Chapter 01Records
Home records
The details you need once a year and can never find: model numbers, warranty dates, filter sizes. Each record here has a tool that fills in the dates for you and a sheet you can print.
- Appliance and warranty records: every machine, its numbers and its paperwork
- Fall home checklist and winter-prep record
- Furnace filter record: every slot, its size and the change dates
- Gutter and downspout record
- Home inventory: what you own, room by room, with two copies kept outside the house
- Home records binder: your house manual
- Keys, codes and remotes: changed on move-in day, logged by who has each one
- Move-in first month: the new home checklist
- Smoke and CO alarm record: dates, batteries and the monthly test
- Who to call: household contacts and service history on one page
- Appliance and warranty log
- Gutter and downspout sizing
- Home inventory sheet
- Home service log
- HVAC filter size finder and replacement planner
- Keys, codes and remotes log
- Smoke and CO alarm planner
- Water heater capacity estimator
Systems: one finished job each
SystemAppliance and warranty records: every machine, its numbers and its paperworkList every appliance, copy its model and serial number from the label, keep the receipt with the warranty, and print one log for the house binder.9 steps · 4 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system
SystemFall home checklist and winter-prep recordWhat to book, check and write down before winter: the heating check-up, the air filter, smoke alarm tests, hoses and drafts, on one printable page.8 steps · 4 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system
SystemFurnace filter record: every slot, its size and the change datesFind every filter slot, write down its size and arrow, buy a year of spares, then check monthly and log each change on one printable record.8 steps · 4 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system
SystemGutter and downspout recordOne page for your gutters: measure each run from the ground, check the size and downspout count, book spring and fall cleanings, note every spill.8 steps · 5 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system
SystemHome inventory: what you own, room by room, with two copies kept outside the houseFilm each room in one afternoon, type the list from the footage one room at a time, keep copies in two places outside the house and check it each season.9 steps · 4 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system
SystemHome records binder: your house manualSix tabs for the facts a house keeps asking for: appliances and warranties, filter sizes, paint colors, measurements, manuals and service visits.8 steps · 6 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system
SystemKeys, codes and remotes: changed on move-in day, logged by who has each oneCount and test what you were handed, change the locks, clear the garage opener, set new codes, cut copies last and keep a list of who has each key.10 steps · 3 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system
SystemMove-in first month: the new home checklistFour weeks, one short job list each: smoke alarms, the air filter, appliance labels, a room-by-room inventory and the monthly reminders, on one printable page.9 steps · 6 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system
SystemSmoke and CO alarm record: dates, batteries and the monthly testNumber every smoke and CO alarm, read the date on the back, note the battery type, then test once a month and tick it off on one printable record.8 steps · 3 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system
SystemWho to call: household contacts and service history on one pageKeep one page of who you call for heating, cooling, chimney, septic and the rest, with each visit dated, its invoice number and the next date to book.9 steps · 3 parts · 1 page to printOpen the system
Tools and records
Chapter 01Appliance and warranty logRecord each appliance's model number, serial number and purchase date, see which warranty ends next, and print a one-page log for the drawer.Open the tool
Chapter 01Gutter and downspout sizingMeasure a gutter run and its roof from the ground, apply the pitch factor, and get the gutter size, downspout count and slope, plus a printable gutter log.Open the tool
Chapter 01Home inventory sheetList what you own room by room, with what you paid, serial numbers and which items have a photo. See each room's total and print a one-page sheet.Open the tool
Chapter 01Home service logTurn the last visit for your heating, cooling, chimney and septic service into the next due date and a book-by date, then print a log of who to call.Open the tool
Chapter 01HVAC filter size finder and replacement plannerTurn a nominal size like 16x25x1 into the filter's actual dimensions, or measure an old filter to find the size to buy, then plan the next change.Open the tool
Chapter 01Keys, codes and remotes logCount the full sets of house keys you need, the copies to cut for each lock and the garage remotes to get, then print a log of who has what.Open the tool
