A new homeowner's first year

The first year in a house is the year most households learn what they wish they had done in the first month. Here is that first month, written down.

In the first thirty days - Photograph or record every room, including inside closets and cabinets - Find and label the main water shutoff, the electrical panel and the gas shutoff - Test every smoke and carbon monoxide detector and note the install dates - Save the closing folder somewhere that is not a moving box - Write down the age of the roof, water heater and HVAC system

Through the year - Change filters on a schedule rather than when you remember - Clear gutters before monsoon season and after - Check under sinks and around the water heater every few months - Keep receipts and permits for anything that changes the structure

When to revisit coverage A renovation, a new detached structure, a pool, a home business, a new roof or a significant purchase can all change what a household is protecting. These are worth a conversation with a licensed professional rather than an assumption.

The documentation habit that pays off Households that photograph their belongings before anything goes wrong have a dramatically easier time describing what they had afterward. It takes twenty minutes with a phone and it is the single highest return task on this list.

What this guide does not do This is general education and home maintenance guidance. It is not a recommendation and it makes no statement about savings, approval, pricing, eligibility or the outcome of any review.