Moving Into Your New Home

There is a lot of excitement in the air when you close on your new home and get your house keys.  First things, first.  Here are a few tasks to consider before the moving van pulls up in your driveway.

Change the locks. You don’t know who has a key to your new home, so changing the locks is a must!  That guarantees you’re the only person that has access to your home.

Check for plumbing leaks. Your home inspector should check for plumbing leaks before closing, but it doesn’t hurt to double check. Keep an eye out for running toilets, faucets that drip, and check your water heater for leaks.

Steam clean carpets. If needed, this is a task you’ll want to accomplish before you move your furniture. You can pay a professional carpet cleaning service, which costs approximately $50.00 per room, or you can rent a steam cleaner for about $30 per day.

Clean your new home.  While many people will leave the house clean for you, some may not. Even if they do, you’ll want to clean everything for yourself. Wash down cabinets and counters, preferably with a non-toxic cleaner, and replace contact paper if needed.

Install window treatments. Whether you have your window treatments installed professional or  you do it on your own, you’ll want to get something on your windows as soon as possible, for privacy and that finishing touch.

Getting rid of the pests. You never know if you’ll have uninvited house guests. That includes mice, rats, bats, termites, and roaches. There are numerous ways to get rid of pests, but if you need the extra help call a professional pest control company.

Introduce yourself to your circuit breaker box and main water valve. It’s a good idea to find out which fuses control what parts of your house and label them appropriately. 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 to make sure all is working properly.

You’ll want to know how to turn off your main water valve if you have a plumbing emergency, or if you’re going out of town. Locate the valve; it could be inside or outside your home.  Turn the knob until it’s in the off position and test by turning on any faucet in the house; no water should come out.