Homeowner's Survival Kit

Homeowner's Survival Kit

Congratulations!

You're a proud homeowner. You have a roof over your head, a furnace to keep you warm and a house full of walls just waiting for your decorative touch. But what happens when the roof starts to leak, the furnace starts to groan and the walls crack as soon as you approach them with a picture to hang? Are you prepared to tackle the little tasks that your landlord used to handle for you?

It will be worth your while to assemble a basic homeowner survival kit. A quick trip to the local hardware store should be all it takes; bring along this list of essential home repair items, and you'll be ready for life's little surprises:

• A flashlight. Home repairs rarely involve spacious, well-lit areas. A good flashlight will save you lots of aggravation.
• A stud finder. A stud finder uses x-ray vision to locate wall studs for you so you can hang heavy objects. Very cool.
• Spackle. Spackle lets you fix the holes you made before you bought the stud finder.
• A basic tool kit. You'll need a variety of screwdrivers, wrenches, thingies and whatchamacallits. No matter how elaborate a kit you buy, it will have everything except the tool you need. But you have to start somewhere.
• Duct tape. What you use when you discover your toolkit doesn't have the tool you need.
• A toilet plunger. Hey, nobody ever said home ownership was glamorous.
• A level. This will come in handy for hanging pictures, wallpaper or shelves. Buy a big one to impress your friends, and a little one that you'll use all the time.
• An empty coffee can. Put all your extra nails, screws, washers and nuts here. You'll be amazed at how often you'll find exactly the part you need, in your handy little "spare parts" can.
• A wet-dry vacuum. For wet, messy, generally unpleasant situations. You may not need this every day, but when you do you'll be really glad you have one on hand.
• A phone book. It's good to know your limitations. If you're not comfortable with electrical repairs, for instance, call a professional electrician. Your local emergency room will thank you.

In addition to these basic tools, every homeowner needs a generous dose of patience and a set of realistic expectations. It helps a lot if you know what you're getting into ahead of time. Have your REALTOR® arrange a professional home inspection before you purchase your next home. A home inspector can tell you what needs immediate attention, and what may be on the verge of breaking down. You can plan your tool kit and your budget accordingly, and spend leisure time enjoying your new home instead of fixing it.

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