For first-time homeowners
Your first house, kept in one piece.
Homeowner Basics gives first-time homeowners plain-language maintenance guides, with the intervals, temperatures, and safety rules checked against cited sources such as the DOE, EPA, NFPA, CPSC, and manufacturers. Start with the month-by-month calendar, seasonal checklists, how-to fixes, free tools, and gear guides.
- Checked against DOE, EPA, NFPA and manufacturer guidance
- No sponsored placements
- Written for people who just got the keys
Start here: the basics
All guides →- The month-by-month maintenance calendarJanuary through December: the exact tasks for each month, so nothing slips.Read the guide
- How much to budget for maintenanceThe 1% to 4% rule, and what older homes really cost.Read the guide
- Your first 30 days in the houseShutoffs, locks, alarms, filters, and paperwork — the move-in checklist.Read the guide
- DIY or hire a pro?Green, yellow, and red tiers by trade — what you can do, and what always goes to a licensed pro.Read the guide
- Home maintenance terms, explained30 essential terms in plain language — the jargon behind your furnace, plumbing, and wiring.Read the guide
Free tools
Quick answers for your house, free and without signing up.
- Prepare my house for winterAnswer a few questions about your home for a winter checklist you can tick off, print, or share.Make my checklist
- What's wrong with my house?Pick a noise, smell, leak, or alarm to see how urgent it is, the likely causes, and what to read.Find your symptom
- Will my pipes freeze tonight?Enter your zip code for the National Weather Service forecast and a plain verdict on freeze risk.Check your zip code
- When is the first freeze?Enter your zip code for the typical first and last freeze from NOAA climate normals, and the date to winterize by.Look up your frost dates
- Home inspection report decoderPaste your report to see what each finding means, how worried to be, and who to call.Decode your report
- What size generator do I need?Tick what you'd run in an outage to see the watts you need and the generator size that fits.Size your generator
- What size furnace filter do I need?Answer three quick questions to find your filter size, the right MERV rating, and when to change it.Find my filter
- My Home ProfileAnswer a few questions about your house to get a personalized 12-month maintenance schedule, tailored to its age, systems, and climate.Build my profile
Seasonal checklists
All seasons →Organized around conditions, not dates: your climate decides the schedule.
- Fall checklistFurnace service, gutters, hose bibs, chimney, and air sealing — timed to the first hard freeze.Open checklist
- Winter guideFreeze protection, ice dams, space heater and generator safety, and settings for when you're away.Open guide
- Spring checklistRoof and gutter inspection, AC prep, exterior wash, deck and fence checks, and sump pump testing.Open checklist
- Summer guideThermostat settings that save, attic ventilation, irrigation, deck care, pests, and dryer vents.Open guide
Fix it yourself: how-to guides
All guides →The small jobs that prevent big repairs, step by step, with a clear line for when to call a pro.
- Find and test your main water shutoffWhere the valve hides, how it turns, and why everyone in the house should know.Read the guide
- Flush a water heaterPower off, cool down, drain, refill, then power on — and the traps that catch first-timers.Read the guide
- Test a sump pump and its backupThe bucket test, the check valve, the discharge line, and the battery — ten minutes each spring.Read the guide
- Clean a dryer ventFrom the dryer to the outside cap, with the gas-dryer cautions that matter.Read the guide
More how-to guides: change a furnace filter · test smoke and CO alarms · winterize outdoor faucets · clean gutters from the ground · place water leak sensors · check for a C-wire · winterize a sprinkler system · bleed radiators
Something wrong? furnace won't turn on · CO alarm going off · power outage · frozen pipes · burst pipe · no hot water · water heater leaking · ice dam · thermostat not working · breaker keeps tripping · furnace blowing cold air · water heater popping · sump pump runs constantly · dryer takes two cycles · furnace short cycling · smoke alarm chirping · toilet keeps running
Gear guides
All gear guides →Category first, then specific picks from major manufacturers — and honest about the compromises.
