small part of your plumbing system, they might be very expensive to replace. An expert plumber will inspect your toilet for leaking, evidence of mildew, and other issues. Lastly, the plumber will also inspect your faucets and pipelines. If there are any leaks, they will want to ensure that the leaks are sealed. You may also need to hire a professional cleaning service to ensure that there is no mold in your home.
Switch to Energy-Efficient Windows
If you have inspected your home and determined that you need window repair services, it may be a good idea to also check if your home wouldn’t benefit from energy-efficient windows. If there are old windows in your home, it’s not advisable to keep them. There’s a lot you can benefit from having high-quality, energy-efficient windows. For instance, with energy-efficient windows, you can save money and reduce your home’s carbon footprint. When looking for new windows, you should consider getting Energy Star windows. They can lower your energy bill by up to 12%. Energy-efficient windows also offer better insulation, and they improve temperature control and comfort in your home.
With energy-efficient windows, you will be able to eliminate hot and cold spots in your home. They can also create a barrier against cold temperatures during the colder winter months. That way, you can maintain a warm and pleasant indoor environment. During the hotter months, energy-efficient windows can help you block out the heat and reduce the strain on your air conditioning system. Another benefit of energy-efficient windows is that they will protect your furniture from the hot sun rays. These windows come with special coatings that can provide protection against UV rays. This will help you protect your wood, fabrics, rugs, furniture, and painting.
Give the Garage a New Look
Your garage is quite useful, and you need to keep it in tip-top shape so you can protect your car and other things that you store in it. This is why you must consider giving your garage a new look when you get a new home. Updating your garage can add lots of value to your property. There are several things you can do to improve the look of your garage. For instance, you can give it a fresh coat of paint. That will instantly change the look and make it more appealing. You can also replace the door and make it more secure. Improving the security of your garage will also improve the security of your home, especially if the garage and the home are connected.
It’s important to pay attention to the state of your garage floors. If you have a concrete floor in your garage, inspect it to ensure it doesn’t have cracks. If it’s crack-free but worn down, you may just need to clean it and give it a new floor coating. This is not an easy job, so you might want to look into garage floor epoxy coating services near you. One of the benefits of fixing your garage up is the improvement it will have on your state of mind. When you have visually pleasing living spaces, you will enjoy spending time in your home, and you will find it more relaxing. You probably go into your garage a few times per day. It won’t be interesting staring into clutter. By updating your garage, you will increase the value of your home and enjoy a clean and more organized space.
Ensure the Roof is in Good Condition
Roof maintenance should never be missing on your 1st home checklist. The roof protects your home from a lot of threats all year long. This is why you need to check and ensure that nothing goes wrong. For instance, if there are roof leaks, you need to address them as soon as possible so that water doesn’t enter your home. The first step you need to take is a roof inspection. A roof inspector will check your roof and identify all the problems. Once the problems have been identified, you can get supplies and ensure that the condition of your roof is restored. Regular roof maintenance is a great way to extend the life of your roof. Even though it’s something that might not be on your mind, a roof replacement costs a lot of money. As such, you need to ensure that you extend the life of your roof as much as you can. This will save you from having to replace your roof prematurely.
By working with experienced roofing services providers, you will get the right advice and all the insights to help you extend the life of your roof. Not only that, but they will also give you tips to make your roof more energy-efficient. If your roof is not energy-efficient, your heating and cooling system will need to work extra hard to maintain comfortable conditions in your home. For instance, if your roof doesn’t have proper ventilation, it will trap heat in areas like the attic, and that heat will end up being transferred to the areas below. This will create a situation where your cooling system will always be struggling to eliminate that heat and lower the indoor temperature.
Fill in Driveway Cracks
It’s important to keep your driveway in pristine condition. If you don’t do regular maintenance, it might end up with cracks and potholes. Major potholes are unsightly, and they can damage your car’s tires. Depending on what type of driveway you have, you should hire a concrete company or asphalt repair services regularly so they can ensure your driveway stays in tip-top shape. There are lots of things that can damage your driveway. These include heavy rain, UV rays, and chemical spills. Once these cause cracks to occur, the sun and water will accelerate the process, and the cracks will turn into bigger problems. This is why you need to keep driveway maintenance on your 1st home checklist.
