Top 6 Things New Homeowners Should Do

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ARE YOU BECOMING A NEW HOMEOWNER???

My husband and I just moved into our new farmhouse.  During the time it was being constructed there were numerous contract workers that were entering the home. Many had access to the locked doors and garage remote keypad.

We all want to know that our home is our safe and secure place and how to take care of the home if a mishap should occur.

So with that in mind I sat down and came up with a list of the top 6 things I think every new homeowner should do when first moving in, no matter if you built the home or you bought from a previous owner. 

1. Change locks. Don’t assume the keys you’re holding make up the only existing set. Play it safe and have all of your locks changed or if you have the Smartkey technology system you can re-key the locks after you move in. We installed the Kwikset Entry Knobs with the smartkey technology. Value priced knobs and you can reset the locks anytime you need, so no more buying a whole set of locks when you need to change the keys. 

2. Reprogram the garage door opener. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to security. Many remotes have a reset button, but if you need more instructions, contact the manufacturer to walk you through the steps for your make and model.

3. Locate the water shutoffs. Find the main water shutoff as well as all outside water spigots. Ask the previous homeowner if you cannot find them.

4. Locate the main circuit breaker. Check it out and make sure you fully understand the labeling. If it’s a new home and unlabeled, identify the circuits and make your own labels.

5. Exterior lighting.  Weather it be a timed security light from the utility company or one that you have or install on your home it needs to be well lite.  To avoid mistakes, take a stroll or drive around you neighborhood after dark, you’ll see how easy it is to make mistakes with exterior lighting.  You will probably see front doors hidden in the shadows, walks that are unsafe in the darkness and decks and patios that are of no use once the sun goes down. Or you might spot the home of an over-lighter: The driveway looks like a landing strip and the yard is so bright the place resembles a maximum-security prison.

Try to avoid those mistakes. 

More than likely you already have lighting in many areas, to help you understand where your home needs exterior lights, take a walk around your house at night with a flashlight to identify spots that need light and to experiment with beam angles.  Surprisingly a few watts, carefully directed, can make an area safer and usable after dark. 

We decided on these LED Outdoor Security Floodlight with Dusk to Dawn Light Sensor, Motion Activated Protection, Super Bright 2137 Lumens, White. We installed these on the corner of our home, very affordable and works great with the motion sensor feature.

Make a plan of where your home needs lights and what types to use.

6.  Install a Security System. To me this is one of the best ways to feel safe in your home.  There are many good security system options to choose from and more affordable than ever.  We have one in our home. It operates with a keypad that we set when leaving and disarm when we arrive home. It sends my husband and I alerts when the home is entered or the system is disarmed.  If any window or door is breached we will be alerted. It also alerts the local police and fire department if there is problem.  It has tons of other features that I will post on another day.

There you have it.  My top 6 things I think all new homeowners should do to keep your home safe and secure when moving in.

Are you planning on a move soon?  I hope some of these tips are helpful to you. BE SAFE AND ENJOY!