Your First 90 Days as a New Homeowner

Week 1: locate the essentials

• Find the main water shutoff valve — know how to turn it off before you need to in a hurry
• Find the electrical panel and label any breakers that aren't already labeled
• Locate gas shutoffs if you have gas appliances
• Test every smoke and carbon monoxide detector, and check their age
• Change all the exterior locks (you don't know who else has a key from before)

Weeks 2–4: understand what you own

• Note the age of major systems — HVAC, water heater, roof — from your inspection report or by checking serial numbers/manufacture dates directly
• Collect and organize any manuals, warranties, or service records left by the previous owner
• Identify your home's water shutoff, sewer cleanout, and sprinkler shutoff locations if applicable
• Change your HVAC filter, regardless of when it was last changed

Month 2: get ahead of maintenance

• Schedule an HVAC service visit if you don't know its recent service history
• Test the sump pump if you have one
• Walk the exterior and check grading, gutters, and downspouts before the next season's weather
• Review your homeowners insurance policy and confirm coverage actually matches your new home's value and features

Month 3: build your system

• Set a recurring reminder for seasonal maintenance (see our full 12-month checklist)
• Start keeping records of anything you fix or replace — this becomes your home's history from day one, not something you try to reconstruct years later
• Identify a contractor for at least your most likely-to-fail system, before you're calling around during an emergency