Moving into a new home can be overwhelming. So many things to do. Where do you begin? 

Our new homeowner checklist breaks the moving process down into 25 steps. Let's get started!

 

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A Top-Down Approach

When examining your home, many home inspectors will literally start from top to bottom—from your roof on down. We’ll take this same approach but also emphasize the “Big 3” of any sound structure: water, electricity, and gas.

1. Check the Roof 

Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against the elements, so you should absolutely have a professional roof inspection done to check for any structural or material problems. Keep an eye out for missing or torn shingles and any internal signs of damage, like a leak, ceiling stains, or mold. 

If you're able to walk the roof, check for soft spots, missing or damaged flashing, and chimney damage. Sometimes, you can fix leaks with just a caulk gun and roof cement or silicone.

2. Sweep the Chimney

If your home has a chimney, having it inspected and cleaned can help avoid a catastrophic chimney fire. As your fireplace is used, over time creosote builds up as a byproduct of combustion. Creosote is flammable and, left uncleaned, can ignite. 

3. Inspect the Gutters 

Gutters move rainwater away from your home’s foundation. If they get clogged with leaves, dirt, and other debris, your home could suffer serious water damage. Always check to make sure the previous owner didn’t neglect the gutters, and clean them out if necessary.  

4. Check Attic Insulation

Insulation keeps heat inside your home. Poor insulation, particularly in the attic, means heat will escape faster in the winter. Check to make sure your attic insulation is higher than the attic floor joists. Also, check the insulation’s R-Value to ensure that it’s within the recommended range for your area. 

5. Inspect Your Windows

Old or broken windows are terrible for energy efficiency in winter and summer. Fortunately. It's possible to reglaze your windows or switch to double or triple panes for higher efficiency. Be sure to also check the caulk around the window as well as the window frames for rotting. Condensation buildup is also a tell-tale sign of poor window efficiency. 

6. Get Proper Ventilation

Poor air ventilation isn’t something you might directly feel or notice, but you can observe the symptoms. Peeling paint or wallpaper, mold, odors, and even feeling unwell can all be signs of poor air circulation in your home. Make sure you have properly sized and operating bathroom fans, range hoods, and other indoor air quality equipment.  

7. Know Where Your Wall Studs Are

If it’s your first time owning a home, you might not think about where you’re nailing a picture frame or wall-hung shelf, but you absolutely should. If you haphazardly drill a hole anywhere, you could risk puncturing a live electric wire or water pipe. Only drill holes into your wall studs, which you can locate using a wall stud finder. 

8. Check for Rotting Wood

Anything made of wood in your home is prone to rotting. Window frames, siding, an outdoor deck, and even the structural beams of your home can be impacted by rotting. Don’t ignore any signs of rotted wood, which include dark, spongy timber, cracked spots, flaky paint, fungal growth, and a damp odor. 

Understand Your Home’s Water

You can’t see them, but your home has a network of pipes that bring water in and out, like arteries in the human body. Just like you don’t want to bleed, you don’t want your home sprouting water leaks or worse. Here are some new home checklist items for water. 

9. Locate Your Water Shut Off Valve

If water is ever leaking uncontrollably into your home, you will need to turn it off at the source, which is done by turning the water shut off valve. This all-important valve is typically found on the street side of your home but may be in a different area. Check your home inspection report, which will have it listed.  

10. Identify Leaks

Leaks are the obvious first sign that something is wrong with your home’s water system. One way to check for leaks is to take a picture of your water meter right before you go to bed. Overnight, you’re probably not using any water. If, in the morning, you observe that the meter has moved, it means you have a leak somewhere and should investigate further. 

Part of preventing leaks is making sure your water fixtures are waterproofed. This is especially crucial for the bathroom and kitchen fixtures. Make sure all fixtures, from the toilet to the tub, are properly caulked and sealed. Look for any signs of internal leakage. Often, a sign of this will be a stained ceiling on the floor below the bathroom. Besides individual fixtures, ensure that your basement walls and floor are properly sealed from outside water, so you don't get a swimming pool down there.

11. Mind Your Toilet

Unless you've built your house from scratch, change out your toilet seat right away, or at least clean it. Check that it flushes correctly, that it's firmly attached  to the floor and doesn't move, and that the tank and bowl refill normally. As you do this, check for any leaks, excessive moisture, or mold.

12. Inspect Your Water Heater

Do you know how old your water heater is? It’s an important question. If it’s more than 10 years old or you hear strange clanking sounds coming from it, it may be time to replace. You may have sediment buildup inside that will eventually cause a rupture and leak. Don’t get stuck in a situation where you’re scrambling for hot water.  

13. Check Your Sump Pump

Your sump pump keeps your home dry during a rainstorm, so make sure the one in your new home is working properly. You can test it by lifting the sensor up (which would simulate water rising in the sump pit).  Alternatively, you can pour a few gallons of water around it to see if it turns on. Get in the habit of checking your sump pump every 3-4 months. 