The best way to deal with driveway cracks is to seal them. This will protect your driveway and save you lots of money in the long run. For the most part, driveway crack sealing is a simple DIY project. However, there are a few things that you need to figure out before you tackle them. For instance, you need to know the type of cracks you are dealing with and find out what caused them. Filling the cracks without identifying the cause might be pointless because they may come back in no time at all. If there are narrow cosmetic cracks on your driveway, you may only need to use a resurfacing product, and your problem will go away. However, if you are dealing with deeper cracks, there may be an underlying issue that you need to address. In such instances, it’s advisable to hire a professional concrete company or asphalt services, depending on which driveway you have.
Install a Better AC System
It’s almost impossible to survive without a functional AC system. It can get so hot on some days that without an AC to lower the temperatures, your home will be inhabitable. This is why you need to install a new AC system if the one in your home is old or malfunctioning. If you are not sure which new system to go with, you can approach a reliable HVAC company and ask a few questions to get some recommendations.
There are several signs that you need to replace the AC system in your home. For instance, if the current one is making lots of weird noises, blowing hot air, or consuming too much electricity, you should consider getting a more modern system that will better energy efficiency. If you have just bought a home and the AC is faulty, then don’t hesitate to throw a replacement on your 1st home checklist.
Give the House a Fresh Coat of Paint
One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to improve the look of your home is to invest in a fresh coat of paint. This is why painting should be on your 1st home checklist. House painters can transform your home and have it looking new in a few days. Painting your home, especially its exterior, not only improves how it looks but also adds protection. This applies to interior painting as well. It protects your walls and other surfaces. You should consider refreshing the painting on your home every few years.
To find good house painters, all you need to do is search the internet. Once you have compiled a list of house painters near you, add them to your 1st home checklist and then go through their reviews and see what kind of services they offer. Reviews will tell you what other customers think about the kind of service a particular painter delivers. If you notice too many reviews, it’s a good idea to drop that painter and move on to the next.
Switch out the Old Gutters
Does your house have old gutters? So gutter replacement should be on your 1st home checklist. If so, you might want to consider replacing them. Like any other component of your house, new gutters can improve your property significantly. One of the reasons why you need to get new gutters is to protect your home from water. If water is not able to flow through your gutters properly, it can end up leaking and overflowing into other parts of your home. You may end up with lots of water gathering in areas like the basement, where it will cause even more complicated problems. Water can damage your foundation, and this will seriously threaten the structural integrity of your home. It can also cause landscaping problems.
If your gutters are old and damaged, there are lots of reasons why you should get gutter service and replace them right away. One of the benefits you will get from this is the boost in curb appeal. Your home will look better with new gutters. Apart from the appearance and functional side of things, having old gutters presents a hazard risk. Old gutters can create a dangerous home environment. The gutters can collapse on your kids, pets, vehicles, and even on you.
Get Rid of Unwanted Junk
Decluttering your home is an overwhelming task, but it’s one that shouldn’t be missing on your 1st home checklist. If you keep postponing it, then you are not alone. However, instead of concentrating on how difficult it is, you need to shift your focus to the benefits. Removing junk from your home can have a lot of positive effects on your daily life. For instance, by decluttering your home, you will create more space. Cleaning and decluttering are also great for reducing stress and improving productivity. You will find that homes that are full of unwanted things have a higher risk of accidents, falls, and other health-related issues. You can imagine how having a lot of small toys all over the floor can cause falls, especially if you have infants and adults of advanced age in your home.
As you are cleaning and decluttering your home, you may also end up discovering old items that you love and thought you had lost. Even if you no longer need them, others can benefit from your generosity when you donate your unwanted belongings. If there is a lot of junk in your home, you must consider a dumpster rental. That way, getting rid of the trash won’t be as stressful. Decluttering can also help you make some money when you sell your unwanted belongings for cash.
Once you are done with all the tasks on your 1st home checklist, you can then lay back and start enjoying your new home. Remember to keep up with the maintenance needs of your home so it can stay running properly.
