You can decide where the coffee mugs go later. Before the first load of laundry runs, know how water enters the house, where you can safely shut it off, and whom to call if something leaks.
A useful move-in handoff covers both the service accounts and the physical house. Water can be flowing during your walkthrough while the account is scheduled to stop the next morning. A shutoff can be visible beside the house while nobody knows whether it works. Give both details a place on your moving checklist.
Confirm the provider for the exact address
Ask which companies or public utilities provide electricity, drinking water, wastewater, and any separate irrigation or reclaimed-water service. Then verify directly with each provider. Central Florida service boundaries don't always follow the city name in the mailing address.
For example, OUC's start, stop, and move service page directs customers to verify its service area and submit the appropriate request. If you're moving within that service area, its move-service process allows service at the new address to begin before service ends at the old one.
Coordinate your requested start date with your contract, closing schedule, and actual possession. Ask about application processing, deposits, access requirements, and service hours. Save confirmation numbers. If closing moves, update the requests and verify the new dates instead of assuming someone else's call adjusted your accounts.
Ask for a short house orientation
During an authorized walkthrough or other agreed access, ask the seller, inspector, or qualified plumber to identify the home's main customer-operated water shutoff. Photograph it from far enough away that you can recognize the location, then take a closer photo of the valve.
Orange County's water-system preparedness guidance emphasizes knowing the shutoff location. Your property may have more than one valve, and a meter-side component may belong to the utility. Confirm which equipment you are allowed to operate.
Don't force a stiff, corroded, or unfamiliar valve. Ask a plumber to assess it and demonstrate safe operation. If the only apparent shutoff is in a utility box or locked area, contact the provider or property manager for the correct procedure. Guessing with a wrench can add a repair to the emergency you're trying to stop.
Learn what each valve actually controls
Ask whether the main house shutoff also stops outdoor hose bibs, irrigation, and other connections. A separate irrigation meter, well pump, or treatment system can change the setup. Label only after the function has been confirmed.
Locate accessible fixture shutoffs at toilets and sinks, and identify the washing-machine supply valves. Ask where the refrigerator's water connection can be isolated if it has an ice maker. Keep access clear; a valve behind a tightly packed storage shelf won't help you quickly.
In a condo or attached home, find out whether any supply is shared and whether shutting it off affects neighbors. Ask the association or manager who handles building-level plumbing emergencies and how to reach that person outside business hours. Add that number to your phone before you need it.
Understand who handles a water problem
Utility responsibility and homeowner responsibility meet at a boundary that your provider can explain. OUC's water-problem guidance, for example, says it maintains water mains and service lines through the meter, while the owner handles the house-side line and associated private plumbing. Confirm the arrangement for your own provider and property.
Save two contacts: the utility's emergency service number and a qualified plumber. Ask the utility how to report a suspected street-side leak or loss of service. For an indoor plumbing problem, have the plumber's number somewhere another adult in the household can find it.
If water is near electrical equipment, prioritize getting people away from the hazard. Don't step into standing water or reach across wet electrical equipment to find a valve. Get appropriate emergency help. Protecting the floor can wait when the area isn't safe.
Make a first-day check while the house is quiet
After possession and service activation, take a calm walk through the home. Look under sinks, around toilets, near the water heater, and behind accessible appliance connections for visible moisture. Run fixtures as appropriate and watch for leaks. Leave repair work and unfamiliar equipment to qualified professionals.
Use this fictional example as a reminder: a new owner pushes the washing machine into position and starts a cycle. A supply connection begins dripping behind it. Knowing the accessible laundry shutoff allows the owner to stop the water safely and call for help, rather than searching the yard while the leak continues.
For a private well or septic system, request a separate orientation and service records from the appropriate professional. A public-utility account checklist won't explain those systems.
Keep one simple home reference
Create a shared note or a page inside a kitchen cabinet with:
- The water provider and confirmed service-start date
- A photo and location description for the house shutoff
- Any confirmed separate irrigation or shared-building controls
- The utility emergency number and plumber's contact information
- Unresolved problems that need professional attention
Keep account passwords and sensitive billing information elsewhere. Walk other adults in the household through the shutoff location and safe procedure. Then unpack the mugs. You'll enjoy that first cup of coffee more with the basic handoff handled.
Preparing for a Central Florida closing and move? Call License 2 Close at (407) 807-8007 for help organizing the handoff questions to raise before possession.
General educational information, not individual legal, tax, insurance, lending or construction advice. Requirements depend on the property and transaction. Consult the appropriate qualified professional. Sources checked October 15, 2026.
