Hi, glad you made it. Everything you signed up for is on this page:

  • The five-things checklist
  • the monthly routine
  • the seasonal calendar
  • the renter-vs-owner table
  • a printable reference sheet for your specific home
  • a contractor vetting cheat sheet
  • and a calendar generator

That puts the whole year of reminders straight on your phone.

Bookmark this page. Print whichever sections you want to keep on your fridge or in a drawer. Come back whenever you need a reminder. The whole thing is yours.

Let’s start with the five things to do this week. If you’ve already done them, skip to the monthly routine.

Start Here

Five Things to Do This Week

If you do nothing else from this guide, do these.

  • 01Find your water shutoff valve and label it

    Test it once. Label it with a piece of tape. Future you, panicking at midnight, will thank present you.

  • 02Find your breaker panel and identify the main breaker

    Take a photo for reference. Label at least the bathroom and kitchen breakers.

  • 03Test every smoke and CO detector

    Press the button on each one. They should beep loudly. Replace any that don’t.

  • 04Save three emergency numbers in your phone

    Gas Emergency. Plumber 24/7. Locksmith. Save them now, before you need them.

  • 05Find your gas shutoff (if you have gas)

    Locate the valve at your gas meter. Buy a $10 meter wrench and keep it nearby. Skip this one if you don’t have gas service.

One afternoon. Five tasks. Done.

Once a month, run through this. Pick a day you already remember.

10 Minutes Once a Month

The Monthly Walk-Through

Six checks. Same day every month. Catches 80% of problems before they become emergencies.

  • Test every smoke and CO detector

    ~3 min

    Press the test button on each one. They should beep loudly. Replace any battery that doesn’t.

  • Walk under every sink with a flashlight

    ~2 min

    Look for moisture, drips, or white crust on the pipes. Slow leaks are the cheapest to catch and the most expensive to ignore.

  • Check the fire extinguisher gauge

    ~30 sec

    The needle should be in the green. If it’s in the red, replace the extinguisher.

  • Pour water down drains you don’t use weekly

    ~1 min

    Guest bathroom, basement floor drain, laundry tub. Keeps the P-traps from drying out and letting sewer gas in.

  • Test one GFCI outlet

    ~30 sec

    Rotate through kitchen, bathroom, garage. Press TEST, then RESET. If either button fails, replace the outlet.

  • Look at your HVAC filter

    ~1 min

    Hold it up to a light. If you can see through it, leave it. If you can’t, replace it.

Pro tip: Pick a day you already remember every month. The first of the month, your rent day, or your birthday number. Same day every month is what turns this from “a thing I keep meaning to do” into a habit.

The bigger seasonal jobs map to the time of year. Pick what applies to your home.

Year-Round Maintenance

The Seasonal Checklist

The bigger jobs that map to the time of year. Pick what applies to your home.

Spring

March – May

  • HVAC cooling tune-up before the first 80°F day
  • Clean gutters and downspouts
  • Roof scan from the ground with binoculars
  • Rinse the outdoor AC condenser
  • Re-caulk windows, doors, foundation gaps
  • Deck and exterior paint inspection
  • Annual dryer vent cleaning

Summer

June – August

  • Test sump pump with a 5-gallon bucket
  • Vacuum refrigerator condenser coils
  • Replace HVAC filter monthly under heavy load
  • Check smart leak sensor batteries
  • Touch up exterior paint and trim
  • Inspect outdoor lighting and motion sensors

Fall

September – November

  • HVAC heating tune-up before first cold snap
  • Chimney Level 1 inspection if you use a fireplace
  • Partial water heater flush; check anode rod
  • Clean gutters again before first freeze
  • Disconnect garden hoses, drain hose bibs
  • Replace smoke and CO detector batteries
  • Inspect weatherstripping on doors and windows
  • Test sump pump and battery backup

Winter

December – February

  • Check indoor humidity (aim for 30–50%)
  • Walk perimeter for ice dam warning signs
  • Test backup power, generators, flashlights
  • Watch for mice and seal entry points
  • Refresh emergency kit (water, batteries, meds)

Regional callouts

Pay extra attention to these if you live in one of these regions.

Southern States Spring

Schedule annual termite inspection by April. Swarming season starts in spring.

Western Fire Zones Spring

Complete defensible space work by May 1. CAL FIRE inspections begin then.

Gulf & Atlantic Coast Spring

Buy flood insurance by May 1. NFIP has a 30-day waiting period before coverage starts.

Southwest Desert Summer

Clear roof drains by mid-June for monsoon season. Verify AC works under heavy load.

Hurricane Zones Summer

Test generator with 30-min full load. Confirm shutters or pre-cut plywood are ready.

Wildfire Zones Summer

Clean gutters monthly during fire season. Embers in dry leaves are the #1 ignition path.

Cold Climate Zones Fall

Finish all winterization by Oct 15 (north) or Nov 15 (mid-Atlantic). Disconnect hoses, drain spigots.

Pacific Northwest Fall

Treat moss on the roof. Apply zinc strips at the ridge. Clean gutters a third time in late November.

Snow Zones Winter

Roof rake at 12+ inches pitched / 6+ inches flat. Call a pro above 20 lbs/sq ft load.

Cold Climate Zones Winter

Below 20°F: open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls. Drip cold-water faucets.

If you rent, anything in the “owner” column is your landlord’s job to fix. Use this for reference whenever you’re not sure who’s responsible.

