What to Expect When You Move In

Congratulations! You’ve finally finished the journey to home ownership and now you’re ready to move in. If you’re a first-time homeowner, you will need to familiarize yourself with how to properly care for your home, what types of things to watch for and what you might expect in your new home. Below is a list of some of the things you can expect upon settling into your new home. If you have any concerns, contact your New Home Warranty Care Coordinator and they will be happy to address them.  

1.  Sounds - If your home has shared walls (ie. a midrise building or a townhome) – you may hear your neighbours from time to time if they’re on their balconies flushing the toilet or hanging anything on the walls – this is part of sharing a wall with someone and typically the sounds are soft and minimal. If noise becomes excessive or seems unreasonable, contact your property manager.

2. Furnace Filters – if you have access to your own furnace, it is recommended to change your furnace filter on a monthly basis. A fresh filter will be placed in your furnace upon move-in but you’ll need to remember to change it yourself periodically.

3. Condensation – No matter what season you move in, you may experience condensation on your windows (more during the humid months). Your ERV will help control the moisture in the air.  During the summer, you may want to invest in a dehumidifier to help with the moisture. You will receive more information about condensation from your Customer Experience Concierge before you close.  If it seems like there is a lot of water or excess condensation, please contact your New Home Warranty Care Coordinator.

4. Smoke Detectors – Your smoke detectors will be inspected periodically however there will be times when you may need to reset your smoke detector or change the battery. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with how to do this so that you are prepared when the time arises.

5. Appliances – If appliances are included in your home, an instruction manual for your appliances will be included when you move in. If you are having any issues with your appliances, be sure to contact Appliance Canada. 

6. The community - Keep in mind that even though your home may be complete, the community may not be complete and small things like installation of permanent mailboxes, sod and sidewalks may still need to happen.

7.  Final Grading – Typically the final grading of your property doesn’t happen at the time of closing. If you’re planning to install a fence or deck, you may need to wait until the final grading has been done. Please check with your New Home Warranty Care Coordinator to see if your house has received final grading.

8.  Seasonal Maintenance – There are regular seasonal maintenance tasks that can be done to improve the longevity of the appliances within your home and save you money in the long run. Click here to download a copy of our Seasonal Maintenance checklists.

 
For a list of phone numbers related to your warranty, click here.