When you own a home for the first time, the number of new lessons you need to learn can be daunting. To help you get started, Synergy Homes – a leading South Florida builder of high-performance, energy efficient homes – has put together a list of quick tips for new homeowners. Take each tip one at a time, and you’ll be on the path to responsible home ownership.
Important Lessons for New Homeowners
- Start by looking at energy efficient homes. Energy efficient homes can prevent a number of hidden costs. Over a decade of ownership, energy efficient homes can save home owners thousands of dollars more than non-energy efficient models. It’s worth talking to a high-performance, energy efficient home builder about available energy efficient models.
- If you buy from a model home builder, the model home builder should be able to run through all the regular services that are needed on the home. Ask the builder to write these services down all in one place to save you time and hassle trying to collect them elsewhere. Keep hold of this list of services and follow the builder’s recommendations.
- Change your air filters regularly. A dirty air filter can increase your energy costs by as much as 15%.
- Make sure you don’t leave windows open while using your air conditioning or heating. Open windows suck out the cool or warmth from your home and make your AC or furnace work that much harder (and cost that much more).
- Ensure your sump pump is clean and clear. Check the power supply and drainage every year, as well as before and after large storms.
- The vent pipe leading from your dryer can collect lint. Double-check that the vent flap is opening well, and clean the dryer vent pipe once a year. It can be a fire hazard if you fail to clean it.
- If you garden, you can deter bugs from coming into your home by leaving a 6-inch barrier between the home and any mulch or ground cover you use. This creates a dry boundary that bugs won’t want to cross.
- Gutters can get clogged with leaves, sticks or trash blown by storms, and even bird droppings. It’s a dirty job, but failing to clean gutters regularly will lead to water eroding your foundations. That can cost thousands of dollars, which is far more expensive than regularly doing it yourself or hiring a gutter cleaning service to do it for you. Check the cleanliness of your gutters after windy storms, and clean your gutters seasonally.
Need more tips for new home ownership? Contact Synergy Homes today for information about owning new energy efficient homes in Palm Beach County, Florida.
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