Home Safety Checklist: What to Look for During Your Final Walk-Through

Closing day is a very exciting day – you’ll do your final walk-through on your soon-to-be home and then you’ll head to your real estate agent’s office to sign the paperwork that makes the condo or loft yours.

But during that final walk-through, there are a few things you really need to look at. Use this home safety checklist to make sure everything in the home is as it should be before you sign the dotted line.

Home Safety Checklist: What to Look for During Your Final Walk-Through

As you walk through your home, your real estate agent will be on the lookout for many of the same things you will. Make sure you’re looking at things like:

Smoke detectors
Carbon monoxide detectors
Fire extinguishers
Dryer vents
Water heater
Locks

Let’s take a closer look at each of these.

Safety Item #1: Smoke detectors

Every sleeping room, each hallway and the kitchen should have a working smoke detector. Go through and push all the buttons to do performance tests – the last thing you want is to have an emergency but not get all the warning you need. Make sure there are ample smoke detectors on every level of the home.

And just for the record, the National Fire Protection Association says that three in every five home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or in homes with non-working smoke alarms.

Safety Item #2: Carbon monoxide detectors

Carbon monoxide is an incredibly dangerous toxic gas, and the worst part is that you can’t detect it on your own. It’s odorless, colorless and tasteless, so you won’t even know if it’s permeating the home unless you have a working carbon monoxide detector. More than 150 deaths each year are due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning – but detectors can help prevent many of them.

Prolonged exposure can cause you to suffocate due to a lack of oxygen, so CO detectors are a must-have on every level of your condo or loft.

Safety Item #3: Fire extinguishers

Sometimes homeowners leave fire extinguishers for their buyers – check under the kitchen sink and in the bathrooms. These simple tools can save your life in an emergency, so make sure that there’s always one in the kitchen and at least one other fire extinguisher elsewhere.

Safety Item #4: Dryer vents

Dryer lint is incredibly flammable – it can go up in flames in a matter of seconds, taking all kinds of property with it. The vent from the laundry room to the outside should be clear and free from the last owner’s lint – and you should check it before the movers come in with your appliances.

For the record, you should check your own dryer vent three or four times a year to make sure it’s clear. About 2,900 dryer fires occur each year, and many of them are due to lint-filled vents.

Safety Item #5: Water heater

Check the temperature on the water heater before you turn on the tap (and definitely before you move in and take your first shower). The Consumer Product Safety Commission says you should set your water heater’s temperature at 120 degrees F, but some people really crank it up. That can be particularly dangerous to small kids and the elderly.

Safety Item #6: Locks

If the previous owner changed the locks, you’re in good shape – as long as you feel comfortable that you’re the only one with keys. If the old owner hasn’t changed the locks, think about how many people might have a copy – housekeepers, babysitters, friends and family – and invest in a new set of locks for yourself.

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