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New homeowner maintenance checklist

Congratulations — the closing is done and the keys are yours. Now comes the part no one hands you at the signing table: keeping the place running. This new homeowner maintenance checklist breaks the first year into manageable stages — your first week, first month, first few months, and first year — so you tackle the urgent safety items right away and build good habits before small problems become expensive ones. Work through it roughly in order; the early items protect you from the failures that cost the most.

Your first day and first week

Before you unpack a single box, handle the things that keep you safe and let you respond to an emergency.

• Locate the main water shutoff. It is usually where the supply line enters the house — a basement wall, crawl space, or utility closet. Turn it off and on once so you know it works.
• Find the gas shutoff (if you have gas) at the meter, and keep a wrench nearby. Know what a gas smell means and when to leave and call the utility.
• Open the electrical panel and confirm the breakers are labeled. If they are not, spend an evening mapping which breaker controls which room and relabel them.
• Change the exterior locks or rekey them. You have no idea how many copies of the old keys are floating around. Do the same for garage codes and any smart locks.
• Test every smoke and carbon-monoxide detector and replace the batteries. If you don't know their age, replace the units — most are only rated for about 10 years.
• Find the HVAC filter and note its size, then find the sump pump (if any) and the floor drains so you know where water is meant to go.

Your first month

With the emergencies covered, use the first month to learn the house and catch the small stuff sellers often leave behind.

• Change the furnace filter. The old owner's filter is almost certainly overdue. A clean filter protects the blower and keeps heating and cooling efficient; check it monthly at first to learn how fast it loads up.
• Do a leak check. Look under every sink, around the base of each toilet, and at the water heater for drips, corrosion, or water stains. Catching a slow leak now prevents rot and mold later.
• Inventory your major systems and appliances. Write down the make, model, and age of the furnace, water heater, air conditioner, and every large appliance. Serial-number plates and dates are usually printed right on the unit.
• Register warranties. For anything the sellers left new receipts for, and for anything you buy, register the warranty and file the paperwork so a covered failure doesn't cost you.
• Deep-clean the range hood and dryer vent. A clogged dryer vent is a genuine fire hazard and a common one in a home you didn't set up yourself. Pull the dryer out and clear the duct back to the exterior vent.

Your first three months and the season you moved in

Every home has seasonal work, and the right list depends on when you moved in. Rather than wait for a generic date, tackle the tasks for the current season now.

• Match your checklist to the season. Moved in during autumn? Service the furnace and clean the gutters before the freeze. Spring? Check the roof and outdoor faucets. See the seasonal guides linked below for a full run-through.
• Inspect caulking and weatherstripping. Re-caulk around tubs, showers, sinks, and exterior trim where the seal has cracked, and replace flattened weatherstripping on doors and windows to cut drafts and keep water out.
• Walk the exterior. Check that downspouts drain away from the foundation, look for grading that slopes toward the house, and note any cracked walkways or fence sections to plan for.

Your first year

The goal by the end of year one is a home you understand and a routine that runs on its own.

1. Build a repeatable maintenance schedule. Turn one-off tasks into recurring reminders — filters monthly, detectors and deep cleans a couple of times a year, HVAC service annually. A schedule you don't have to remember is one you'll actually follow.
2. Start a repair and replacement fund. Open a separate savings bucket and contribute to it every month. When the water heater finally goes, you'll write a check instead of reaching for a credit card.
3. Learn your big-ticket items and their ages. Using the inventory you made, estimate when each major system is likely to need replacing based on typical lifespans, and line up your savings so the timing isn't a surprise.
4. Review and adjust. After a full cycle of seasons you'll know your home's quirks — which drafts appear in winter, where water pools in spring. Fold those lessons back into next year's plan.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first after buying a house?

Before anything else, find and test your three emergency controls: the main water shutoff, the gas shutoff (if you have gas), and the electrical panel. Then change the exterior locks and test every smoke and carbon-monoxide detector. Knowing how to kill the water in seconds can turn a burst pipe from a flood into a puddle, so these come first — before decorating or unpacking.

How much should I budget for home maintenance?

A common rule of thumb is to set aside roughly 1% to 4% of your home's value each year for maintenance and eventual repairs, with older homes landing at the higher end. On a $400,000 home that is about $4,000 to $16,000 a year. Treat it as a sinking fund: contribute a fixed amount monthly so a failed furnace or roof is a planned expense rather than an emergency.

Which appliances should I worry about first?

Focus on the big-ticket, safety-critical systems first: the furnace or heat pump, water heater, and electrical panel, followed by the roof and any large appliances near the end of their typical lifespan. Write down the make, model, and age of each one so you can estimate when it will need replacing and start saving before it fails.

Related guides

• Home maintenance schedule by month
• How long do home appliances last?
• How much does home maintenance cost per year?