5 Emergencies That New Homeowners Should Prepare For

You’ve bought a house! You’ve signed the papers and have the keys in your hand, and now you’re wondering what your first steps as a homeowner should be. Should you pack up your stuff? Should you call the moving company? Should you start planning your interior design?

All of these are good ideas, but one of the first steps that you should take as a homeowner is to prepare for household emergencies.

Emergency Costs

You’ll want to prepare for the costs of household emergencies. You don’t want to get caught by surprise by the professional repair fees.

Your home insurance should give you some coverage for emergencies. However, you should take a close look at your policy to see exactly what problems are covered and exempt. For instance, damages that can be blamed on wear and tear might not get coverage. 

Start putting together an emergency fund. This will help you deal with the immediate emergency costs and anything that your insurance won’t cover.

If you don’t have enough savings and an emergency crops up, you could try applying for a loan as a solution. If you’re approved, you could use the funds to cover the immediate costs and move forward. Look for personal loans that are available in your state. For instance, you should look for personal loans in Indiana if you live in Fort Wayne or Bloomington. Narrowing down your search right away will make the application process much easier.

5 Emergencies That You Should Prepare for

1. Home Invasion

You don’t want to worry about anyone breaking into your new home. You want to feel safe and secure in this space — and you don’t want to lose any of your valuables, either. So, you should change the locks and have a security alarm system installed. Get curtains in the windows so that no one can peek inside.

2. Basement Flood

You don’t want to open your basement door and look down to find it’s mostly underwater. Before you move in, test out your sump pump to see that it’s in good working condition. If it’s old or slow, it’s time to get it replaced.

3. Gas Leak

A gas leak is really dangerous. It can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. It can also cause fires and explosions.

To protect yourself, you should have a functioning carbon monoxide detector. Check the batteries and test if it works. You should learn where the gas shut-off valve is in your home in case you need to turn it off. Save your gas company’s contact information in your phone. You might need to make an emergency call to them.

4. Burst Pipe

Burst pipes are usually a problem for the winter months when the temperatures go below freezing, but you should be prepared for it all year round. Learn where your home’s water shut-off valve is located. If a pipe bursts, you’ll want to run to that valve to cut off the water supply. Save an emergency plumber’s contact information in your phone.

5. Fires

Housefires are disasters that you don’t want to deal with. Before you move in, check if all the smoke alarms are working and replace any dead batteries. Get fire extinguishers. You should have one on every floor of the house. You will also want a pack of baking soda by the stove in case you start a grease fire — these are some other ways to put out a grease fire in a hurry.

Prioritize your safety! It will help you sleep easier in your new home.