First-Year Homeowner Maintenance Checklist

The first year in a house is when you learn how it works. Nobody hands you a manual at closing, so this list does two things: it helps you find the parts of the house you will need in a hurry, and it gives you a simple routine for the rest of the year.

Everything here is general upkeep: looking, cleaning, testing and simple swaps. Renters can use most of it too, but report problems to your landlord in writing, because many repairs are their job.

Know where your limits are. Electrical wiring, gas lines and gas appliances, and anything structural (foundation, load-bearing walls, roof framing) are jobs for a licensed pro. This checklist will tell you to look and take notes. It will never ask you to open a panel or a gas line.

In your first week: find the important parts

Walk the house with a flashlight and a roll of masking tape. Label what you find.

• Main water shut-off. Usually where the water line enters the house (basement, crawl space, utility room or near the water heater). Make sure the valve turns. If a pipe bursts, this is what you close.
• Electrical panel. Find it, and check whether the breakers are labeled. Do not open the panel cover. If the labels are missing or wrong, have an electrician map them.
• Gas meter and shut-off (if you have gas). Know where it is. Your gas utility can tell you when and how it should be shut off. If you smell gas, leave the house first, then call the utility or 911 from outside.
• Furnace or heat pump filter. Find the slot, note the size printed on the filter edge, and buy two spares.
• Water heater. Note its age (often on the label) and look at the base for rust or water.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Count them. There should be smoke alarms inside and outside sleeping areas and on every level, and CO alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas. Press each test button.
• Fire extinguisher. Buy one if the house came without one, and keep it near the kitchen exit.

In your first month: start the records

• Make an appliance list. For each major appliance write the brand, model, serial number, install date if you know it, and where the manual lives. Most of this is on a sticker inside the door or on the back.
• Gather warranties and receipts into one folder, paper or digital.
• Check smoke alarm dates. The date of manufacture is on the back. Replace any smoke alarm that is 10 years past that date.
• Read your inspection report again if you had one. Pull out every item marked for a pro and decide which to book first.

Every month

• Test smoke and CO alarms with the test button.
• Check the HVAC filter. If you cannot see light through it, change it. Write the date on the edge.
• Look under sinks for drips, stains or a soft cabinet floor.
• Clean the dryer lint filter every load, before and after. Once a month, also check behind the dryer for lint and make sure the vent hose is not crushed.

Every season

Spring

• Clear gutters and make sure downspouts carry water away from the house.
• Walk around the outside and note damaged siding, trim or steps.
• Book an air-conditioner or heat-pump service with a licensed technician before hot weather.

Summer

• Keep plants and grass a couple of feet away from the outdoor AC unit.
• Check decks and railings for loose boards. Soft or rotted posts are a job for a pro.
• Test GFCI outlets (the ones with TEST and RESET buttons). If one will not reset, call an electrician.

Fall

• Book a furnace or boiler service and, if you burn wood, a chimney sweep.
• Disconnect hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard freeze.
• Replace worn weatherstripping and door sweeps.

Winter

• Insulate exposed pipes in unheated spaces.
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from space heaters, fireplaces and the furnace.
• Keep outside vents, meters and drains clear of snow.

Once a year

• Replace replaceable alarm batteries.
• Clean the dryer vent duct all the way to the outside, or hire it out. Check that the outdoor flap opens when the dryer runs.
• Review the year: what broke, what it cost, and what to budget for next year.

Signs that need a licensed pro, not a weekend project

• Breakers that trip often, warm or buzzing outlets, flickering lights
• Yellow flames or soot near gas appliances, or any gas smell
• New or widening cracks in the foundation, walls or ceilings; sagging floors; doors that suddenly stick
• Water in the basement after rain that was not there before

Write down what you saw and when, then call. A clear note helps the pro and saves time.