Q: What is HomeNav?
A: HomeNav is the “back up” for your home – for replacement, for repair and maintenance, for peace of mind. Should disaster strike, HomeNav is there for you. It helps you, the homeowner, protect and take care of one of your biggest investments…your home.
HomeNav’s interactive home inventory tool provides one place, online, to put all of the information about a home; systems, appliances, fixtures and even paint colors, with web links and file uploads to complete the information. Easily add support information like emergency contacts, contractors, and utilities. The HomeNav homeowner resource section includes “how to” information, maintenance checklists, product research, healthy living, and green building/remodeling information.
Q: What do I use HomeNav for?
Use HomeNav to store information about the components, appliances and information related to your home. Along with storing the make, model, and serial number of your belongings, link to product manuals and warranties, scan receipts and attach them to the items purchased, so you can get rid of the paper clutter. Upload photos and link to videos for additional documentation for insurance claims, as well as day-to-day maintenance. HomeNav is the place for all things about your home.
Use the homeowner resource section for easy access to hundreds of vetted links to reputable information and manufacturers’ web sites to make researching new projects, ideas, and products a cinch. It includes “how to” information, maintenance checklists, product research, green living, and green building/remodeling information.
Q: Why should I document information about my home?
A: There are many reasons to document the valuables and components in your home.
- Simplify insurance claims by creating an inventory of your belongings along with receipts, photos and documentation.
- When something breaks you’ll have easy access to warranty and manufacturer information.
- Track projects and keep notes about products. For example, if installing a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL), scan the receipt for your records and make notes about the performance of the bulb.
Q: How do I start creating my home inventory?
A: It’s easy. Go to the “log In” tab and click “Create an Account” and register for your HomeNav account.
Q: What are some examples of how I can use HomeNav?
A: 1. When painting a room, take a picture of the paint formula on the can and upload the photo into your HomeNav account. When you need to make touch-ups or repaint the room you have that information easily available.
2. If you have your carpets cleaned, scan the receipt and upload it into HomeNav (many companies are now offering to email receipts, so then you can download the receipt into HomeNav). Now you have the contact information for the company you used and the date you last had your carpets cleaned.
3. Completing a home remodeling project is a great time to add the model, make and manufacturer information into HomeNav for new products. Also include a photo journal of the project progress from start to finish. Even the site plans can be uploaded.
Q: How can I learn more about HomeNav? Can I try it?
A: Yes. Sign up for a membership and try it free for 90 days. After deciding to continue your membership past the 90 days, the data stored in your trial version will not be lost, so you won’t have to start over.
Q: What does it cost to join HomeNav?
A: HomeNav is FREE for individual homeowners with one account. Please contact a HomeNav representative for pricing on multiple accounts or commercial/business accounts.
Q: How long is my HomeNav membership good for?
A: For as long as you keep your account open. If you decide you would like to cancel your membership we will archive your information for five years. There will be a small fee for retrieving archived information.
Q: What are the top five reasons to use HomeNav?
A: 1. Inventory home components and valuables
2. Minimize paper clutter
3. Quick and easy access to important information about the home – emergency contacts, maintenance schedules, photos and receipts.
4. Easy to update with new purchases or when changes have been made to the home, such as an addition or remodeling project
5. Access to resources and expert information to better maintain your home
Q: What happens to the information in my HomeNav account if I move?
A: HomeNav stays with the home, which can be an added selling feature and benefit for the next homeowner. Should your HomeNav include furnishings and personal belongings, we can provide you with a copy of your HomeNav to take with you. You can also extend your membership for your next home.
Q: Can I upload videos into my HomeNav?
A: We recommend uploading videos to YouTube and embedding the link into your HomeNav account in the appropriate web link.
Q: Can I use HomeNav to inventory my valuables for insurance?
A: Absolutely! Insurance companies can only help you replace items that have been lost or damaged if there is a record of the items in your home. Making note of serial numbers will also help if you have to file a police report for stolen items.
Q: How long will it take me to capture information about all my important records?
A: Getting started and setting up your personal information takes no more than a few minutes. The time involved will vary, depending on how you decide to organize your data, how many records you wish to keep track of, and how much information you want to keep.
Q: I’m getting ready to sell my house…how can HomeNav help?
A: HomeNav is an added selling feature when populated with important information the new homeowner will need. Provide the new homeowner with the make, model, manufacturer and product manuals for appliances and systems in the home, local utilities, trash and recycling contact information, neighborhood highlights and access to checklists for maintaining their new home and the list goes on.
Q: How can I use HomeNav to purchase a new dishwasher?
A: HomeNav has a team of people that research and review resources for homeowners. As part of your membership you will have access to vetted resources to help you find unbiased information when making purchasing decisions.
Q: Can’t I keep my home information some other way?
A: Sure. You can use bits of paper or a list in a binder or even alternative software designed to help organize home information. Many people do. But records on paper are usually not very complete and difficult to keep up to date. It is also much more difficult and time consuming to keep comprehensive records on paper. Paper records also cannot automatically point to and open web-sites, documents, photos and other computer programs for you. Paper records don’t easily provide you with reports that you can store, share, e-mail or archive; nor do paper records allow easy additions of new items, or sorts the items. HomeNav provides an easy to use, interactive tool to manage your home information online.
Q: Do I need to know much about using computers?
A: No, but a little knowledge is always helpful. The program is designed to be easy to use. Just go to the Login tab to create your personal account.
Q: Can I use HomeNav on more than one computer?
A: Yes. Access your membership from any computer in the world that has access to the internet.
