New Home or Apartment? Know These 5 Things on Day One
Quick answer: Before you unpack, find the main water shutoff, find and label the breaker panel, learn the smell-gas rules, test your GFCI outlets, and test every smoke and CO alarm. Each takes minutes and can save your home in an emergency.
- Find the main water shutoffFREE · 10 min
Family Handyman puts this at the top of its move-in list: almost all homes have a main shutoff directly before the water meter and another directly after. In cold climates the meter and valves are usually inside (often a basement); in milder climates they may be on an exterior wall or in an underground box with a removable lid. This Old House suggests labeling it with a large sign so it’s easy to find in an emergency. Renters: ask your landlord or manager where it is. - Find the breaker panel and label itFREE · 30–60 min
The panel is usually a gray metal box in a utility room, garage or basement; the main breaker is usually at the top (Family Handyman). Family Handyman says opening the panel door is safe—the dangerous parts are behind another steel cover. There should be a guide showing which circuit serves which outlets; if not, indexing the panel belongs on your move-in list (Family Handyman), and This Old House says to check that breaker descriptions are accurate. Related: Breaker tripped · Outlet not working. - Know what to do if you smell gasFREE · 2 min
Find your gas meter outside so it’s easy to locate in an emergency (This Old House). But if you smell gas inside, get out and call 911 once outside; don’t turn any lights or appliances on or off, don’t open or close windows, and don’t try to shut off the gas yourself (Mass.gov). Natural gas has an odor added so leaks can be detected (Mass.gov). - Test your GFCI outletsFREE · 10 min
GFCIs are required in places like bathrooms, kitchens, garages, basements, laundry areas, outdoors, and within 6 feet of sinks (ESFI). To test: press RESET, plug in a nightlight, press TEST (the light should go off), then RESET (it should come back on). If test or reset doesn’t work, ESFI says the GFCI should be replaced. Related: GFCI won’t reset. - Test smoke & CO alarmsFREE · 10 min
NFPA: test all smoke alarms at least monthly by pressing the test button; have them in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every level including the basement; replace any alarm 10 years after its manufacture date. Test CO alarms at least monthly too, with one outside each sleeping area and on every level (NFPA). If a CO alarm sounds, get to fresh air outdoors and call for help from there (NFPA).
💡 Renting? Many repairs are your landlord’s job. See Renters: what you can fix vs. call your landlord.