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Congratulations! You're
about to move out of an apartment into your
first home. What a great move, but you need
to know a few things and buy a few things.
Remember there will be no "building manager"
to take care of things for you - you're it!
First things first. Let
there be light, but where is the fuse box?
Does it use fuses or just switches? (Hint:
Label each switch with white tape and black
letters so you can see them easier in the
dark.) It's a good idea to turn the switches
off and on a few times so you're used to how
stiff they can be.
Water, water everywhere.
Find the turn-off valve inside the house so
minor floods don't become major. Make sure
you know where the toilet turn-off valve is.
Can you turn off the outside faucets in the
winter? (Hint: you may have to leave one outside
faucet dripping during the cold months so
you don't burst the pipes during freezes.)
Find the water meter and make sure it is functioning.
If your garbage disposal stops working, find
the red reset button on the unit under the
sink. Before you turn it back on, check with
your fingers to see if anything is blocking
the blades, and then press the reset button.
(Hint: Remove your fingers and the offending
objects from the blades before turning the
disposal on again…duh.)
Keeping warm and toasty.
It's important to find the furnace. What kind
of fuel does it use? If you have an oil furnace,
ask how often you need to refill it and who
refills it. Do you have a maintenance contract
for repairs? If not, can you get one? If you're
going to have to replace or clean the filters,
where do you get them? (Hint: buy a couple
of them, you never seem to need to replace
them when the store is open.) Find the reset
button and label it. Does the furnace have
a fan for cooling the house in the summer?
Where are the thermostats for controlling
the temperature? No matter what the source
of energy for your heating, find the main
shut off valve.
Curl up by the fire. But
make sure the fireplace flue is cleaned every
one to three years, depending on how much
you use it. Otherwise, the chimney may not
draw well and "smoke gets in your eyes",
which is not as romantic as the song. A clogged
chimney can cause a fire, which is not cool.
Nothing like a long hot bath.
Check the water heater to see if it has a
pilot light. If it goes out, how do you re-light
it? Find out how to set the temperature and
decide what temperature you should set it
to.
Your very own washer and dryer.
Clean the lint tray on the dryer every load
or two, or it will build up and slow down
the drying process. Also, too much dry lint
can cause a fire. If your washer drains directly
into a utility sink, place a filter on the
end of the hose to keep from clogging your
sink.
How about a tall cold one?
At least twice a year, clean the water tray
under your frostless refrigerator, and vacuum
the coils at the back now and then to keep
it cooling effectively. (Hint: Check the seals
around the doors of your refrigerator to make
sure no cool air is escaping. If there is
moisture on the rubber seal, you've got a
faulty seal.) Now pop open the cold one and
toast your new home.
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