Your new house checklist
Everything to do after you get the keys, in the order that it matters. When a task needs gear, we tell you what to look for and which one to get.
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Before you move in · The empty-house window
Run a radon test before closing, during your inspection period, in the lowest level anyone could regularly use, for at least 48 hours with windows and outside doors closed. EPA says to fix the home at 4 pCi/L or higher and to consider fixing it between 2 and 4. If the result is high, negotiate the fix before closing.
If you're buying a home built before 1978, federal rules give you a 10-day lead paint inspection period to test for lead paint and lead hazards. You don't have to use it, and you and the seller can lengthen, shorten or waive it in writing. Book a certified professional right away, because written reports can take a week.
Have a certified lab run a well water test before closing, and make the deal depend on the result. At minimum, test for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH, then add whatever is common in your area. Ask your health department what that is, and have someone independent collect the sample.
Compare your Closing Disclosure to your most recent Loan Estimate and check your rate, APR, loan amount, payment, closing cash and each fee. Lender fees generally can't rise, some third-party fees can rise 10% as a group, and others have no cap. You get three business days to review.
Rekey or replace locks on every exterior door as soon as you get the keys. Rekeying swaps the pins so old keys stop working, and it costs less than new hardware. A single-lock kit runs about $12 to $25. Replace a lock instead if it's worn or damaged, or you have mixed brands.
To reset garage door codes, hold the Learn button on the opener's motor unit until its light goes out, which on many models erases every paired remote and keypad. Then reprogram only the remotes you have, set a new keypad PIN, and remove any previous owner's app access. Check your opener's manual for exact steps.
Smoke alarm placement means one inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level, including the basement. Press each test button, then check the manufacture date on the back. Replace any alarm 10 years past that date, and keep alarms at least 10 feet from the stove.
For carbon monoxide alarm placement, pick a central spot outside each sleeping area and on every level, then test each alarm monthly. Use alarms meeting UL 2034, with batteries or battery backup. Keep them away from vents and out of kitchens. If one sounds, go outside and call 911.
The main water shutoff valve sits where the supply line enters your house, often low on a basement wall facing the street, in a crawl space, or in the garage near the water heater. Close it once to prove it stops the water, then tag it so anyone can find it fast.
Your main electrical panel is usually in a garage, basement or utility room, or outside near the meter. Find it and learn which switch is the main. To label an electrical panel, turn off one breaker at a time and write down what goes dark. Label the door clearly and leave the panel cover on.
Your gas shutoff valve sits on the pipe entering the meter, usually outside or in an external closet. A quarter turn closes it, leaving the lever across the pipe. If you smell gas or hear hissing, get everyone out first, then call the gas company from a safe place.
Anchor furniture to the wall by strapping every dresser, bookcase and tall cabinet to a wall stud with an anti-tip kit, and wall-mount TVs or strap them to a low, anchored stand. CPSC says most kits cost under $20 and take under 20 minutes. Add the anti-tip bracket on any freestanding range.
For a home fire escape plan, draw each floor, mark two ways out of every room, and check that every escape window really opens. Choose a meeting spot in front of the house, then practice twice a year with the smoke alarm's test button. Aim to get everyone out in under 2 minutes.
Change the address on your driver's license soon after moving, because state deadlines can be as short as 10 days. California and New York give you 10 days, and Texas gives you 30. Update your vehicle registration and voter record in the same sitting, and tell your auto insurer where the car is now kept.
Mount a home fire extinguisher, a lab-listed multipurpose ABC model, on each level, on a normal path to an exit. Keep the top no more than 5 feet up and the bottom at least 4 inches off the floor. Use it only on a small fire with a clear way out behind you.
To test outlets and GFCIs, plug a three-light tester into each outlet and compare the lights with its printed chart. Press TEST and RESET on each GFCI and AFCI. Anything other than correct wiring, or a device that won't trip, means calling a licensed electrician. Hot covers, sparks or burning smells mean stop using that outlet now.
For a home emergency kit, store at least one gallon of water per person per day for three days, plus non-perishable food you'll actually eat. Add a radio, flashlight, batteries, first aid kit, medicines, a wrench for utilities and copies of key documents. Keep it all in one or two bins that you can grab fast.
Get a chimney inspection before you light your first fire. NFPA 211 calls for a Level II inspection when a property is sold or transferred, which includes a camera look at the flue. Expect about $200 to $600 or more with video. After that, a Level I inspection each year is the norm.
Your closing papers show your first mortgage payment due date and who to pay, and it's often later than you'd guess. Create an online account with that servicer, make the first payment yourself, then turn on autopay set for before the due date. Keep watching your mail, because servicers can change.
Start your family first aid kit checklist with the Red Cross list for a family of four: 25 adhesive bandages, 2 compress dressings, gauze, tape, antiseptic wipes, gloves, a thermometer, a cold pack and a space blanket. Add your family's medicines, keep it where everyone can reach it, and check it once a year.
Zone 0 defensible space is the first 5 feet around your house and attached decks. Replace wood mulch and plants with gravel, pavers or concrete, and move firewood and other things that burn. Fit metal mesh over vents, keep gutters clear and swap any wood fence where it meets the house.
A homestead exemption cuts the taxable value of your primary home, and you normally apply through your county. Florida's takes off about $50,000, with a March 1 deadline. California's takes off $7,000, with a February 15 deadline for the full exemption. Most programs test where you lived on January 1.
