At West Nova Fuels and Superline Fuels, we love to support our loyal customers. That includes our newest customers, many of whom are members of younger generations just starting out on their own. Homeownership is one of the steps we know is a big leap for young folks so we’ve been posting lots of tips for those looking to take the leap or who have just recently bought their first home. Here’s a round-up of all our tips for new homeowners so far!
- Is your shower in your new home not as hot as you’d like it? Try insulating your hot water pipes, especially if they’re located in a cold basement or garage. It can make up to a 4-degree difference in your water and helps hot water reach your shower faster.
- Have you had your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors installed yet? Winter is a particularly important time to have detectors up and running when you have more fuel burning appliances working. You should have a CO monitor by the bedrooms and a smoke detector on every floor.
- Have you weatherproofed your home yet? If not, it’s not too late to take advantage of lower heating costs by making sure the heat stays inside the house. Weatherstrip doors and windows, caulk cracks and add insulation to your attic or crawl spaces.
- When you buy a new home check for cracks in the basement walls. In many cases it’s normal to have a few small cracks from the settling foundation and the weight of the house on top of it. As long as the cracks aren’t growing they’re safe and don’t need to be addressed. To determine if they’re growing, put a piece of masking tape over the end of the crack and write the date on it. Check it a few months later and if the crack has grown out the end of the tape you should call in a specialist to get it looked at before it gets worse.
- Get help with your taxes! Buying a home can significantly change your tax situation and what deductions you can claim so even if you’ve always done your own taxes your first year as a homeowner may throw a curveball at you. It’s worth spending a little extra to make sure it’s done right and then you’ll have an example to work from should you choose to do it yourself the next year.
- Hoping to buy your first home but can’t yet afford the down payment? In Nova Scotia first-time homeowners with lower incomes can apply for an interest free loan to help cover the cost of a down payment. Check out Housing Nova Scotia for more information!
- Get off to a good start and have your home deep cleaned before you move in! The previous owners may not have had the house professionally cleaned so calling in some cleaners will mean all those nooks and crannies will be taken care of before you move your furniture in and make them harder to reach.
- Check the temperature on your hot water heater. If it’s above 55℃ or 120℉, turn it down. Most people don’t need water hotter than that so the energy used to heat it up is wasted. You’ll save a little on your energy bill.
- Have you inspected your porch or deck lately? Now is a great time to do so to look for any damage, rot, loose nails, or whether it needs to be resealed. It’s better to find these issues now while you have good weather to take care of them!
- You may be thinking about staining a wooden porch or fence on your property. Make you check the weather first, while you obviously don’t want to start when it’s about to rain you also shouldn’t apply wood care products in the hot sun either!
- If you have the time, paint your new house before you move in! Nothing is more annoying than having to cover all the furniture and deal with paint fumes right after moving. If you paint before you can set up your new place and feel right at home.
- Don’t forget about your air conditioning unit! Make sure your filters are clean and everything is running smoothly! Now is a great time to have any repairs made while you’re not using it as much. Then it will be ready for next summer!
- It may not seem like it but early March is the best time to start prepping your garden for spring and summer! Prune back shrubs and trees, plan your spring plantings and if you want to have a landscaper come in, call and book an appointment for spring early before they’re all booked up.