Find the shutoffs this weekend
The main water valve is usually where the supply line enters the house: in the basement, in a utility closet, or outdoors near the meter in warm climates. A lever handle is a ball valve and closes with a quarter turn, until the handle sits across the pipe. A round wheel handle closes clockwise and may take several turns. Turn it once a year so that it does not seize. Every sink and toilet also has its own small valve underneath or behind it, which lets you stop one leak without shutting off the house. Then open the electrical panel and label every breaker. If you ever smell gas, touch no switches, leave the building and call the gas company or 911 from outside.
The monthly and seasonal list
- Replace the furnace or air handler filter every one to three months, and monthly if you have pets. The size is printed on the filter's edge, and the arrow points toward the blower.
- Press the test button on every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm once a month, and replace the batteries yearly unless the unit is a sealed ten-year model. Replace smoke alarms ten years after the date printed on the back, and carbon monoxide alarms on the schedule in their manual, which is often sooner.
- Clean the gutters in late spring and late fall, and check that downspouts discharge several feet from the foundation.
- Clean the full length of the dryer vent duct once a year, since built-up lint is a leading cause of house fires.
- Have the heating and cooling system serviced once a year, before the season in which you depend on it.
Water is the enemy
Nearly every expensive repair begins as a small, slow leak. A few times a year, look under sinks, around toilets and at the ceiling below each bathroom. Renew cracked caulk around tubs and windows. A stain that grows, a musty smell or a water bill that jumps without explanation all mean water is going somewhere it should not.
The budget, and renters
Owners should set aside about one percent of the home's value each year for upkeep. Renters should still know the shutoffs, and should report every leak in writing the day it is found.
Tip Keep one note on your phone with the filter size, the paint colors, appliance model numbers and the name of a plumber and an electrician you trust. You will want it at the worst possible moment.
