# Just bought my first house! Unsolicited advice... Um... Solicited. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 1, 2018, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866 "2018-11-01T22:30:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866/61 "2018-11-08T23:33:41Z")
Congratulations to the OP! ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866/62 "2018-11-09T13:46:46Z")
Welcome to Home Depot. And get the card, you’ll need it ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866/63 "2018-11-09T14:29:46Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > If there is the slightest doubt in your mind such as “What does THIS handle do?”, then find out for sure, and then **label it**. Pencil is more durable than ballpoint ink, unless someone is going around erasing the pencil marks on purpose. Especially things like the main shut-offs for water, gas, and electricity, showing where they are and how to operate them - remember, you don’t know who might have to find and use those one day. Sometimes, something “blows” when you’re not even home. This is excellent advice. Just to expand on it, start compiling a house manual now. I just had to replace the ceramic cartridges (not washers) in a monobloc mixer tap, just like I did six or seven years ago. What could I remember about it? Nothing - not a thing. Had to start from scratch. This time I wrote down the tap name, part numbers, supplier etc; made notes and photographed the process. Everything you have to do, you will eventually forget how you did it and why. Make notes. j ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866/64 "2018-11-09T15:03:44Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > This is excellent advice. Just to expand on it, start compiling a house manual now. I just had to replace the ceramic cartridges (not washers) in a monobloc mixer tap, just like I did six or seven years ago. What could I remember about it? Nothing - not a thing. Had to start from scratch. This time I wrote down the tap name, part numbers, supplier etc; made notes and photographed the process. > > Everything you have to do, you will eventually forget how you did it and why. Make notes. > > j This, and the post you quoted, sound pretty seriously wise. I have two weeks until movers come. There is so. Much. To. Do. But we have decided to be a little relaxed about it. We will do as much as we can before the move. We do now own a rake and a ladder, and I think I decided that I have too much of a problem with heights to clean my own rain gutters so we are going to hire a guy at least for this year. I need to figure out if the lawn mower they left works, but I think that can wait until spring. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866/65 "2018-11-09T15:26:06Z")
I keep a folder in which I store the receipts for all hired home repair, and I write notes on the receipts, so that the next time I need, say, an electrician, I can easily determine who I used last time and whether or not I want to use them again. I also have a box into which I toss product manuals, receipts, etc., – anything relating to the house that I might need later. Put dates on manuals/receipts because it’s likely that you’ll later need to remember when, e.g., you replaced the water heater. You can even put the folder in the box. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866/66 "2018-11-09T17:26:41Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > \*\ \*and I think I decided that I have too much of a problem with heights to clean my own rain gutters so we are going to hire a guy at least for this year. I don’t to heights and I used to stand by when my husband cleaned the gutters, ready to call 9-1-1. Then about 3 years ago after yet another spinal surgery, he allowed me to hire someone to do the gutters. BEST $110 we spent! I’d gotten a couple of quotes for gutter guards, but I figured for what those would cost, we could hire someone twice a year for at least 15 years. Plus the gutter guys use a blower to clean off the entire roof and deck. They are among my favoritest people!!! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866/67 "2018-11-09T17:42:52Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Yeppers, I am of the opinion that the standard one-year home warranty is a scam. Basically it is a tool to get you to call them if something goes wrong, and they send out low end repair people who first tell you whatever it is isn’t covered, and then that they can fix it, but their quote is always 4x what you could get from someone reputable. Just be forewarned. I never had any of those issues with my home warranty company. I kept the warranty after the free year expired. $55 a month, $65 for every service call. Man did that warranty save my ass several times. While I was in that house, it replaced both water heaters, the dishwasher, the glass top range, a toilet, an a/c compressor and fixed a massive leak in the basement plumbing. Ironically, I not long ago got out of the house as I could no longer afford the mortgage because I was ill and didn’t work. And now I live in an apartment with my sons and don’t have to worry about fixing anything. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866/68 "2018-11-09T23:07:41Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > If you end up upgrading your oven at some point, get a convection oven. I was surprised at how much better it cooks than a standard oven. I was not familiar with that word, so I looked it up. Surprise 🙂 convection ovens work by _forced_ convection! (Also known as fan-forced ovens). Even more interesting, it gives a justification for people who have always thought that other non-standard ovens are “better” than standard (radiant element) ovens. “Other” ovens are various wood-fired, coal-fired, coke-fired ovens. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866/69 "2018-11-11T21:00:47Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Keep an eye on that deck. Consider retreating every other year as it can last for decades doing that. Follow What Exit?'s advice here. Treating every two to three years keeps it beautiful. But also, shovel snow off it in winter. The weight of the snow can be bad, and the sitting water and freeze/thaw cycles are very hard on the deck. Don’t rush into purchases for your home unless they are very, very cheap. Take the time to figure out what works best for you before you buy. I recently downsized to a condo and am driving my “get 'er done” friends nuts but I still haven’t found the dining room light fixture I want. I’ll know it when I see it. In the meantime, the ugly old one still works. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-bought-my-first-house-unsolicited-advice-um-solicited/823866.md?page=3)