New Homeowner Maintenance Checklist

First 30 days — the fundamentals

Goal: know where everything is and confirm the safety basics work. None of this is optional, and almost none of it costs money.

• · Find and label the main water shutoff. Test it once so you know it actually closes.
• · Label every breaker in the electrical panel. Use painter's tape and a helper with a lamp.
• · Find the gas shutoff (if you have gas service) and keep the wrench nearby.
• · Rekey or replace exterior locks. You don't know who still has keys.
• · Test every smoke and CO alarm. Note the manufacture date on each — replace anything older than 10 years.
• · Re-read your inspection report. Turn every "monitor" into a calendar item.

First 90 days — protect the systems

• · Swap HVAC filters and write the size on the furnace cabinet with a Sharpie.
• · Flush the water heater per the manufacturer's instructions. Note the install date.
• · Walk the roof line with binoculars; check flashing and gutter pitch.
• · Photograph existing foundation cracks and basement stains so you have a baseline.
• · Caulk any visible exterior gaps before the next freeze/thaw cycle.

Through the year — the seasonal rhythm

See the first-year checklist for a month-by-month version. The short version:

• · Spring: gutters, sump test, foundation walk-around.
• · Summer: AC condenser rinse, window wells, irrigation.
• · Fall: gutters again, winterize hose bibs, furnace tune-up.
• · Winter: humidity monitoring, quarterly sump test, attic check for ice-dam signs.