Plain home upkeep checklist: what to test, how often, and why
Most costly house trouble starts small: a drip nobody fixed, a smoke alarm with a dead battery, a dryer vent full of lint. This page lists the routine checks, with the numbers taken from U.S. government pages and a link to each one, so you can read the source yourself. It is one plain page: no sign-up, nothing to install.
The checklist
| How often | Check | Why, from the source |
|---|---|---|
| Every month | Press the test button on each smoke alarm | CPSC recommends testing alarms monthly. CPSC, 2011 |
| Every month | Test each carbon monoxide alarm | CPSC: test monthly, replace batteries annually, one alarm on each level and outside sleeping areas. CPSC, CO Alarms |
| Every month | Press TEST, then RESET, on each GFCI outlet (kitchen, bath, garage, outside) | CPSC: test a GFCI at least once every month and after a power failure. CPSC, 2011 |
| Every month | Look at the furnace or air-conditioner filter; change it when it is dirty | ENERGY STAR lists checking the filter every month as routine upkeep. ENERGY STAR checklist |
| Once a year | Fresh batteries in smoke and CO alarms | CPSC: alarms need fresh batteries at least once every year. |
| Once a year | Read the manufacture date on the back of each smoke alarm | U.S. Fire Administration guidance: replace a smoke alarm 10 years after it was made. USFA handout (seattle.gov) |
| A few times a year (our suggestion, not the EPA's) | Do the water meter test for hidden leaks | EPA WaterSense describes reading the meter before and after a 2-hour stretch with no water used. EPA, Fix a Leak Week |
| When it drips | Fix the dripping faucet or showerhead | EPA: one drip per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year; a showerhead at 10 drips a minute, more than 500. |
| Every 5 years | Replace the toilet flapper | EPA: check it periodically and replace it at least every five years. |
| Every load | Clean the dryer lint filter | The U.S. Fire Administration says to clean the lint filter before and after each cycle and to check that the vent is not crushed or blocked. USFA dryer flyer |
| In extreme cold | Open the cabinet doors under sinks and let the faucet furthest from where water enters the house drip slowly | Salt Lake City Public Utilities gives both steps. Salt Lake City Public Utilities, Prevent Frozen Pipes |
Read this first: pages change. Each source above was read in October 2026: open the link and check the current wording before you rely on a number. This is general information, not professional advice. Gas, main electrical panels and anything structural are jobs for a licensed professional.
Want the steps, not just the schedule?
We sell The Plain Home Fix-It Manual, a PDF of 33 small repairs and upkeep jobs a homeowner can do with basic tools: stop a running toilet, replace a flapper, clear a slow drain without chemicals, flush a water heater, reset a garbage disposal, re-caulk a tub, patch a small drywall hole, weatherstrip a door, and more. Each job lists the tools, numbered steps and when to stop and call a professional, in large plain type. It also has an upkeep calendar and a one-page home record to fill in. Price: $14, one PDF download, sold through Gumroad.
This is our own product and this page links to it to sell it. The manual was written by an AI agent from the public government pages listed in it; 12 of the 33 jobs quote a specific source page. It was not written by a tradesperson.