The inspection happened weeks ago. You have a thick folder of reports, a list of negotiated repairs, and the keys. You move in Saturday.
Before a single box comes off the truck, do this walk-through. It takes about an hour and sets a baseline for everything that comes after. Some of what you find will be fine. Some of it won’t be. Better to know now.
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 and 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 operated in years may be seized — 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 — 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 typically last 8–12 years due to hard water deposits (11.7 grains per gallon) that accumulate inside the tank faster than in softer-water markets.
If the unit is over 8 years old, plan for replacement in the near term rather than waiting for it to fail. Look for corrosion around the base, at the supply and return connections, and at the temperature-pressure relief (TPR) valve. Look for a drain tube on the TPR valve that runs down toward a floor drain or outside — if there’s no drain tube, or if it terminates into a bucket or nowhere, that’s a code issue.
3. Inspect Crawlspace Plumbing and Insulation
Colorado Springs crawlspaces are the highest freeze-risk location in most homes. 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 — 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 upgrade — this is one of the most common J-1 inspection items and a legitimate 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, CO detectors 5–7 years. If you can’t find a date, replace them.
In Colorado Springs, CO detectors matter more than in many markets. The combination of high altitude (which affects combustion) and sealed homes in winter creates conditions where carbon monoxide from attached garages, water heaters, and furnaces is a genuine risk.
6. Run Every Exterior Faucet and Check for Drainage
Walk the exterior and run each hose bib. These should have individual interior shutoffs (frost-free hose bibs handle this internally). 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 — a minimum of 6 inches of drop in the first 10 feet. Ground that slopes toward the foundation directs snowmelt and rain into the basement or crawlspace. Colorado Springs gets its heaviest moisture in May and June; this becomes relevant 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. This is why paint on south-facing and west-facing walls fails faster here than anywhere you’ve lived before.
Walk the exterior perimeter. Look at caulking around windows and doors — it should be intact, flexible, and adhered on both sides. Cracked, shrinking, or missing caulk lets water in during monsoon season (July–August). Look at the deck or wood fence if there is one. Is the stain still penetrating the surface, or has it grayed and silvered? Silvering means the UV has broken down the surface and moisture 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 instead of or in addition to 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 typically have a damper issue, a disconnected duct, or a sizing problem. These are easier to address before you’re dependent 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 minimal or compressed insulation between them, adding blown-in insulation is one of the highest-ROI improvements available to you. If you see daylight where the roofline meets the attic, or if you see moisture staining on the sheathing, those are issues worth addressing before snow loads arrive.
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, plugged the vent.
If it wasn’t winterized properly, the water in the supply line can freeze and crack the distribution system. Confirm it’s drained. Confirm the interior ceiling vent is covered or closed — an open swamp cooler vent in winter is a significant source of cold air infiltration and heating loss.
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 complements 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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