This is the first time I have ever owned my own home.
I have been a renter for the last 15 years or so, and that isn’t counting the years I spent living with my parents.
There was an initial feeling of power and hope when I first closed on this house. It was a nice place, and it was all mine! That initial feeling was quickly replaced by the overwhelming horror of how little I knew about being a homeowner. In the past I would just call a landlord whenever there was an issue with the power, the water heater, or the air conditioner… but now I was the landlord! I found a website that had a how-to tutorial about basic water heater repair, so that’s where I started. There was no way I could ever learn something as complicated as HVAC repair, because I am not that smart. A water heater was a much simpler piece of equipment, so that was something I felt I was capable of learning. Luckily this house came with a newer model tankless water heater, which I have learned is the best you can find. A tankless water heater is smaller, more efficient, and lasts for years longer than a traditional water heater. If I take good care of it, this water heater could serve me for another 25 to 30 years. That means it is worth learning inside and out. If I can service my own water heater I will never need to pay an HVAC tech to come do it for me.