It's also important to check for any signs of water seepage during a storm. Look around the outside of the foundation to make sure soil is below the sill plate and that the landscape is sloped away from the property. Check window wells and seals around doors that may allow water to leech in. Make sure sewer drains work properly and get them inspected and cleaned by a plumber annually.  

14. Water Hardness

If you’re seeing limescale buildup in your bathroom or have trouble getting a soapy lather in the shower, you may have too many minerals in your water. That’s called having hard water, and the solution is keeping a functioning water softener in your home. If your home came with a water softener, make sure you maintain it by regularly adding salt to the unit. 

Understand Your Home's Electricity

After water, electricity is the most essential element in your home. It can also be the most dangerous, which is why the following electricity tips are a must for any new house checklist.

15. Locate Your Electrical Panel

You should know where the main electrical panel is because it’s from there that you can control the electricity flow to your entire home and reset the breaker if necessary. If the breakers on the panel are unlabeled, you should test them all to figure out which outlets they control and label them yourself. 

16. Determine Your Electric Service Size

When checking your main electric panel, you should also check to see the amount of electricity available to your home, which is important to know when buying appliances and tools. Older homes that haven’t had their electrical system upgraded may have anywhere from 30 to100-amp service. Most homes have 200-amp service and some larger homes may have 250-amp service. The main breaker or electric meter should list your home’s amp-service. 

17. Check Outlets & GFCI Switches

Ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) switches should be installed and functioning in your bathrooms and kitchen. They automatically cut power to an outlet if they detect a change in current (like if you drop your hair dryer into the sink) and protect you from electric shock. They don’t last forever, though, so you should test them by pressing the “test” button and seeing if power is cut to the outlet.  

18. Have a Plan for Backup Power

It’s not always the first thing you think about when moving, but do you have a plan for when the power goes out? If you work from home or are reliant on some other electrical device, you should really consider getting a home backup generator for peace of mind during a power outage. You’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. 

Understand Your Home’s Gas

The last major utility to check is natural gas. This is particularly important because, in many homes, natural gas enables heating and cooking but can also be extremely dangerous if not set up properly.

19. Locate Your Gas Shutoff Valve

Just like with electricity and water, there is a main shutoff valve for your home’s gas which you should locate and know how to use in case of an emergency, such as a gas leak. The location will vary based on your home’s age, but it should be outlined in your home inspection report. 

20. Check CO and Smoke Detectors

According to the CDC, 50,000 Americans visit the emergency room each year due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning and 430 die. Even more die from fires. Making sure fire and CO detectors are installed and working can help protect you and your family. Remember to change the batteries at least once a year. 

21. Check Your Dryer Vent

Whether you have an electric or gas dryer, you need to make sure it’s properly venting out the lint and moisture. If your dryer feels hot to the touch or you have lint buildup inside, you may have a clogged dryer vent tube, which is a fire hazard. You or a professional should remove and clean the dryer vent tube before using it any further.  

22. Understand Your HVAC System

Do you have a boiler or a furnace? A heat pump or radiant? Knowing what kind of heating and cooling system you have and how old it is will allow you to properly maintain it. Whether you have to change your furnace filter or bleed your radiator, understanding how your home stays warm and cool is nonnegotiable. 

The Great Outdoors

First-time homeowners will experience the most change in needing to care for their outdoor space. With a home comes the responsibility of caring for a lawn, driveway, and other exterior features. That’s why the final section of this new homeowner checklist deals with the outside.

23. Landscaping

Lawn maintenance and landscaping is integral to owning a home. From planting grass seed, to mowing, to aerating and other tasks, be sure to get in the habit of caring for your outdoor space. If you’re moving in the fall or winter, this won’t be front of mind, but remember it come spring. 

24. Check for Hazards

An uneven driveway. A tree root protruding from the ground. Icicles hanging precipitously from your roof. Even an uncovered basement window well. All of these are potential hazards you could be liable for if someone gets hurt on your property. Eliminating hazards not only makes your home safer but can improve its overall aesthetic and raise property value. 

25. Pest Control

When you own a home, all sorts of creepy crawlies will try to get in, from ants, to centipedes, to mice. Whatever you have in your area, be sure to protect your home with insecticide, mouse traps, etc. Left unchecked, certain invaders can damage your home’s structure and foundation over time. Nip any pest issues in the bud. 

Get Checking

Perhaps the biggest change for new homeowners is the level of responsibility needed. For the first time, everything is on you. No more submitting service tickets to the property manager. You ARE the property manager, and you must anticipate and address any potential issues.

This new homeowner checklist is not exhaustive. The number of scenarios rivals the number of pebbles on a beach. However, after reading this, you should be able to take a confident step in the right direction.   

 

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