Things to Fix Before Moving Into Your New Home

Before you move into a new home, test the appliances and HVAC, clean the carpet, refinish or replace worn floors, paint while the rooms are empty, change the locks, find the water shut⁠-⁠off and electrical panel, and test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Every one of these is easier with empty rooms than after the furniture is in.

1. Do the Appliances Still Work?

Run every appliance that comes with the house: the refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, range, microwave, washer and dryer. Check under the dishwasher and behind the refrigerator for leaks. You don’t want to discover a slow leak two weeks after moving in, once it has already damaged the kitchen floor.

Ask the sellers for the manuals and any warranty paperwork for appliances that stay with the house. If something needs repair or replacement, do it now, while the kitchen is empty.

2. Should You Have the HVAC Inspected Before Moving In?

Yes. Heating and cooling is one of the systems buyers purchase blind. You can’t fully test it during a sale, and you have no way of knowing how the previous owners maintained it.

Start with the filter. ENERGY STAR recommends checking the air filter in a furnace, heat pump or central air conditioner once a month, because a dirty filter raises energy costs and can lead to early equipment failure. Then book a check⁠-⁠up: ENERGY STAR recommends a contractor tune⁠-⁠up every year, the cooling system in spring and the heating system in fall. Don’t skip it on a gas furnace. Faulty gas connections are a fire hazard, and the U.S. Fire Administration warns that a furnace that isn’t working or vented properly can produce carbon monoxide.

3. Should You Clean the Carpets Before Moving In?

Yes. Deep clean any carpet a few days before you move in. You don’t know how it was kept or what’s sitting in the fibers, especially in older carpet. Shaw, one of the brands Homze installs, recommends professional carpet cleaning every 12 to 18 months by a certified professional. If you rent a machine instead, Shaw recommends equipment and cleaning products certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval program.

If you have pets or kids, our carpet care tips will help it last. If the carpet is past saving, the empty house is the easiest time to replace it.

4. Should You Refinish or Replace the Floors?

If they’re worn, do it before move⁠-⁠in. Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished, which is much less expensive than replacing the floor and can give it almost any look with a new stain. Sanding a whole floor is a big, dusty job, and it’s far simpler with no furniture in the way.

If you’d rather start fresh, Homze installs LVP, laminate, hardwood and carpet, from Mohawk and Shaw or flooring you bought yourself. Our flooring installation cost guide shows Homze’s installation prices by material.

5. Should You Paint Before Moving In?

If you don’t love the colors, yes. Painting an empty room is far easier than working around furniture, drapes and full closets. Repainting a couple of weeks before you move in lets you make the house look and feel the way you want from day one, instead of putting it off until furniture is in the way.

6. Should You Change the Locks on a New House?

Yes. You have no way of knowing who still has keys from the previous owners. Have the locks replaced or professionally rekeyed before you move in, so old keys no longer work. Cover every exterior door, including the back door, the garage and any sheds.

7. Where Are the Main Water Shut⁠-⁠Off and the Electrical Panel?

Find both before you need them. If a pipe bursts, every second you save in shutting off the water limits the damage. While you’re at it, look under each sink for leaks and run the hot water at every faucet to confirm the water heater works.

At the electrical panel, flip each breaker and label what it controls. That confirms the breakers work and saves guessing during an outage or a repair.

8. Are the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms Working?

Test every alarm before you move in. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends testing smoke alarms every month, replacing 9⁠-⁠volt batteries at least once a year, and replacing the whole alarm 10 years from its manufacture date. Then check that the home has an alarm everywhere it needs one.

When Should You Schedule New Floors?

In the days between closing and move⁠-⁠in, if you can. Paint first, then floors, then furniture. When you’re ready, book a free in⁠-⁠home estimate for new floors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Should Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms Go?

The U.S. Fire Administration recommends smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement, mounted on the ceiling or high on the wall. Interconnected alarms are best, so when one sounds, they all sound. Carbon monoxide alarms go in a central spot outside each sleeping area and on every level.

Should You Paint or Do the Floors First?

Usually paint first. Drips land on the floor that’s coming out or, with a hardwood refinish, get sanded away, and you don’t have to cover a brand⁠-⁠new floor. The trade⁠-⁠off with refinishing is dust: sanding throws off fine dust that can cling to fresh paint, so cover the walls or plan a touch⁠-⁠up.

Should You Deep Clean a House Before Moving In?

Yes. Clean top to bottom while the house is empty, and focus on the spots that will be hard to reach once the furniture arrives. Kitchens and bathrooms deserve the most attention.