Q - Last week on the show you told a caller one of the 5 things that you considered “Must Know” info about owning a home. You never mentioned the other 4.

What are they…

Allison in Marietta

A - Dang - i knew i forgot something Saturday...

I was going to give the other 4 but ran out of time. Anyway, here they all are - in no particular order. These are important and I like to remind every homeowner of them from time to time so if you’ve seen these before just review and have a donut while the rest of the class catches up...

Things EVERY homeowner should know about their house.

You should know:

- How to turn off the water coming into your house. There should be a cut-off where the water line runs into your house - find it and know how to use it. Water running in your home unchecked will cause big damage in a short amount of time.

If you can find your cut-off, make sure the valve is working and easy to turn.

If you want extra credit you need to know how to cut off your water at the street. That requires a special ‘key’ which you can get at any hardware store.

- How/where to cut the power to your electrical system. This is usually done in the main breaker box - but check to be sure that it where yours is. Also make sure your panel is easily accessible.

Shutting off your power, if time permits, during a fire or flood, can be life and house saving...

- How to cut off your HVAC system. Nothing says ‘yuck’ like your furnace or a/c sucking in smoke or fumes and then distributing them throughout your ductwork. This cutoff is usually found as a light switch looking switch hanging on a wall by your furnace. Flipping it off stops the system. Again - this would be something you would do if you had the time to do it safely.

- How to get out of your burning house from any room. This includes rope ladders, safe passage ways, and having a meeting spot outside your home to make sure everyone is accounted for.

Included in this step is having an operating smoke detector in every hallway, every sleeping area, and each room of your home where fire is used - including by your furnace and in your garage. A working CO detector is also important!

- How to properly safe guard your home. Security systems that also alert fire, police, and ambulance are wonderful. Having them work wirelessly is nice - as is having them linked into your smart phone is also very helpful.

I hope you never have to use any of these - but it is vital that you and everyone in your house knows them - children too - and pets if you can train your dog to shut off the water when a pipe bursts.