Chapter 01Smoke and CO alarm plannerCount smoke and CO alarms level by level from NFPA's placement list, then get the replace-by date and the next battery change for your alarms.Open the tool
Chapter 01Water heater capacity estimatorAdd up your busiest hour of hot water, check it against the first hour rating on the EnergyGuide label, and print a record of your heater.Open the tool
Guides and know-how
ProblemNo size printed on my air filter: how to find itThe print on the frame is gone or the slot is empty. Measure the opening, round to the nearest inch, and know when you need a custom size.Read the guide
Practical noteWhat to change on move-in day: locks, garage opener and codesNew house, old keys. Here's the order to work in on move-in week: count what you got, change the locks, clear the garage opener, reset codes, then cut copies.Read the guide- Practical noteFilter change reminders that actually stickA monthly look on a fixed day, the date written on the frame, a 60 to 90 day change window, and the next filter already on the shelf. Set up in ten minutes.Read the guide
- Practical noteTwo return grilles, two sizes: keeping a filter logFind every filter slot, number them, and give each its own line: size, date in, next change. A worked log for a 20x25x1 and a 14x20x1 in one house.Read the guide
- Problem-solving guideGutter overflowing in heavy rain: what to write downWatch one storm from a dry spot, note which run spills and where, then check its downspouts against the roof area. Take that note to an installer.Read the guide
Practical noteThe rooms and things people leave off a home inventoryThe garage, attic, linen closet and patio hold more than people think. Here's what usually gets missed, room by room, and how to group the small stuff.Read the guide
Practical noteHow many air filters to buy for a yearPlan on 4 to 6 filters a year for each filter slot, from the 60 to 90 day change range. Count your slots, check monthly and order by size.Read the guide- Know-howHow often each home service is due: furnace, AC, chimney and septic on one calendarFurnace and AC check-ups once a year, the chimney every year, septic inspection at least every three years, and where each one goes on your calendar.Read the guide
Know-howHow old is my smoke alarm? Reading the date on the backTake it down, find the date of manufacture on the back and add 10 years. What to do with no date, sealed batteries and CO alarms.Read the guide- Practical noteHow old is my water heater? Finding the install dateFind a water heater's age from the paperwork or the date code in its serial number (Rheem, A. O. Smith, Bradford White), then log it with the 13-year mark.Read the guide
- Practical noteWho has a key to your house? Tracking sitters, neighbors and contractorsSpare keys drift: a neighbor, the dog sitter, a contractor who never gave it back. Keep one list of who has which key, when it went out and when it came back.Read the guide
- Know-howHow to measure a gutter run and its roof from the groundThree numbers per gutter run, all taken on the ground: the run's length, how far the roof reaches back, and its rise. Then the pitch and the area.Read the guide
Practical noteNew home, no paperwork: build an appliance list in one afternoonMoved in and the manuals are gone? Walk the house in order, photograph every label, find each manual by model number and end with one printed list.Read the guide
Know-howNominal vs actual HVAC filter sizes, explainedWhy a 16x25x1 filter measures about 15.5 x 24.5 x 0.75 inches, how to read the label, and how to size an old filter with no print on it.Read the guide- Practical noteHow to do a photo home inventory in one afternoonFilm every room with the drawers open, then shoot the labels. Type the list later from the photos and keep copies in two places away from home.Read the guide
- Know-howReading the water heater label and data plateWhat the yellow EnergyGuide label and the data plate on a water heater tell you: tank size, first hour rating, band, model and serial, and what to copy down.Read the guide
Practical noteHow to test smoke and CO alarms room by room, once a monthPress each test button on a fixed route, listen for the loud beep and write the date in the log. What a chirp means, plus the yearly battery job.Read the guide- Practical noteWhat to write down after a service visit: one line before the truck leavesThe tech is packing up. Get the company, the date, what they did, the invoice number and when to come back onto one line, and photograph the invoice.Read the guide
Know-howWhere to find the model and serial number on each applianceWhere the label usually sits on a fridge, dishwasher, range, microwave, washer and dryer, how to tell the two numbers apart, and how to copy them right.Read the guide
Practical noteWindow and door draft check: a fall walk-throughWalk every outside door and window, try the paper test, list what you find and pick a fix: weather stripping, window film or a booked pro.Read the guide
Printable sheets
Photos: Bayu Syaits / Unsplash, Alex Tyson / Unsplash, Spacejoy / Unsplash and 6 more, see photo credits