So much is out of a renter’s control, that many will overlook details that they wouldn’t want to miss as homeowners. Of course, much of this changes when you’ve made the investment of purchasing a home. Your finances and safety are now on the line, and there’s areas that you’ll need to pay careful attention to. Good advice for new Parrish Homeowners includes the following:
Advice for Parrish Homeowners
1. Call 811 before digging. Ahhh, landscaping. It’s beautiful and something you dreamed of doing when you first saw the house. The problem? There might be pipes, power, and cables underneath the soil. Before you grab that shovel or rent a backhoe, call 811, a nationwide hotline, who will contact local utility providers who will then notify you of any areas you need to avoid before digging.
2. Find your water main. After a pipe has burst is no time to find out where your water main shut-off valve is. Make sure to find it before an emergency and have any tools handy that you might need to get the job done. The same holds true for any natural gas connections. Special tools are used to shut off your gas in emergency situations.
3. Learn to use a stud-finder. The cost is less than $30, and believe me, it’s well worth the money spent. With this tool, you can determine if you’re about to drill into duct work, plumbing, or conduit. And it will give you an idea of where to hang art and pictures in your home. There’s nothing worse than seeing a shelf fall with drywall intact.
4. What’s your insulation depth? You’ll want to find your attic or crawlspace in your ceiling or garage. Make sure that your insulation is deep enough to keep heat out during summer months and cold out during winter months. Depending on its quality, insulation should be from 12 to 16 inches deep.
5. Check the foundation. The soil should slope away from the house at least 6 inches over 10-12 feet. You don’t want pooling water at the foundation as it can lead to costly repairs.
Looking for your own home? Contact me and I can help you find one.