Congratulations! Owning your own home for the first time is a great experience, but can be daunting at the same time. Preparation is key, and knowing how to handle your new property will get you a long way.
Heating
Start with the heating for your home. What keeps it warm in the winter? If it's a boiler or furnace, find out if its electric or gas, and when it was last serviced. You can sign up to a maintenance contract for your heating should the worst happen.
Some properties have night storage heaters. These charge during the night (when electricity is cheap) and discharge that heat slowly during the day. Getting the "input" and "output" settings right on night storage heaters is something of an artform.
Electricity
Find your fuse box, cut-off switch and electricity meter. Discover which fuses control which lighting circuits and mains sockets - label them carefully if they're not already labeled.
Water
Where is the meter? Where is the shut off cock for hot and cold water? These will be important if you suddenly have a leak. You may also wish to turn off outside taps in the winter to prevent the pipes from freezing.
Alarms
If your property has a security alarm installed, make sure you know how to use it. A high percentage of burglaries occur as soon as homeowners move in! Also install/check/fix smoke alarms and gas alarms as soon as you can, and keep them regularly maintained.
Chimney
If you are fortunate enough to have a chimney, make sure it is cleaned every 1 to 3 years. When not cleaned, smoke will linger in the room instead of leaving the house, and will eventually lead to a chimney fire.
Tools
For the inside of your home, you should consider keeping a small tool box handy. Try to keep at least the following items:
- Hammer
- Screwdriver set
- Pliers and wrench (for plumbing)
- Electric drill with suitable drill bits
- Nails and screws
- Duct tape
- WD40 or other spray oil
