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The Journal

Just bought a house? Set it up in an afternoon

The HearthIQ Team Dec 20, 2025 · 6 min read

The first week in a new home is the best time to document it — the previous owner’s notes are fresh, the manuals are still in a drawer, and nothing has been lost to a move yet.

Capture what came with the house

Before the paperwork scatters, scan the appliances, log the systems, and save anything the seller left behind — manuals, warranty cards, that folder of receipts. It’s the richest your record will ever be.

Find the essentials early

Locate the water shutoff, the breaker panel, and the furnace filter size in week one. You’ll want them eventually; finding them calmly now beats hunting for them mid-emergency later.

Start the timeline from day one

Every repair and upgrade you make from here builds on a clean foundation. A year in, you’ll have a complete history of your ownership rather than a vague memory of it.

Let HearthIQ remember it for you Give your home a memory — free to start.
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