Shopping ListSafety gear first, then the starter toolkit, storm and freeze prep, and the upgrades that can wait.Read the guide
Best GeneratorsSizing, CO shutoff, and safe hookups, plus Champion, Westinghouse, Honda, and a battery power station.Read the guide
Best Smart LocksWhy a new smart deadbolt fixes the old-keys problem, plus Schlage, Kwikset, August, and Yale picks.Read the guide
Best Smart Thermostatsecobee, Google Nest, and Amazon compared — C-wire requirements and savings.Read the guide
Best Water Leak DetectorsSmart Wi-Fi and hub sensors vs. simple battery alarms, plus where to put them: water heater, washer, sinks, sump.Read the guide
More gear guides: gifts for new homeowners · snow blowers · space heaters · power stations · heat tape · snow shovels and ice melt · roof rakes · humidifiers · weatherstripping · leaf blowers · wet/dry vacs · sump pumps · video doorbells · smoke and CO alarms · fire extinguishers · radon test kits · dehumidifiers · tool kits and drills · ladders · furnace filters · gutter tools · pressure washers · starter yard tools
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Frequently Asked Questions
What should a new homeowner do first?
A new homeowner's first jobs are safety and access: find and label the water, electrical, and gas shutoffs, testing only the water valves; change or re-key the exterior locks; and test every smoke and CO alarm and read its manufacture date. Then photograph appliance model plates and note the furnace filter size. Our move-in checklist puts every task in order.
How much should I budget for home maintenance each year?
Set aside about 1% of your home's price each year for maintenance, the rule of thumb in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's home-buying worksheet, and divide by 12 for a monthly amount. Raise it for each system your inspection report flags as near the end of its life, and keep it in a separate account. Our budget guide shows how.
How often should I change my furnace filter?
Check the furnace filter every month and change it every one to three months; ENERGY STAR says to change it if it looks dirty after a month and, at a minimum, every 3 months. Check most closely in winter and summer, the heavy-use months, and date each new filter's frame. Our furnace filter guide shows which way it goes.
What should I do before the first freeze?
Before the first hard freeze (28°F or lower for an extended period, per the National Weather Service), disconnect and drain hoses, close the inside valves to outdoor faucets and open the faucets to drain, and drain sprinkler lines, as the Red Cross advises. ENERGY STAR says to have the heating checked in the fall. Our fall checklist has the rest.
What temperature should I keep my house at when I'm away in winter?
Keep the heat no lower than 55°F when you're away in cold weather, the minimum the American Red Cross gives for preventing frozen pipes, and never turn it off completely. The Red Cross also advises opening kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so warmer air reaches the plumbing. Our winter guide covers what to do for longer trips.
Which home repairs should I leave to a licensed pro?
Always hire a licensed pro for gas line work, anything inside the main electrical panel, and structural changes such as removing walls. Refrigerant work needs an HVAC technician with EPA Section 608 certification, and garage door springs need a trained technician, per the door industry group DASMA. Our DIY or hire a pro guide sorts the rest by trade.
Why trust Homeowner Basics
Most home maintenance advice is either a contractor's upsell or a vague “check your stuff” list. We write the guides we wish existed when we got our first keys.
- Checked against the sources
Every interval, temperature, and safety rule is checked against manufacturer manuals and DOE, EPA, CPSC, and NFPA guidance before it is published.
- No paid placements
Gear picks are our honest opinion. We never accept payment or free products for a spot in a guide, and every affiliate link is marked.
- Honest about the line
We say plainly what you can do yourself and what always goes to a licensed pro. When in doubt, we tell you to call one.
First-Time Homeowner's Maintenance Calendar
The companion book to this site: a month-by-month maintenance calendar from Kanti Press that tells you exactly what your house needs, when — so nothing slips through the cracks in your first year.
Get the book on Amazon (paid link)