How do I know if I need to probate a will

A Will has no legal effect until a court admits it to probate (proving it is the Will of the person who died).  Hire a local probate lawyer to present the Will, get the executor appointed, pay the debts and distribute the rest according to the Will.  From your description it sounds as though this includes recording a Distribution Deed which the executor signs distributing the house to you personally.

Please accept my condolences on the loss of your father. If your father owned the house, then unless there was a surviving joint owner who received the house by a right of survivorship (which would not necessarily be the case even if he did own the house jointly with someone else- you would need to review the deed to see how the property was owned in that case), then yes, you would need to have his Will admitted to probate and his estate administered in order to deal with the house. This is true even if you are the only heir and the only beneficiary. Legal title to the house will remain in your father's estate until it has been sold or distributed out of the estate, and until the Will has been admitted to probate there is no one who has the legal authority to deal with estate assets. You can't just move in or keep living in the house and not do anything. That will just make a mess. Find an experienced probate attorney and get a consultation. The attorney can help you get the Will admitted to probate and get the estate administered, help you avoid any pitfalls during that process, and help you get the house and any other estate assets dealt with appropriately. Best wishes to you.