The day you get the keys to a Colorado Springs home, do a one-hour walk-through before a single box comes off the truck: test every water and gas shutoff, check the water heater’s age, inspect crawlspace plumbing and insulation, test the GFCI outlets, locate and test the smoke and CO detectors, run every exterior faucet, check the exterior for UV and weather damage, test the HVAC in both heat and cool, confirm attic access, and check the swamp cooler’s winterization status. I’ve walked enough new owners through this list to tell you it almost always turns up something worth fixing before the first freeze.
1. Find and Test Every Shutoff in the House
This is the most important item on this list. In an emergency (a burst pipe, a gas smell, a flooding dishwasher), you will be under stress. You won’t have time to search.
Main water shutoff: Usually near the water meter, in the utility room, crawlspace, or garage. Turn it fully off and confirm that water stops at a faucet. Then turn it back on.
Individual fixture shutoffs: Under every sink, behind every toilet, behind the washing machine, and below the water heater. Turn each one off and on to confirm they move freely. A shutoff that hasn’t been turned in years may be stuck. Find that out now, not during a leak.
Gas main shutoff: Typically at the gas meter outside. Know where it is. You need a wrench to operate it, so keep one accessible.
Electrical panel: Open it. Label any circuits that aren’t labeled. Confirm the breakers match what they’re supposed to control. Note the panel’s amperage rating.
2. Check the Water Heater
Look at the sticker on the side. It shows the installation date. Water heaters in Colorado Springs usually last 8 to 12 years. City water here is soft to moderately hard, so mineral buildup usually isn’t the main wear factor (I still get asked about “hard water damage” on city-water homes more than I’d expect). But if your home is on a private well (common in Black Forest, Falcon, and Monument), harder well water can leave mineral deposits inside the tank faster, and that wears the tank out sooner.
If the unit is over 8 years old, plan to replace it soon rather than waiting for it to fail. Look for corrosion (rust) around the base, at the pipe connections on top, and at the temperature-pressure relief (TPR) valve. The TPR valve is a safety valve that lets water out if the tank gets too hot or the pressure climbs too high. It should have a drain tube that runs down toward a floor drain or outside. If there’s no drain tube, or the tube just ends in a bucket or in midair, that’s a code problem.
3. Inspect Crawlspace Plumbing and Insulation
Colorado Springs crawlspaces are the highest freeze-risk spot in most homes, and it’s the first place I go looking when a new owner calls about a frozen pipe. Ask whether there’s access and go in with a flashlight if it’s accessible.
Look for pipe insulation on supply lines. Look for standing water or moisture staining on the ground. Look for gaps in the crawlspace vent covers or foundation walls where cold air can enter. A previous owner may have installed heat tape (an electric heating cable wrapped around pipes to keep them from freezing). Check that it’s plugged in and working.
If the crawlspace has no pipe insulation or the insulation is deteriorated, add it before October.
4. Test Every GFCI Outlet
Ground fault circuit interrupter outlets (the ones with the Test and Reset buttons) protect against electrocution in wet areas. They’re required in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, exterior outlets, and near any water source.
Press the Test button on each one. The outlet should go dead. Press Reset. It should restore power. If a GFCI doesn’t trip or doesn’t reset, it needs replacement. If you find standard outlets (no GFCI) in a kitchen, bathroom, or garage, note them for an upgrade. This is a common home-inspection finding and a real safety issue.
5. Locate and Test Smoke and CO Detectors
Walk every room and hallway. Smoke detectors belong on every level and outside every sleeping area. Carbon monoxide detectors belong on every level and near any gas appliance or attached garage.
Press the test button on each one. Note which are hardwired (ceiling-mounted, connected to your electrical system) and which are battery-only. Check the dates stamped on the units. Smoke detectors have a 10-year lifespan, and CO detectors last 5 to 7 years. If you can’t find a date, replace them.
In Colorado Springs, CO detectors matter more than in many places. High altitude changes how gas appliances burn fuel, and homes are sealed up tight in winter. Together, that makes carbon monoxide from an attached garage, water heater, or furnace a real risk.
6. Run Every Exterior Faucet and Check for Drainage
Walk the exterior and run each outdoor faucet (also called a hose bib). These should have their own shutoff inside the house. Frost-free faucets handle this inside the wall instead. Check that water flows freely and that there’s no dripping or leaking at the valve.
Look at where the ground slopes around the foundation. It should slope away from the house: at least 6 inches of drop in the first 10 feet. Ground that slopes toward the foundation sends snowmelt and rain into the basement or crawlspace. Colorado Springs gets its heaviest moisture in May and June, so this matters before your first spring.
7. Check the Exterior for UV and Weather Damage
At 6,035 feet, UV radiation is roughly 25% more intense than at sea level, and that’s why paint on south-facing and west-facing walls fails faster here than anywhere you’ve lived before (the west wall is always the one that ages first, in my experience).
Walk the exterior perimeter. Look at the caulking around windows and doors. It should be whole, still flexible, and stuck tight to both surfaces it seals. Cracked, shrinking, or missing caulk lets water in during monsoon season (July and August). Look at the deck or wood fence if there is one. Is the stain still soaking into the wood, or has it turned gray and silver? That silver-gray look means UV has broken down the surface and water is getting in.
Note anything that needs attention before winter.
8. Test the HVAC System in Both Modes
Turn the heat on. Wait. Confirm warm air from the registers. Turn it off. Turn the cooling on. Confirm cold air. If the home has a swamp cooler (an evaporative cooler) instead of or along with central AC, run it and confirm the pads are wet and the unit cools.
While the system runs, walk every room and confirm airflow from the registers. Rooms with poor or no airflow usually have a closed or broken damper (the plate inside a duct that controls airflow), a duct that has come loose, or a system that’s too small for the space. These are easier to address before you depend on the system.
Change the filter if it hasn’t been changed recently. A filter that’s been sitting in a vacant home for months is often loaded.
9. Check the Attic Access
You don’t need to go in on day one, but know where the attic access is and confirm it’s accessible. Colorado Springs homes lose significant heat through the attic in winter. The standard is R-49 to R-60 attic insulation for our climate zone.
Look in with a flashlight. If you see floor joists with little or flattened insulation between them, adding blown-in insulation is one of the best-value upgrades you can make. It pays back fast in lower heating bills. If you see daylight where the roofline meets the attic, or moisture stains on the roof sheathing (the wood panels under the shingles), those are issues worth handling before the heavy snow arrives.
10. Confirm the Swamp Cooler Status (If Applicable)
Many Colorado Springs homes have evaporative coolers (swamp coolers). If you’re moving in during fall or winter, a previous owner should have winterized it: drained the water line, removed or covered the pads, and plugged the vent.
If it wasn’t winterized properly, the water in the supply line can freeze and crack the parts that spread water over the pads. Confirm it’s drained. Confirm the interior ceiling vent is covered or closed. An open swamp cooler vent in winter lets a lot of cold air in and drives up your heating bills.
If you’re moving in during spring, you’ll want to start it up before summer. That’s a separate process: inspect and replace the pads, clean the reservoir, reconnect the water supply, and confirm the pump works before relying on it in June.
This list doesn’t replace a professional home inspection. It adds to it. The inspection identified what needed attention. This walk-through makes sure you understand your house’s systems before you need them under pressure.
Jonathan Shea is the owner of The Colorado Handyman, serving Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region. Flat-rate written estimates, no hourly billing surprises. Licensed and insured with $2M general liability coverage.
Get a free written estimate: Contact The Colorado Handyman or call (719) 243-9718.
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