For asbestos testing before renovation, have an accredited asbestos inspector take samples before you cut, sand, drill or demolish older materials, and treat paint in a pre-1978 home as lead until tested. Don't sample suspect material yourself. EPA says undamaged materials you won't disturb can stay in place. Use one firm to assess and a different firm to remove.
Prepare your house for hurricane season before it starts, June 1 in the Atlantic. Buy flood insurance at least 30 days ahead, look up your evacuation zone, and arrange shutters or 5/8-inch exterior plywood cut to fit each window. Clear gutters and drains, and know your hurricane deductible before a storm forms.
Book your 11-month builder warranty inspection, either a walkthrough or an independent inspection, while most one-year builder coverage is still active. Compare what you find against your warranty booklet, send the full repair list in writing, and keep every record. Coverage terms vary, so your own booklet decides what counts and when it ends.
Your escrow analysis compares what your servicer collected with what taxes and insurance now cost. If costs rose, you may have a shortage and a higher payment. Check the tax and insurance figures against your real bills, and remember that federal rules limit the cushion and require refunds of $50 or more.
For PMI removal on most conventional loans, you can ask to cancel once your balance reaches 80% of the home's original value, and PMI generally ends on its own at 78%. Find both dates on your PMI disclosure, put them on your calendar, and keep a clean payment record so a written request succeeds.
Start one folder of homeowner tax records with your closing statement, each Form 1098, proof of property taxes paid, and receipts for improvements. You use the first three to see if itemizing beats the standard deduction each year. You use the last to reduce taxable gain when you sell. Keep it all while you own the home.
The main reasons alarms fail are missing, disconnected or dead batteries. USFA says test all alarms monthly; hardwired units still need a backup battery replaced at least yearly.
CPSC says more than 200 people die each year from CO from non-automotive consumer products. Test monthly and replace batteries annually.
A UL-listed multipurpose (ABC) extinguisher can stop a small fire, but only if it's reachable and you know PASS. USFA says use one only when the fire is small, 911 has been called and you have a clear exit.
GFCIs prevent electrocution in wet areas; AFCIs prevent arcing fires. ESFI says test both monthly; a GFCI that doesn't cut power when tested needs replacing.
Before anyone sleeps there
- Find and tag the main water shutoffThe main water shutoff valve sits where the supply line enters your house, often low on a basement wall facing the street, in a crawl space, or in the garage near the water heater. Close it once to prove it stops the water, then tag it so anyone can find it fast.
- Find the electrical panel and label the breakersYour main electrical panel is usually in a garage, basement or utility room, or outside near the meter. Find it and learn which switch is the main. To label an electrical panel, turn off one breaker at a time and write down what goes dark. Label the door clearly and leave the panel cover on.
- Find the gas shutoff and learn what to do if you smell gasYour gas shutoff valve sits on the pipe entering the meter, usually outside or in an external closet. A quarter turn closes it, leaving the lever across the pipe. If you smell gas or hear hissing, get everyone out first, then call the gas company from a safe place.
- Anchor dressers, bookcases and TVsAnchor furniture to the wall by strapping every dresser, bookcase and tall cabinet to a wall stud with an anti-tip kit, and wall-mount TVs or strap them to a low, anchored stand. CPSC says most kits cost under $20 and take under 20 minutes. Add the anti-tip bracket on any freestanding range.
- Confirm the utilities work and photograph the metersOn the day you get the keys, check the utilities in your new house: test the lights, hot and cold water, and heating or cooling. Then photograph each electric, gas and water meter so you have a dated start reading. If gas appliances won't light, call the gas utility and don't relight anything yourself.
The move-in checklist, step by step
120 tasks in 7 stages, from the final walkthrough to your first year.
Things to buy for a new house
267 items in the order you’ll miss them, by room. Tick what you already own.
Print it
Both checklists as printable PDFs: a tick box and a date line for every task, the gear list, and space for your shutoff locations, filter size and account numbers.
Put it on your phone
Install the checklist as an app. It puts an icon on your home screen, works offline in an empty house with no Wi-Fi, and keeps your checkmarks.
Which one to buy
For everything a checklist task needs: what to look for, how many, and two to four picks with honest trade-offs.
Get the house ready for winter
Heating, gutters, outdoor faucets and the rest of the winter list.
Winter preparedness checklist
Reviews and repair guides
Hands-on product reviews, tool guides and repairs for around the house.
Doorbell Wiring Diagrams
Garbage Disposal Installation and Replacement
Tankless Water Heaters Reviews And Rating
KitchenSafest Air Fryers Without Teflon that Don’t Cause Cancer (2023 Updated)
Famiware Dinnerware Sets Review — Are the Dishes and Plates Worth It?
Magnalite Cookware Review – Are Magnalite Pots Really Non Toxic and Safe to Use
How we choose
Every task links to its sources, and stores never decide what we recommend.
Read our method- Tasks from primary sourcesFire agencies, the EPA, federal regulators and inspection groups. Every task links to its sources.
- Buy only what a task needsMost tasks need nothing. When one does, you get what to look for before any product.
- Picks with trade-offsBest for most homes, best value and an upgrade, each with its trade-offs and who else recommends it.