When you move into a new home, you’ll want to make it safe and accessible for you and your family. Therefore, just because the property features worked for a previous owner, it might not work for you. As you move in and get settled, you might need to make certain home improvements.
There are always ways to update the home to make it safer, and as you do so you can often reduce your property risks and liabilities. In the end, making these changes might reduce your insurance risks and help you pay a more affordable price for your homeowners insurance.
Home Improvements Following a Move
Many people spend several months upgrading and securing their home after moving in. It never hurts to give your home a comprehensive inspection to look for safety risks. You can then consider making a few necessary changes in line with those listed below:
- You will likely have to have a home inspection before finalizing the buy. If your inspector points out any code violations or potential safety hazards, then consider these repairs a priority.
- Maybe safety risks exist even if they pass an inspection. For example, a loose banister on a staircase might pose a fall risk. Cracks in windows might shatter in the right circumstances. Replacing these items early can make the home more secure.
- Fire risks are present in every home. Therefore, it’s up to you to recognize where these risks exist and do what you can to minimize them. Clean chimneys and furnaces, replace old piping and HVAC systems and test any gas lines and outlets. Replace or repair defective items. Sometimes, replacing older utilities with new models will help you save on energy costs, too.
- Have your home checked for mold, pest damage, leaking pipes or other environmental risks. Not only can they cause health risks, but slow damage often isn’t covered by homeowners insurance. Therefore, preventive maintenance is the key to protecting yourself.
- Making repairs or upgrades to the home’s structure can help you keep your home sealed, secured and better able to withstand the forces of nature that might cause damage. Cleaning out gutters, aligning drainage ditches, replacing sidings or re-sealing the foundations can all do their part in making the home more secure.
Of course, you can’t prevent every hazard on the property, which is why you should have adequate amounts of homeowners insurance in place from day one. Your policy should cover your dwelling and possessions, as well as insure you against liabilities present that threaten household guests and others. Your committed homeowners insurance agent will work diligently with you to create expansive coverage that always protects you in the right fashions.