8 Important Things to Check in Your New House Before Moving In
A new house can be so exciting! All one can think of is the decorating possibilities and the organizational ideas. But before you start moving in your stuff and arranging your furniture, there are some important things to check in your new house to make sure everything is safe and in working order.
1. Change the locks.
If you are renting or buying a pre-owned house, the first thing to do as soon as you signed the contract is to have the locks changed. You just don’t know how many people have a copy of the keys, and access to the house. When a house goes up for sale, a lot of people have access to it, including listing agents, selling agents, and maintenance workers. Plus, you can’t be sure who the previous owners offered a spare set.
2. Check for moisture stains.
Your inspector should have noted any discolored yellow rings on your drywall, but give your home another once-over right before you move in. It is also best to visit the house when or right after the rain to check for moisture or leaks in the walls, corners, and crevices in the house. Any necessary repair work will be easier to tackle when the space isn’t crammed with your stuff.
3. Locate the shut-off valves.
Find the main water shut-off valve and check to see if you need special tools — like a wrench or a key — to operate it. If you suddenly have a plumbing leak and there’s water pouring into your house, you need to be able to get to the valve and turn off the water quickly.
4. Locate the circuit breaker box.
If an electrical fire starts, you should know where to go to turn off all the power in the house. Now would also be a good time to label the switches if they’re not already marked. You’ll need two people: One to flip the switch and one to holler when the lights go out.
5. Replace the batteries in smoke detectors.
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors aren’t always checked during a home inspection. And even if they are, something could happen between the inspection and the time you move in. “I could push the button, it could work fine, and then the battery could die,” says McGavic. Working smoke alarms save lives, so swap out all the batteries with fresh ones.
6. Clean carpets or redo floor tiling.
One of the overlooked areas in the house is the flooring. Whether it’s an old or a newly built house, it is best to check the floors up to the corners of the room. Some tiles may be loose and the carpet may not have been cleaned for a long time. It’s worth the money to hire a professional cleaner to come in, and have their heavy duty steam-powered machines kill germs and dust mites — who knows when the carpets were last cleaned.
7. Check electrical wiring, and dead electrical outlets.
Whether you are renting or buying a pre-owned or new house, it would be best to check that all electrical lights and outlets work. Before the actual move in day, have light fixtures installed or bring light bulbs to check if everything is in order. This will also save you time to climb up the ladders to put in lights on the actual move in day.
8. Check water supply & for plumbing leaks
Plumbing can be a bit of a challenge in newly built, and pre-owned houses. Always run all faucets in every time you visit the house before the actual move. This is to clear the plumbing from dust, and debris with flowing water. This will also help you check for leaks in the plumbing system. You will have enough time to have any plumbing leaks fix before moving into the house.
It can be hassle to not fully enjoy the first few months of your stay in your newly bought, acquired, or rental house for some unforeseen circumstances. These might included broken electrical outlet, plumbing leaks to name a few. It is best to run through the important things to check in your new house before moving in.
