First-year homeowner maintenance checklist

The first year in a house is the one where nothing has broken yet — which makes it the easiest year to get ahead of everything that eventually will. You don't need to do it all at once. Here's the month-by-month version, built so a first-time owner can follow it without a contractor on speed dial.

Week 1: the move-in basics

• Find and label the main water shutoff and the electrical panel.
• Locate every gas shutoff and the HVAC emergency switch.
• Change the locks; note the alarm/garage codes.
• Test every smoke and CO detector; replace batteries.
• Find the year built and the age of the roof, HVAC, and water heater (Almwell pulls these from public records in seconds).

Month 1: set the rhythm

• Replace HVAC filters and note the size; set a 90-day reminder.
• Walk the exterior: note the roof's condition, gutter state, and any grading that slopes toward the house.
• Check for plumbing leaks under every sink and around the water heater.

Months 2–3 (settling in)

• Flush the water heater to clear sediment.
• Test the sump pump (pour in water, confirm it kicks on).
• Clean the dryer vent — a real fire risk people forget.
• Re-caulk tubs, showers, and exterior gaps as needed.

Spring (whenever it lands in your year)

• Clean gutters and downspouts.
• Service the AC before the first hot week.
• Inspect the roof from the ground with binoculars; flag missing or curling shingles.
• Check exterior paint, caulk, and seals.

Summer

• Check window and door seals; touch up weatherstripping.
• Inspect the deck/fence; reseal if water no longer beads.
• Clear vegetation back from the AC condenser and the foundation.

Fall

• Service the furnace before the first cold snap.
• Clean gutters again after leaf-fall.
• Shut off and drain exterior faucets; store hoses.
• Reverse ceiling fans; check attic insulation.

Winter

• Keep the furnace filter fresh (it works hardest now).
• Watch for ice dams on the roof edge.
• Know how to shut off water fast in case a pipe freezes.

The one habit that matters most

Pick a day each season and run the list. The homeowners who avoid five-figure surprises aren't handier than everyone else — they just caught the small thing before it became the big one. If you want the list keyed to your house instead of a generic calendar — your actual roof age, your actual systems — that's what Almwell builds from your address.

Also worth reading: how much to budget for home maintenance and how long does a roof last. See our methodology for how Almwell estimates system ages from public records.