TaskRenter’s jobOwner’s job
Test smoke and CO detectors monthly✓✓
Replace smoke and CO detector batteries✓✓
Replace smoke and CO detectors at end of life(landlord’s)✓
Replace HVAC filters✓ (per most leases)✓
Annual HVAC tune-up(landlord’s)✓
Water heater flush and anode rod(landlord’s)✓
Report leaks immediately in writing✓✓ (to yourself)
Fix the actual leak(landlord’s)✓
Clean dryer vent annuallyshared, often landlord✓
Clean gutters(landlord’s)✓
Replace washing machine hoses(landlord’s, if landlord supplied)✓
Roof inspection and repairs(landlord’s)✓
Termite inspection(landlord’s)✓
Pest control (building-wide)(landlord’s)✓
Pest control (you brought it home)✓✓
Lock function and re-keying(landlord’s, on request)✓
Replace light bulbs✓✓
Snow removal (single-family rental)check lease✓
Yard work (single-family rental)check lease✓

This next one is the workhorse. Print it once, fill it in by hand for your specific home, and keep it in a kitchen drawer. The night something goes wrong, you’ll want this exact information at your fingertips.

Print and Fill In

Your Home Reference Sheet

Print this page, fill it in by hand, keep it in a kitchen drawer.

Critical Shutoffs

Main water shutoff:

Where it is, what it looks like, and any directions to find it in a hurry.

Gas shutoff (if applicable):
Main electrical breaker:
Sewer cleanout (if applicable):

Home Systems

HVAC filter size:
HVAC make/model:
Water heater age/model:
Roof age (last replaced):
Smoke alarm install dates:

Replace 10 years from manufacture date. Write the year here so you don’t forget.

Trusted Contractors

Plumber (24/7)

Phone

Electrician

Phone

HVAC technician

Phone

Locksmith

Phone

Handyman / general contractor

Phone

Pest control

Phone

Emergency Numbers

Gas utility emergency line

Electric utility outage line

Water utility

Local non-emergency police

Doctor

Vet (if you have pets)

Personal Network

Trusted neighbor (with spare key)

Phone

Out-of-state emergency contact

Phone

Insurance company + policy #:
Insurance claims line:
Landlord / property manager:

If you rent. Include their preferred contact method (text, email, portal).

Tip: Once it’s filled in, take a photo with your phone. Now you have a digital backup if the paper copy ever gets lost or damaged.

Print one of these for every contractor you get an estimate from. The questions on this sheet are what separate professionals from people who’ll waste your money. The rating section at the bottom is what helps you compare three quotes side by side without losing track.

Print and Use During Estimates

Contractor Vetting Cheat Sheet

Print one copy per contractor. Check off questions as you go. Rate them at the end.

Questions to Ask Before You Hire

  • Are you licensed in this state? Can you give me your license number so I can verify it?
  • Can you provide a Certificate of Insurance directly from your insurance company?
  • Will you provide a written, itemized estimate before any work starts?
  • What’s your written warranty on the work and on the materials?
  • What’s your payment schedule? (Look for: under 33% upfront, balance after walkthrough.)
  • Will you be on-site, or will subcontractors do the work? Who exactly?
  • What’s your daily cleanup procedure? Where will materials be stored?
  • What’s the change-order process if something unexpected comes up?
  • Can you give me three recent references from jobs in the last 3 months?
  • Will you pull the permits, or do I? (Permits are almost always the contractor’s job.)
  • What hours and days will you and your crew be working?
  • How do you handle disputes if I’m not satisfied with part of the work?

Red Flags to Walk Away From

  • Door-to-door solicitation with “leftover materials from your neighbor’s job”
  • Cash-only payment or asks for full payment upfront
  • Today-only price or pressure to sign immediately
  • Refuses to give a written contract or itemized estimate
  • Asks for upfront permit fees in cash
  • No physical address, only a P.O. box or “we’ll come to you”
  • License number doesn’t match the state’s database
  • No references, or references that don’t pick up
  • Quote is dramatically lower than other estimates (someone is cutting corners)
  • Pressures you into add-ons mid-job (“while we’re here, we found…”)

Rate This Contractor

Fill this in by hand after the estimate visit. Use it to compare contractors side by side.

Contractor name:

Company

Phone

License number

Verified? (Y/N)

Insurance certificate received?

Quote total

Estimated start date

Estimated completion

Communication clarity:

1 2 3 4 5

Professionalism on visit:

1 2 3 4 5

Trust your gut feeling:

1 2 3 4 5

Notes (anything that stood out, good or bad):

Final decision:

Hire Get more quotes Walk away

Last piece: a calendar file you can import once and forget about. Pick your region if you want extra reminders specific to your climate. Click the button. Open the downloaded file and let your phone or computer add the reminders for you.

Calendar Reminders

Generate Your Maintenance Calendar

12 months of reminders, ready to import into your phone or computer.

Pick your region (optional)

Adds extra reminders specific to your climate. Skip this if you want a general calendar only.

How do I import this file?

iPhone or Mac: Tap the downloaded file. Your phone will ask which calendar to add the events to. Pick your main calendar and you’re done.

Android: Tap the file to open it. Google Calendar will ask if you want to import. Tap yes.

Windows: Double-click the file. Choose Outlook or open Google Calendar in your browser, go to Settings → Import & export, and upload the file.

Doesn’t work? Open Google Calendar in any browser, click the gear icon, choose Settings, then “Import & export.” Click “Select file from your computer” and upload the .ics file.

That’s the whole bundle. If anything’s broken, missing, or you want me to add something, hit reply on the welcome email I sent. I read every one.

Now go find your water shutoff.